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Before a recent beach trip, I ran through my usual checklist: A fresh, non-expired bottle of sunscreen? Check. An insulated water bottle that can survive 90-degree heat? Check. Clean, ready-to-wear bikinis? Check. And last but not least—my The Tox appointment booked? Absolutely. And, no, I’m not talking about Botox or other neurotoxin wrinkle-relaxing treatments; I’m talking about the trendy lymphatic drainage studio offering detoxifying and body-sculpting massages.
Massages didn’t used to be my typical beach checklist, but ever since I discovered The Tox at a recent media event (and then saw the brand again on an episode of Bravo’s The Valley), I knew I had to try it. I was drawn to The Tox’s potential to help detoxify and sculpt the body—all through a soothing massage in a luxe studio environment. It wasn’t long before I booked my first appointment. Keep reading to hear my thoughts on the treatment.
What is The Tox?
The Tox is a company that offers lymphatic drainage massages, all in the founder Courtney Yeager’s signature technique that she developed when she started the company. But unlike just traditional lymphatic drainage massages that focus on detox or body contouring, The Tox blends detoxifying drainage techniques with body sculpting modalities so you get the best of both worlds.
According to the brand, the treatment can yield a number of benefits, including improved digestion, less fluid retention (depuffing), and may even help lower inflammation. The treatment uses hands-on massage and natural stimulation of the lymphatic and digestive systems, so it feels like a gentle, low-pressure massage.
The Tox offers a few different treatment options, including a 60- or 90-minute full-body massage, a facial sculpt, and a pregnancy-safe Master Tox. I opted for the 90-minute full-body session, which is said to deliver deeper detoxifying benefits than the shorter treatment.
What Happens During the Treatment?
Like a regular massage, you can keep your underwear on during the process, but everything else gets taken off.
At the start of your session, you have the option of adding facial masks or detoxifying patches to your treatment for an additional cost. Your technician will also ask you if you’d like before and after pictures, which I quickly accepted. From there, you’re ready to get started.
The technician starts on your legs and takes a before shot. If you’re expecting a tight-muscle release type of massage, this is not the treatment for you. As mentioned before, this is all about detoxifying and sculpting in targeted regions, so the pressure is very light. Because my muscles weren’t being worked, I was actually able to relax.
Next up: abs. This region was a little less relaxing than the legs—a slightly jarring sensation since traditional massages rarely focus on the core. With fewer muscles in that area, it felt like the technician was kneading into a hollow part of my stomach (this is normal, I was told). The sensation wasn’t painful or uncomfortable at all—it just felt a little... weird. From there, they moved quickly through the arms before asking me to flip over, finishing with the backs of the thighs and the sides of the waist.
My results
I feel like I noticed the biggest difference in my stomach, while the change between my legs was pretty undetectable to the eye. I felt much lighter and puffy overall—almost like I’d dropped a couple of pounds in an hour and a half.
My technician advised me to drink a lot of water after the treatment to help my system flush out excess fluid and toxins. She also said I may feel the detoxifying effects over the next few days and that it’s normal to feel a little nauseous, tired, and have to urinate more frequently. These are just signs that the body is continuing to detox. Fortunately, I didn’t feel any of these side effects afterward, and the sculpted look in my abs lasted a few weeks.
While I was impressed by the treatment, it’s definitely not cheap. A single session price for the 60-minute massage starts at $239, but if you bundle and purchase a three-pack, you’ll pay significantly less: just $175 per treatment.
All in all, I will definitely be going back again before my next beach trip—though next time, I will make sure to take advantage of bundled pricing. If you’re interested in trying out lymphatic drainage at a much lower cost, here are some tools to try in the comfort of your own home.
