Jessica Cormier, the owner of My Tox Shop, has worked as a nurse for seven years, including in the neuro trauma unit and the surgical ICU. She currently works in the medical ICU, helping with evidence-based nursing research. Jessica started working with botox after working through the pandemic altered the way she saw medicine and made her fearful. She asked herself “What have you done in your life and what do you want?” When she turned 29 in April of 2020, she decided to do something every month that scared her, including a metalsmithing class, and a woodworking class, where she made a charcuterie board. She had been struggling with migraines for a long time, and had heard that Botox can help, but she was scared of needles. Because of her goal to do one scary thing a month, she tried Botox, and it was a game changer, helping not only her migraines, but also her depression. “The craziest thing was the interaction between my patients, my coworkers, and me. Because my muscles were more relaxed, I wasn’t always making a concerned face and scowling behind my mask, and it helped establish more trust. It changed our interactions.” Jessica’s year of doing things that scared her led to her starting My Tox Shop. “I didn’t ever think I’d start a business, but it was part of that year, so I did it.”
Medicinal Botox is often stigmatized. “So many people have biases, which is reasonable. If they’re willing to listen, I can tell them all the cool things about it. It’s one of the most studied medications and very safe. It’s a tool.” Botox was originally used in ophthalmology, for eye muscle disorders and spasms, and pediatrics, largely for patients with cerebral palsy. The use of Botox in aesthetics started in the 1990s when doctors noticed that a side effect of the medical use was wrinkle reduction. Now, Jessica says, “It’s the gold standard for migraines.” Botox softens the movement of your muscles until it wears off, making regular treatments useful for migraines, jaw-clenching, muscle spasms, overactive bladder, excessive sweating, and more.
Jessica started My Tox Shop more than a year ago. “I didn’t have resources. I just started going to people’s houses. It had to be part-time.” The momentum got bigger when Jessica went into the community and did vendor events. She met her business partner at The World Strength Games. He suggested that instead of being competitors, they should help each other, which perfectly fit into Jessica’s goals for My Tox Shop: to serve the community, connect, and help each other grow. My Tox Shop is in a salon suite now, but Jessica’s hope is to start her own practice and educate more nurses. “This is way past the goal I had–just to start. One reason I started My Tox Shop is for my baby. I wanted a way to make money without the difficult 12-hour shifts at the hospital, because I have an autoimmune disease. I want to make a difference in my child’s life and spend more time with him and outside that traumatizing zone.” Jessica also wanted to give back to the community, creating education and access. “Some people see people as dollar signs, but being raised in critical care, everyone has a gown on–homeless or famous–you’re all the same. Everyone needs dignity, respect, support.”
Jessica knows that, even after learning about the medicinal benefits, some people still won’t be okay with Botox. “That’s fine. We have other ways to treat things. For migraines, we have IV therapy. A lot of these things I learned in the emergency department and critical care.” There’s a lot of fear and gatekeeping about both medicinal and aesthetic Botox. “My Tox Shop is my rebellion against that. I’m creating safety, education, and accessibility.” If you’re looking for some relief from medical issues, look no further than My Tox Shop!
"It’s one of the most studied medications and very safe. It’s a tool.”