The meaning behind the new name and why it represents the future of the clinic
Written by Injector Rick, founder of Mr Beautox Aesthetics and BONAVADA Aesthetics, Worthing
After several years as Mr Beautox Aesthetics, the clinic is entering a new chapter.
Mr Beautox is becoming BONAVADA Aesthetics.
This is not a change of ownership, not a move to a different clinic or the disappearance of the practitioner you already know.
It is still me, Injector Rick. The same treatments, the same honest advice and the same commitment to creating a welcoming, non-judgemental clinic.
What is changing is the name.
And there is a story behind it.
Why change the name Mr Beautox?
Mr Beautox has served me incredibly well.
It was memorable, playful and helped me establish the business when I was building my reputation in aesthetics. Many clients know me by that name, and I will always have a great deal of affection for it.
But the clinic has grown.
Today, my work includes far more than treatments for lines and wrinkles. I offer dermal fillers, regenerative treatments, polynucleotides, PRP, tattoo removal, skin treatments, male intimate procedures and professional aesthetics training.
The old name increasingly felt connected to one particular product category rather than the full range of work I now do.
I wanted a name that could grow with the clinic.
It needed to be distinctive, personal and inclusive, while still feeling appropriate for a professional aesthetics business.
The name BONAVADA was actually created by my husband, Ant, and me together. Ant provides Brand Support within the business, and developing the new identity has very much been a shared process.
What does BONAVADA mean?
BONAVADA is a newly created name inspired by two words associated with Polari:
- bona, meaning good, attractive or fine
- vada, meaning to see or look
BONAVADA is not an established historical Polari word. It is our own combination of those elements.
Together, they suggest two meanings that feel perfect for the clinic:
Look good.
and:
Good to see you.
Aesthetics is partly about appearance, of course. People come to me because they want to feel fresher, more confident or more comfortable with something that has been bothering them.
But the second meaning matters just as much.
A clinic should be a place where people feel seen, listened to and welcomed.
That is what I want BONAVADA Aesthetics to represent.
What is Polari?
Polari was a form of coded slang historically associated with gay men, performers, theatre communities, sailors and travelling entertainers in Britain.
It drew words and expressions from several linguistic traditions, including Italian and Parlyaree, Cockney rhyming slang, backslang, Yiddish, French and Romani influences (Baker, 2017; University of Nottingham, 2016).
For gay men living at a time when homosexuality was criminalised and heavily stigmatised, Polari provided a way to communicate, identify one another and speak more openly without necessarily being understood by outsiders.
It could be practical, protective, funny, camp and defiant.
Words such as bona could also be used as a subtle signal between people who recognised the language (Baker, 2017).
Polari declined as society changed and homosexuality was partially decriminalised in England and Wales in 1967. However, it remains an important part of British LGBTQ+ cultural history.
Why does that history matter to me?
As a gay man, I wanted the new name to acknowledge the people who came before us.
The freedoms many LGBTQ+ people have today were not simply handed over. They were built by people who found ways to survive, communicate and create communities in circumstances that were often hostile.
The fact that Ant and I are able to be legally married today is itself part of that history.
Our marriage exists because generations of LGBTQ+ people challenged discrimination, demanded equality and made their lives visible, often at considerable personal cost.
Choosing the name together therefore feels especially meaningful. It reflects not only the history behind Polari, but also the life that Ant and I are now able to share openly as husbands.
Polari represents part of that history.
There is also another personal connection.
I am of Romany descent, and Romani was one of several linguistic influences that contributed to the varied vocabulary associated with Polari.
I do not want to exaggerate that connection or pretend Polari came from one single language. It did not. It developed through contact between many different communities.
But discovering that both my LGBTQ+ identity and my Romany heritage could be reflected within the story of the name made BONAVADA feel particularly meaningful.
More than looking good
The aesthetics industry can sometimes make people feel as though they need to become someone else.
That has never been my approach.
Good aesthetic treatment should not erase somebody’s identity or force them into one idea of beauty.
It should begin with listening.
Why has the person come in? What are they hoping to change? Is the treatment appropriate? Is there a more suitable option? Would doing nothing actually be the best advice?
The idea behind BONAVADA is not simply:
“You need to look better.”
It is:
“It is good to see you. Let’s talk about what would help you feel your best.”
That is a much more accurate reflection of the clinic I want to run.
What will change for existing clients?
The transition will happen gradually.
You will begin to see the BONAVADA Aesthetics name appear across the website, booking system, social media, clinic materials and correspondence.
During the changeover, both names may appear together so that clients, search engines and online directories can clearly understand that Mr Beautox Aesthetics and BONAVADA Aesthetics are the same business.
What is not changing:
- I will remain your practitioner
- existing bookings will remain valid
- treatment records will remain secure
- the clinic location and contact arrangements will be clearly communicated
- the commitment to honest, evidence-based advice will continue
You do not need to do anything differently because of the name change.
The next chapter
Mr Beautox helped me build the clinic.
BONAVADA reflects what the clinic has become and where it is going next.
It is a name inspired by history, identity, visibility, partnership and welcome.
It can mean look good, but it can also mean something warmer:
Good to see you.
And that feels like exactly the right message to place above the door.
Welcome to BONAVADA Aesthetics.
Written by Injector Rick, founder of BONAVADA Aesthetics, with Brand Support from my husband, Ant.
Because apparently choosing a new clinic name is harder than treating a stubborn forehead wrinkle.
References
Baker, P. (2017) A brief history of Polari. Lancaster University. Available at:
https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/blogs-archive/paul-baker/a-brief-history-of-polari
Accessed: 28 July 2026.
University of Nottingham (2016) Polari: the lost and found gay language. Available at:
https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/home/featureevents/2016/polari-the-lost-and-found-gay-language.aspx
Accessed: 28 July 2026.