Alice Sweitzer is an independent cultural strategist based in Berlin and New York City.

We’re witnessing the ‘wellnessification’ of absolutely everything. Beyond boosting their physical health with fitness and nutrition, people are looking for a path to being well in all aspects of their lives, including their finances, careers, activism, spirituality, home design, tech usage, and so much more. The global health and wellness market is expected to reach over $8,945.3 billion by 2032, while self-improvement and the quest for reprieve and relaxation have become integral to all areas of our lifestyles.

Wellness was once for the elite, expressed through a Goop-like look and lifestyle. But now a more fragmented definition of wellness is on the rise, encompassing people’s diverse backgrounds and distinct needs. In a society ruled by high stress and burnout, what was once considered a baseline are now status symbols: sleep is a luxury, glucose monitors signal exclusive healthcare, and sob parlours offer curated spaces for catharsis. People are embracing more radical forms of wellness, employing minor plastic surgery and weight-loss drugs as a means of control over their lives.

Wellness is rapidly reaching new demographics across generations. Exhausted by the permacrisis, Gen Z is rejecting more traditional, buttoned-up wellness movements in favour of little treats, girl dinner, ‘bedrotting’, or ‘rat snacking’ as forms of self-care with a sense of release. At the same time, longevity is becoming a priority as Gen X and Boomers rethink wellness to suit their needs. Some are taking up clubbing as a way of keeping an active lifestyle, while others are looking for nuanced approaches like menopause diets to support the changes that come with age. A desire for more bespoke wellbeing is driving an increase in health hacking – whether through technology or prioritising socialising with peers.

Being+

Despite the rise of embracing natural ageing among Gen Y and X, Gen Zers aren't adopting these attitudes. Driven by exposure to unregulated skincare information, AI filters, and toxic narratives around ageing online, they’re displaying worrying concerns about ageing and investing in elaborate skincare routines to delay signs of getting older.

Anti-Ageing Woes

Chloé de Ruffray is a trend researcher and culture explorer based in France. As a creative trend expert with a background in social sciences, she empowers brands with actionable and strategic insights to help them play a leading role in their industry. Companies she's had the opportunity to work on projects for include LVMH, L’Oréal, The Future Laboratory, Nike, Spotify, Accor, and Cartier.

France

Eating and Drinking

Health and Fitness

Beauty

Interview with Chloé de Ruffray conducted by the author

Spherical Insights

Research and Markets

Global Wellness Summit

FMCG Gurus

Natural Origins

Cosmetics Design

CNBC

Well+Good

Statista

McKinsey

48 Collagen Café in Paris blends beauty and wellness through collagen drinks and treatments. Located in the trendy 9th arrondissement, it caters to the beauty-from-within trend, providing aesthetic lattes and rejuvenation sessions, making it a hub for quick, yet premium and experiential, self-care.