Kathryn Morrisby is a journalist, copywriter, and total word nerd. If she’s not researching and writing about the latest social and cultural trends or creating crisp copy for small but brilliant brands, you’ll find her engrossed in clichéd Gen Y pastimes such as gardening, triathlon training, and fretting about her kids’ screen time.

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+

Sam Lipscomb is a partner and the head of insight and innovation at The Mix Global, a market research agency that recently 

conducted a study into Gen Alphas’ attitudes to skincare.

Gen Alpha (born 2011-present)

United Kingdom

Skincare

Beauty

The Industry

Glossy

Get the Gloss

The Guardian

British Journal of Dermatology

Beauty Inc

Cosmetics Business

The Lock In

Cosmetics Design Europe

Interview with Sam Lipscomb conducted by the author

Stylus

Dove

Little Black Book

Mintel

As young Britons embrace their skincare era early, brands like Bubble have mastered the art of appealing to UK Gen Alphas. With skincare skewing younger, brands can go beyond TikTok to educate and empower young fans (and their purse-wielding parents) with age-appropriate products and guidance.

Cultivate

Values and Identity

How Bubble won over Gen Alphas with tween-safe skincare