Less Biohacking, more basics

By Susan Riley, Head of Think Stylist

Optimising their health and wellbeing is important to 97% of the Think Stylist panel. But in a booming sector worth over $6.3 trillion*, brands have a challenge on their hands to cut through the noise. Stylist’s head of brand Susan Riley fires some essential questions at a woman surrounded by wellness all day, every day: Stylist’s health and fitness editor Lauren Geall.

What’s happening in the world of wellness right now?

The emphasis on high-protein diets is still going strong, as is the obsession with fibre. We’re moving away from being hyper-focused on pilates to a more well-rounded look at strength training for bone health and metabolism. People are also actively on the hunt for low-effort habits that will make a difference to their health both now and later – especially when it comes their brain, gut and cardiovascular health.

And what’s coming next? Any future predictions?

There's a lot of excitement about the future of the vaginal microbiome and vaginal microbiome testing in diagnostics. So, over the next couple of years, I expect to see a lot more companies like Daye and Pelvic Relief producing vaginal microbiome tests and helping consumers to track the health of theirs. There are also new companies popping up all the time selling vagus nerve stimulators – SONA and yōjō are two set to come before the end of the year, and I think we'll be talking a lot more about nervous system regulation as a result.

What are you bored of hearing about?

Biohacking – at least not when people aren't ticking off the basics. There's been an influx of influencers going to the extremes in the name of wellness but following these protocols isn't going to make any difference if you're not eating well, moving regularly and sleeping enough. I think they can make wellness seem intimidating to those on the outside and make them less motivated to get involved, but there are plenty of low-effort things people can do to make a difference that don't require waking up at 5am or spending thousands on cryotherapy. I’m happiest when I see people focusing on small, manageable habits like sleeping well, exercising regularly and having a good diet. They’re what makes a difference.

How do you decipher wellness trends through your work at Stylist?

We pride ourselves on being a platform that women can trust to give them genuine, evidence-based content that makes the often-complex world of wellness as easy to digest as possible. As such, we don’t tend to go all-in on specific trends but instead look more at how people might be able to incorporate the good ones into their daily lives and speak to experts to debunk the harmful ones. At the end of the day, we want to make it clear that doing the basics is always the best place to start, and you don’t need to spend hours on social media and waste loads of money to be healthy. But when they do want to invest, we want to give them the tools they need to shop smart and find something which works for them and will genuinely impact their health.

You told me recently that brain health is the new gut health?

I’m fascinated by the conversation surrounding brain health, yes, as there are so many things we can do to reduce our risk of neurodegenerative diseases in the future, which is really important, especially in light of the rising number of dementia cases worldwide.

Which brands do you think are serving consumers well?

I love what The Lowdown is doing to ensure the experiences of women are spotlighted when it comes to picking contraception and receiving care for conditions such as endometriosis and PCOS. From a product perspective, I really love the work being done by Daye and Oura – both are brands that produce incredible products while ensuring their customers are informed on the issues in their respective areas; both have blogs which are full of helpful information.

What’s the most compelling product you’ve road-tested?

Getting my hands on an Oura ring was an absolute gamechanger for me. It really helps me to nail the basics without being in my face – I can see my short and long-term sleep, exercise and stress stats and make changes as a result. I love how unobtrusive it is. It's also really helped me to be aware of how I'm affected during the different stages of my menstrual cycle.

In your opinion, what do women need now from the wellness industry?

Evidence-based products and strategies that deliver exactly what they promise. There is so much information and noise out there – especially when it comes to diet and supplements – so brands that can take that weight off their consumers’ shoulders and give them clarity and products that work are vital. Ingredient clarity is also super-important. We’re more conscious than ever of what we’re putting into our bodies, whether that’s from a nutrition perspective or other items like tampons or make-up. We want to know that the products we’re buying don’t just work, but that they’re not going to have any harmful side-effects.

As the wellness industry continues to develop new technologies and standards, women need brands to cut through the noise and help them navigate industry advice. To ensure you always know what women are thinking, sign up to our monthly Muse newsletter  to receive the latest updates straight to your inbox.

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Lauren Geall is Stylist’s Acting Health and Fitness Editor

*https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/press-room/statistics-and-facts/