Shedding skins, showering in the dark & whats currently keeping us sane...

Hi friends,

Anyone else feeling a little discombobulated right now? And honestly, no wonder. We’re in the final stretch of the Year of the Snake, with the Year of the Fire Horse beginning on February 17th. This is a time traditionally associated with shedding skins, releasing what’s outdated, and letting things gently unravel before they make sense again. If you’ve been feeling a little off, extra tired, or quietly re-evaluating things, that’ll be the Snake doing its thing. Be gentle with yourself. And if you’re needing a little extra support, we’ve shared some grounding, nervous-system-friendly goodness in the Local Lowdown below.

It’s also been a really lovely week for us. We hosted a beautiful Wellness Breakfast at Aeon Clinic, and it was one of those mornings that reminded us why we started this. Bringing together an amazing wellness community with practitioners and clinics who really know their stuff, and who can support you wherever you’re at on your journey.

Beyond our own little wellness bubble, there’s been a lot to digest across the global health and longevity space this week. Some stories have sparked important conversations around integrity, influence, and discernment, while others have reminded us that care doesn’t always need to be complex or cutting-edge. From fitness tourism going full main-character energy, to dark showering as a nervous-system-friendly bedtime ritual, this week’s Wellness Wire spans the serious, the fascinating, and the deeply human. We’ve also shared a round-up of the wellness products we’re loving in 2026. (The ones helping us stay grounded, regulated, and vaguely functional as the Year of the Snake does its final shed!) Scroll down to explore it all.

This week we’re also spotlighting an aesthetics clinic in our Sunday Spotlight, which might look a little different to some of the wellness spaces we usually share. But here’s our take. Wellness isn’t always peptides and cold plunges. Feeling well often means feeling confident, comfortable, and at home in your body, and sometimes supporting how you look is simply part of that conversation. (Harriet also wrote a Substack piece this week on ageing. A reflection on turning 40, feeling like yourself again, and the messy middle ground between gratitude for growing older and the very human desire to feel seen, valued, and at home in your skin. You can read that HERE.)

And finally, we’d love to see you at our next Wellness Walk, happening this February on Wednesday the 18th, in partnership with our friends at Feels Café. You can RSVP below.

Stroll with Us | Wednesday 18th February

So grab a cuppa, coffee, matcha, whatever’s calling… and let’s go, besties.

With love…(and a reminder that true wellness is rooted in integrity, not influence. Choose your guides with care)

📍Aesthetics Polyclinic - Jumeirah Emirates Towers, DIFC

I was introduced to Aesthetics Polyclinic through a close friend of mine who has trusted them with her skin for years. She’s one of those people who does her research, doesn’t jump on trends, and is very intentional about who she goes to, so when she told me she’d just had the Volnewmer treatment there and was genuinely impressed, I listened.

Volnewmer is one of those treatments that’s quietly (or maybe not quietly for much longer!) having a moment. It’s a next-gen radiofrequency treatment from Korea that lifts, sculpts, and tightens the skin without damaging the deeper layers (which for me is such an important piece of the puzzle as we get more mindful about long-term skin health.)

Located in Jumeirah Emirates Towers, in the heart of DIFC.. this is not exactly a convenient location for me. (With Dubai traffic being what it is, I need a very good reason to go out of my way..) But this place is worth it. The clinic itself is calm, professional, and welcoming, and the team are genuinely lovely. This is also one of the most established clinics in the UAE, (with locations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Al Ain) which immediately gives a sense of depth and experience.

I was introduced to Shiraz, the clinic manager, who is truly one of those people you feel instantly safe with. She was incredibly thorough and took the time to really understand me and my skin rather than rushing straight into a treatment. We started with an Oligoscan to look at what might be missing at a tissue level, and based on that, she recommended an IV drip to support my body while I was having the treatment. We then did a full VISIA skin analysis and talked honestly about where my skin is right now and where I’d like it to be. Alongside Volnewmer, Shiraz recommended a laser protocol I’m now doing and some new skincare that I genuinely love (Check our fave wellness products below we’re loving now for more!)

In terms of the treatment itself.. I was pleasantly surprised. I’ve had HIFU and Ultherapy before, and both were much more uncomfortable for me. With Volnewmer, you can have numbing cream, but I chose not to, and aside from a few moments on my neck that were a bit spicy, it was actually pretty relaxing.

You see an immediate lifting effect straight away, (check the reel!) But the full results build over around three months as your own collagen and elastin production is stimulated. I’m already noticing changes, not just in firmness, but in the overall quality of my skin (and I’ve been getting a lot of compliments recently, which is always the nicest indicator that something is working!)

The full face and neck treatment costs 9,500 AED, and you only need one session. It’s not surgical, so it’s not forever, but if you want visible results without going under the knife, this is honestly the treatment to consider right now.

Aside from this treatment, Aesthetics Polyclinic offers an incredibly wide range of services, from wellness and IV therapy to dermatology, dentistry, medspa treatments, and plastic surgery, all under one roof.

They’ve very kindly given our community 30% off all Medspa treatments, including Volnewmer. You can view the full list of services here.

Just mention The Wellness Drop when booking.

As always, this isn’t about doing everything, it’s about choosing what supports you best. But if you’re looking for natural lift, better skin quality, and results that feel thoughtful rather than extreme, this is absolutely one to have on your radar.

Aesthetics Polyclinic - +971 50 372 6094 for more information or to book. Mention The Wellness Drop for 30% of ALL MedSpa Treatments & IV drips.

Wellness in 2026 isn’t about doing more. It’s about choosing what actually supports you when life feels full, intense, and occasionally a bit unhinged. Between newborn fog, hormone shifts, a Year of the Snake doing its shedding thing, and all the beautiful, messy moments in between, this year has asked a lot of our nervous systems.

These are the wellness tools we’re genuinely reaching for again and again. Not trends, not hype, not things we tried once and forgot about. Just the products quietly keeping us regulated, rested, and relatively sane. From deeper sleep and nervous system support to focus, recovery, and small daily rituals that help us feel a bit more like ourselves, consider this our very honest insider edit of what’s actually earning its place right now.

🔥 Harriet’s Current Wellness Non-Negotiables

Rejuv PEMF Mat
Yes, we know… we talk about this one a lot. But it’s that good. PEMF supports cellular healing, pain reduction, sleep and nervous system regulation and this one layers in red light and crystals too. If you’re building a serious home wellness toolkit, this earns its place. Use Code TWD for 10% off 
Link here

Opal Screen Time App
The app that finally worked for me. You can create different profiles for different times of day, and when it locks you out… It really locks you out. No easy overrides, no loopholes. If you want less mindless scrolling and more presence, this is the one I keep coming back to.
Download here

Eight Sleep Cooling Mattress
If you’re serious about sleep, this is a genuine game-changer. It actively cools (or warms) your mattress through the night, adjusts to your body, and tracks your sleep and recovery. Less night waking, deeper sleep, better mornings. It’s not cheap, but if sleep is your foundation, this one really delivers.
Link here

The One Device Necklace
Full disclosure, I bought this for my husband… And now I want one. It uses gentle neuromodulation to help calm the nervous system, reduce stress, and support focus. No screens, no effort, just subtle regulation in the background. He’s loving it, which is usually the best endorsement.
Link here

Pranamat Acupressure Mat
I often do my meditations on this, it’s one of the quickest ways to get out of my head and into my body. It can feel intense at first, but once you settle, it becomes a bit addictive! Especially good if you struggle to switch off or feel a bit stuck in thinking mode.
Link here

Epicutis Skincare (Microbiome Spray + Lipid Serum)
This range has quietly earned its place in my routine. The microbiome spray is one of those products that instantly calms and resets the skin, especially if you’re reactive, sensitised, or doing a lot in the name of “anti-ageing”. The lipid serum is deeply nourishing without feeling heavy and really supports the skin barrier. Thoughtful, science-led skincare that focuses on repair and resilience rather than doing more.
Link here (But available to purchase locally at Aesthetics Polyclinic or Browns & Co) 

✨ Katie’s Essentials For This Season

Seeking Health Prenatal Supplement
Post-natal support is just as important as pregnancy support - if not more. The body is navigating huge hormonal shifts alongside physical recovery, often on very broken sleep. I’ve continued with a high-quality prenatal to help replenish depleted nutrients, support hormone balance, and give my body the foundations it needs during this intense transition.
Link here

Bach Rescue Remedy
This has been in my wellness toolkit for over 20 years now. When I’m feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or emotionally stretched, this is something I reach for again and again. It even came to hospital with me. Gentle, familiar, and deeply reassuring - sometimes that’s exactly what’s needed.
Link here

Doctor’s Best Magnesium Glycinate
A nightly non-negotiable. Magnesium supports the nervous system, muscle relaxation, and sleep quality, and this form in particular feels both gentle and effective. I’ve been taking it religiously before bed and it helps me drop into a deeper sleep - which I need all the help I can get with at the moment.
Link here

Therabody Theragun Mini
Something I’ve owned for years, but it’s getting much more use recently. A small, lightweight massage gun that offers portable relief for aches, pain, and tension. With a tight, aching body post C-section, this has been doing wonders - especially for my legs, and in particular my calves, which are oh so tight.
Link here

Calm Meditation App
An oldie but a goodie. Newborn mum life is wildly unpredictable, and while I know I need rest, I’ve never been a natural day napper. Even if I’m not sleeping, lying down and listening to a meditation feels genuinely restorative - like I’m giving my nervous system a pause when proper rest isn’t on the cards.
Download here

Oura Ring
Especially helpful in this stage of motherhood. Right now, I’m mainly using it to track sleep and recovery - gentle encouragements to get to bed earlier where I can (getting my husband on the later shift), or to get outside for some fresh air. I know I’ll use it even more fully in a few months when I’m back in the gym and focused on rebuilding strength and cardiovascular health. For now, it’s about awareness, not optimisation.
Link here

February is here, and the energy can go either way. Some weeks call for grounding and reflection, others for movement, connection and momentum. This week’s Local Lowdown brings together a mix of heart-led gatherings, energising practices and feel-good moments - so you can choose what supports you right now.

🌬 The Art of Breathwork
Tuesday 10 February, 10am - 11am
Isola Space, The Lana
A guided breathwork journey designed to help you release, reset and find clarity, flowing gently into time to connect with the art and the space. A grounding midweek pause in a beautifully considered setting.
Book here

🎉 Love Is Fun Bingo Night
Thursday 12 February, 7:00 – 9:00 PM
Womanly, Jumeirah
Because love is also laughter. A relaxed girls’ night with comfort food, bingo, and playful connection. Come solo or with friends for an easy, joyful evening that’s light on pressure and heavy on good energy.
Book here

❤️ RnB Galentine’s Flow
Thursday 12 February, 7:30 – 8:30 PM
HWH Studio, Delano
A ladies-only Valentine’s special led by HWH founder Adrienne. Expect a slow, nourishing yoga flow set to an RnB playlist, with red light therapy by Bon Charge, face and eye masks, and ALO gifts included.
Book here

✨ Gua Sha Ritual Workshop 
Friday 13 February, 9:00 – 10:00 AM
Womanly, Jumeirah
An intimate, hands-on workshop guided by Dr. Anna from Snow Fox Skincare. Learn expert techniques for lymphatic drainage, sculpting and glow, with your Snow Fox Gua Sha included to take home.
Book here

🌀 Upgrade Your Life with Marisa Peer
Friday 13 February, 7pm
Zabeel Theatre, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray
An immersive live event with world-renowned therapist Marisa Peer, focused on rewiring limiting beliefs and creating lasting inner change through Rapid Transformational Therapy. Expect mindset shifts, emotional breakthroughs and practical tools for personal growth.
Book here

🍫 Breathplay x Cacao Ceremony
Saturday 14 February, 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
The Achievher Studio
A somatic journey into the heart, combining ceremonial cacao with Breathplay. This experience invites emotional release, softness and embodied connection - a Valentine’s morning centred on presence and feeling.
Book here

🔥 SANCTUM Signature Sequence
Every Saturday & Sunday, 9:00 – 9:55 AM
The Yard, Alserkal Avenue
An open-air, high-energy movement experience guided by SANCTUM’s expert team. Designed to challenge the body, ground the spirit and leave you feeling both powerful and centred, amplified by the creative energy of Alserkal Avenue.
Book here

 INDUSTRY TRENDS AND NEWS

🚢 HYROX Is Taking Fitness to the High Seas
HYROX is officially going offshore. For the first time ever, the fitness racing phenomenon is hosting a four-day Mediterranean cruise dedicated entirely to HYROX. From October 21–25, 2026, the luxury cruise ship Mein Schiff 4 will transform into a floating fitness arena, carrying 2,300 athletes and 15 elite HYROX pros on a Palma de Mallorca departure. Expect training sessions, competition, recovery, and serious community vibes, all with full run of the ship. Equal parts race weekend, training camp, and endurance-fuelled holiday.
Bottom Line: Fitness tourism has entered its main-character era. This is less “wellness retreat” and more “HYROX summer camp at sea” and we’re fascinated to see how far people will travel (and sweat) for community-led fitness experiences.
Read More

💄 Scoop Whole Beauty Brings Non-Toxic, Refillable Makeup to Dubai
Australia’s award-winning beauty brand Scoop Whole Beauty has officially launched in Dubai, setting a new standard for non-toxic, refillable makeup made with pure minerals and uncompromising ingredient integrity. Think mineral foundations, multi-use mascara and eyeliner, and customisable palettes housed in reusable bamboo compacts. All products are Australian-made, vegan, cruelty-free, non-nano, palm oil-free and zero waste. Hurrah!
Our take: Clean beauty that actually lives up to the promise. Thoughtful, transparent, and designed for people who want their beauty rituals to align with how they live.
Read More

🚿 Dark Showering Is the New Bedtime Ritual
Dark showering is exactly what it sounds like: showering with the lights off or dimmed, often before bed, to calm the nervous system and rinse off the day. Rooted in Ayurvedic practice and now very TikTok-coded, fans say the combo of warm water and low light reduces cortisol, boosts melatonin, and helps you fall asleep faster. Think less “getting clean”, more “mini spa ritual”, minus the iPad and distractions.
Wellness Bestie thoughts: We get the appeal. Fewer inputs, more presence, and a gentle wind-down moment before sleep all make sense. Just maybe start with dim lighting rather than full blackout. Relaxed nervous system, yes. Slipping in the shower, no thanks.
Read More

❌ Longevity’s Trust Problem Just Got Louder
Dr Peter Attia has stepped down as Chief Science Officer of protein bar brand David Protein following the public release of emails linked to Jeffrey Epstein. Attia, a prominent figure in the longevity and optimisation space, was an investor in David Protein and participated in its $10M seed round in 2024. After the news broke, his name and image were removed from the brand’s website. Attia has denied any criminal involvement but publicly apologised, saying he was “ashamed” of the emails, which he described as crude and tasteless. The fallout is rippling beyond the brand, with reports suggesting media partners are also reassessing their relationship with him.
Bottom Line: The longevity and wellness industry is built on trust, credibility, and ethics. When one of its most visible voices stumbles, it forces a wider reckoning. Perhaps this is the Year of the Snake doing what it does best, shedding skins and revealing what sits underneath. If there’s a lesson here, it’s this: discernment matters. As consumers, we’re being asked to look more closely, ask better questions, and be more conscious about who we place our trust in when it comes to our health.
Read More

🔥 Unbound Is Turning Longevity Into a Social Practice
Opening this February in London’s Shoreditch, Unbound is reimagining preventative healthcare as a social club. Blending diagnostics with community, the space combines bloodwork, body mapping, and performance testing with emotional assessments, guided reflection, and practical lifestyle plans. But this isn’t optimisation in isolation. Unbound also doubles as a coffee shop and listening bar, hosting talks, workshops, and cultural events, with shared rituals like sauna, ice baths, breathwork, and a run club designed to make longevity something lived, not logged.
Bottom Line: This feels like a welcome shift. Less biohacking bunker, more human connection. By anchoring longevity in ritual, culture, and community, Unbound is reminding us that health isn’t just about extending life, it’s about actually enjoying it together.
Read More

🔮 TREND TO WATCH

🧘‍♀️ Longevity Is Growing Up
Longevity is still everywhere, but the conversation is shifting. Less obsession with adding years at any cost, more focus on how well those years are actually lived. Doctors and clinics are moving away from DIY biohacking and flashy anti-ageing shortcuts, and towards evidence-based, medically supervised approaches that prioritise healthspan over lifespan. Think fewer “biohacking hacks”, more grown-up medicine: blood panels that actually get tracked over time, body composition and VO₂ max testing, sleep clinics, heart and cancer screening that’s risk-led, and in some cases regenerative tools like PRP or stem-cell-adjacent therapies, but with clinical oversight, not Instagram vibes. We actually deep-dived into this recently at our Wellness Breakfast with Aeon, and it’s genuinely encouraging to see clinics here walking the talk, not just selling the buzzwords.
Our take: Living longer means very little if you’re exhausted, inflamed, or miserable along the way. The next era of longevity isn’t about chasing immortality, it’s about feeling well, capable, and connected now. Fewer hacks, more fundamentals. And honestly, that feels like progress.
Read More

🔬 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

🚽 Your Phone Might Be Giving You Piles
We’ve all heard the old line: don’t sit on the loo too long, you’ll get piles. Turns out… that advice might actually be right. A new study looked at smartphone use on the toilet and its link to hemorrhoids. Researchers found that people who used their phones while on the loo spent significantly longer there and, after adjusting for diet, exercise, straining, BMI and age, had a 46% higher risk of hemorrhoids than non-phone users. Two-thirds of participants admitted to scrolling while on the toilet, most commonly reading the news or social media. The issue isn’t the phone itself, but the extra time spent sitting, which increases pressure in the rectal area. Glamorous, we know.
Our take: Consider this your gentle reminder to do your business and get on with your day.
Read More

📩 SHARE IT, SAVE IT, SEND IT

💾 Save it — because not all wellness needs acting on immediately.
📲 Share it — with the friend in their “do I need work done?” era.
📤 Send it — to someone who knows discernment is the real glow-up.