Hi Wellness Besties,

We’re back in the desert (yay!) and back in your inbox with the headlines, hot takes, and hidden gems making waves in wellness this week.

And while we try not to get swept up in the noise, sometimes a story is just too loud to ignore. Case in point: the now-viral, collagen-infused Skims face wrap that promises to sculpt your jawline while you sleep. Yes, really.

You can scroll down to read our full take, but let’s just say... while we’re all for a tweakment or two the line between self care and self surveillance right now is feeling tighter than that chin strap 🫠.

Elsewhere in the wellness world? We’re tracking Saudi’s ambitious longevity summit, boutique fitness finding its footing, and luxury hotels turning into high-performance health hubs. It’s a week of extremes -  high-tech innovation, big price tags, and a growing question: what does real wellness even look like now?

After a month away in the mountains and UK (Harriet here!) - consuming questionable amounts of goulash, more wine than I’d care to admit (parenting: the original endurance sport), and barely a single workout - I definitely came back ready for some structure and routine.

But here’s the twist: I actually feel more spacious, calmer, and more well than I have in months.

So let’s not lose sight of that. Yes, it’s okay to biohack your way back to optimal health (lord knows I’m back on the red light, supplements, and hydration girl math), but let's not forget that wellness is really about living... well.

And sometimes that looks like fresh air, good food, best friends, one too many glasses of wine, and a break from chasing the next upgrade.

So let’s get into it - the face wraps, the fitness shifts, the wellness resorts with five figure price tags… and the real stuff that makes us feel good (like candles, community, and sleep without accessories).

With love (and a neck that’s free to move),

Harriet & Katie 

XOXO

📍 Sohum Wellness Sanctuary, Al Quoz

If you’ve been craving a reset that’s more rituals + real healing than robes + cucumber water... this is your sign. Sohum is the wellness sanctuary your nervous system didn’t know it needed - where ancient Ayurvedic magic meets modern luxury.

Think full moon breathwork, daily yoga, next-level energy healing, and treatments so dreamy you’ll forget you’re still in Al Quoz.

It’s giving:

✨ Detox, but make it deeply nourishing (Panchakarma, sound baths, Kati Vasti – the works)
✨ Vibe check: on point (each room is themed around the five elements – it’s pure atmosphere)
✨ Nourish me, please (the Sohum Café is plant-based, zero waste, and genuinely delicious)
✨ Wellness with staying power (they offer membership plans with ongoing Ayurvedic support)

Not just a quick spa fix – this is a full-body, full-mind, full-soul kind of place. You’ll leave floating, glowing, and low-key wanting to move in.

🏆 Voted Best Luxury Ayurvedic Wellness Spa in Dubai, 2025

Movement, moonlight, and a little magic.
This week’s wellness line-up blends soulful rituals with sensory escapes - from floating sound baths to reformer + candle ceremonies. Whether you’re still in summer mode or slowly easing back into routine, here’s your reminder to pause, breathe, and come back to yourself 🌝✨.

🌕 Full Moon Reformer & Crystal Candle Workshop
Sunday 10th August, 6:00pm
Aire Studio
An evening of movement, magic, and moonlight. Begin with a reformer Pilates class under the full moon, then move into a mini ritual to release and renew. You’ll handcraft your own crystal-infused candle to take home — the perfect memento of your intentions.
Book here

✨ Wellness Wednesdays
Wednesday 13th August, 9:00–10:00am
HWH Studio, Burj Al Arab
Start your morning with poolside yoga, then slow down and stay a while. Your session includes full access to the spa’s wellness spaces — sauna, cold plunge, pool, and showers.
Book here

✨ A Night to Receive & Reset
Friday 15th August, 8:30pm – 9:30pm
Sohum Wellness Sanctuary
Step into a sacred space of calm and healing with a special Reiki Share guided by Grand Master Liza Hamilton-Smith — a healer who holds a special place in both of our hearts. This intimate session supports energetic clearing, nervous system regulation, and reconnection to self. Includes a nourishing meal and drink to ground and replenish.
Book here

💧 Sculpt & Float
Saturday 16th August, 9:00am
One&Only One Za’abeel
An in-water Pilates sculpt class followed by a floating sound bath — then breakfast at Andaliman. This is a dreamy way to reset body and mind, combining movement, stillness, and nourishment in one of Dubai’s most luxurious settings.
Book here

🧘‍♀️ Museum of the Future: Sensory Yoga
Every Saturday in August, 8:00am
Museum of the Future
Yoga like you’ve never experienced it before. This immersive session blends mindful movement, sound, and sensory elements — all within one of Dubai’s most iconic spaces. A collaboration between Blended and the Museum of the Future, designed to reawaken body and mind.
Book here

Your weekly whip-smart scroll through what’s hot (and not) in the world of wellness.

🏛️ INDUSTRY TRENDS AND NEWS

🧬 Biohack the Desert? Saudi’s Hosting a Longevity Summit - and the Lineup’s
Huge
The Gulf’s wellness game just levelled up: Zenos Health is throwing the Middle East’s first major longevity summit this October — and it’s basically Davos for biohackers.
Set at the dreamy Bab Samhan Hotel in Riyadh, the three-day event (Oct 23–25) will bring together some of the biggest names in functional medicine and performance health — Dr. Mark Hyman, Gary Brecka, Amy Shah, Tim Gray, and more — for deep dives into everything from AI diagnostics to hormone optimisation, gut-brain health, and the science of slowing down aging. And it’s not just panels and keynote vibes. Each night transforms into an immersive desert supper club, fusing Saudi culture with global artistry. (Wellness rave, anyone?)
Wellness Bestie Take: With tickets starting at $3500 up to $6000, she’s not cheap, but this summit is clearly where the next era of health innovation is being shaped.
📖Read More

🏋️‍♀️ Boutique Fitness Is Having a Midlife Crisis
After a decade of being the cool kid on the wellness block, boutique fitness is facing a vibe shift. In the US especially, attendance at boutique studio is still below pre-COVID levels and it would appear format fatigue is real - single modality classes aren’t hitting like they used to. What is thriving? Pilates, strength, and multi-modality studios that deliver clear results, real retention, and a sense of belonging that goes beyond the playlist.
Our Thoughts: While global markets are seeing churn and consolidation, the UAE’s boutique scene still feels personal, connected, and loyal. In a city that can sometimes move too fast, our studios often are the community. Yes, the industry’s shifting. Yes, full-stack wellness clubs are coming. But don’t sleep on the magic of your local studio. The real flex? Showing up, again and again, for the spaces that know you by name.
📖Read More

💪 Tracy Anderson Just Launched the Tesla of Reformers
Tracy Anderson — long-time sculpting sorceress to the stars — has just revealed her biggest innovation in decades: RHEAMETIS™, a next-gen reformer that promises smarter resistance, deeper sculpting, and a proprietary feature called the Tush Push™ (yes, really). Rooted in 25 years of movement research, RHEAMETIS is designed to move with your body — not against it — delivering precision strength, better spine support, and serious lower body sculpting without the bulk. Think: 3,500+ original movements, multidirectional resistance, and a buttery-smooth ride for your glutes, hips, and thighs. The name blends Rhea (Titan mother of the gods) and Metis (goddess of wisdom) — a nod to feminine power and technical brilliance. And while it’s only available (for now) at her Sag Harbor studio, the buzz is already building.
Beyond The Buzz: Is it brilliant biomechanics or just very sexy branding? A lower body that “moves in harmony with the spine — not at the spine’s expense” is a big promise. Let’s take bets on when we see the first machine desert-side.
📖Read More

✈️ Wellness Travel Is Getting Luxe — But Does It Have to Be Pricey?
Hospitality is officially in its health span era.
Equinox just launched a menopause-focused wellness program. Zamaya is building a mega fitness-forward resort. Siro Hotels is building out more fitness focused resorts. From hormone support to performance diagnostics, hotels are evolving into full-blown vitality hubs. And we love to see it — but let’s be real: the price tag on some of these experiences is…well, not chill.
Bestie Bottomline: We’re truly loving the wellness wave sweeping through hospitality - hotel meets health club is kinda chef’s kiss. But not everyone has five figures to drop on a “transformational” sleep protocol. Places like Holistika in Tulum, and wellness resorts in Thailand are still delivering serious soul-and-body nourishment with way better bang for buck. Do you have a favourite budget friendly wellness escape?If so, let us know! 

💤 Snatched While You Sleep? Skims’ Latest Launch Sparks a Beauty Debate
Kim Kardashian just launched the Ultimate Face Wrap - a stretchy, collagen-infused chin strap that claims to sculpt your jawline while you sleep. It’s already viral. It’ll probably sell out. And according to most aesthetic experts? It does... absolutely nothing.
While tight compression may temporarily reduce puffiness, dermatologists say the effects are short-lived — and the claims around “collagen yarn” don’t hold up under scrutiny. Worse still, long-term use could interfere with lymphatic drainage and skin health.
Wellness Bestie Take: There’s a difference between playful beauty enhancements and pressure wrapped performance. And when rest - the one thing that should be free from scrutiny - starts getting marketed as a makeover moment? We’ve gone too far. You don’t need to be sculpted to be worthy. You’re already enough.
📖Read More

🧪 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

🍄 Psilocybin Therapy and the Future of Healing
A new systematic review has pulled together 14 studies exploring psilocybin-assisted therapy for anxiety, depression, and existential distress in people with cancer — and the findings are promising. Participants reported lasting improvements in mood, reduced anxiety, and a greater sense of peace and purpose, often after just one or two sessions. So, what exactly is psilocybin? It’s the active compound found in certain “magic mushrooms” - a naturally occurring psychedelic that’s being studied for its ability to reset brain patterns, support emotional processing, and reduce suffering - when used in a therapeutic setting with trained guides.
Zooming Out: This isn’t about trend chasing or microdosing to boost productivity. Psilocybin therapy is deep, deep, clinical work — and when held safely, it might just offer profound relief. But let’s keep it real: it’s powerful stuff, and context is everything.
📖Read The Full Study Here

🔮 TREND TO WATCH

NAD+ Is the Latest Longevity Darling — But Does It Live Up to the Hype?
Just when you thought collagen was the holy grail of healthy ageing, NAD+ entered the chat - and it’s making serious waves. A naturally occurring coenzyme found in every cell, NAD+ plays a vital role in energy metabolism, cellular repair, detoxification, and brain function. But levels drop as we age, and research now links that decline to everything from fatigue and burnout to brain fog and visible skin ageing. Enter: injectable NAD+ therapy — the latest tool in the cellular health toolkit. It promises increased energy, better sleep, faster recovery, and a calmer, clearer mind. While IV drips are popular, microdosing may be a more effective strategy - your body can only absorb so much at once, and with large doses, a lot often gets excreted. As always: please work with your own data and biochemistry before supplementing anything, and speak with an expert if you’re unsure.
Wellness Bestie Take: We’ve been microdosing NAD+ with the Vaion pen on and off over the past seven months - and honestly, we’ve felt the shift. More energy, better sleep, and a few nice aesthetic benefits to boot. 

📖 Read More Here and 📺 Click here to hear more about our experience
Wellness Drop Exclusive: Use code TWD5 for 5% off at Vaion or WELCOME10 for 10% off your first order.

📩 SHARE IT, SAVE IT, SEND IT

💾 Save it — for when you're NAD+ curious
📲 Share it — with the friend saying no to chin straps.
📤 Send it — to someone who needs the reminder: real wellness isn’t about doing more, it’s about coming back to what matters.