Wellbeing and wellness trends to watch in 2025

A new year brings a world of new ideas and opportunities, not least when it comes to health and wellbeing. With January traditionally associated with New Year's resolutions, optimistic gym memberships and dieting vows, wellness trends from around the world have their moment in the spotlight. So, what do you need to know about as we step into 2025's world of wellbeing?

Defining wellness

There are some fairly fluid lines when it comes to talking about wellbeing and wellness, ultimately meaning that it's a space that spans all manner of things, some of which are perhaps more meaningful than others. If we take the Global Wellness Institute's definition of wellness however, they say:

"The Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health."

Summing up the multiplicity of wellness opportunities, they continue:

"There are two important aspects to this definition. First, wellness is not a passive or static state but rather an “active pursuit” that is associated with intentions, choices and actions as we work toward an optimal state of health and wellbeing. Second, wellness is linked to holistic health—that is, it extends beyond physical health and incorporates many different dimensions that should work in harmony."

Wellbeing trends to watch in 2025

The thing about wellbeing trends is that there tends to be a lot of them. Look on TikTok and you will find an emerging passion for functional fitness, holistic fundamentals, and an interest in longevity. Meanwhile, the Global Wellness Institute reports a general rise in interest across all areas of the wellness economy, with preventative care and mental wellbeing top of the charts since the Pandemic. In terms of what we can take from that individually - well, it really just goes to prove a point that we have always tried to uphold at Spabreaks.com - that wellness is there to be enjoyed, and there's something for everybody.

Wellbeing trends according to the Global Wellness Institute

Arguably one of the most comprehensive research papers on global wellbeing comes from the Global Wellness Institute, whose data sets span 218 countries, territories, and markets, as well as a full spectrum of wellbeing across nine sectors. As a point of interest, in their Global Wellness Economy Monitor report dated November 2024, they found that:

• Mental wellness was at 155% of its 2019 level
• Public health, prevention, and personalised medicine was at 176% of its 2019 level
• Healthy eating, nutrition, and weight loss was at 120% of its 2019 level
• Physical activity was at 117% of its 2019 level
• Traditional and complementary medicine was at 114% of its 2019 level
• Personal care and beauty was at 113% of its 2019 level
• Spas, wellness tourism, and thermal/mineral springs were at 118%, 119%, and 95.4% of their 2019 level respectively
• Workplace wellness was at 99.9% of its 2019 level

While the information is quite dense, a broad takeaway from it is that there's a rapidly growing interest in self-care and preventative wellbeing. With the growth in interest in spa and wellness tourism, we might also assume that we're all looking to enjoy our health as well - as we should.

Looking to 2025, the Global Wellness Summit will also be revealing the trends that are emerging from those that tend to incubate in this initial research, in their 2025 Future of Wellness Trends Report, which comes out at the end of the month.

Wellbeing trends according to hospitality leaders

Spa Life reported comprehensively on 2025 wellness trends according to global hospitality leader Accor's insights, with Emlyn Brown, Global SVP of Wellbeing, Strategy, Design, and Development at Accor summing it up beautifully, saying:

"Wellness in 2025 will go beyond fleeting trends, grounding itself in science and authenticity. As consumers increasingly prioritise truth over hype, the future of health will be defined by a blend of technology, trust, and transparency."

Again, reporting a movement towards holistic wellbeing, they noted that there's a move away from quick fixes and so-called 'science washing', and more towards reliable, evidence based information from experts. They say:

"In 2025, consumers will move away from biohacking fads, quick fixes, and misleading health claims - or 'health washing' - that dominate on social media. With one study finding that only 2% of video nutrition content on TikTok is accurate, there’s a growing shift toward trusted, professional healthcare advice."

They do however report a growing interest in:

• Athletic wellness and immersive outdoor and nature experiences
• Functional wellness and adaptogenic drinks featuring ingredients like collagen, herbs, and magnesium for improved energy and cognitive function.
• Brain fitness for longevity
• A return to fundamentals such as open water swimming and sauna sessions
• Functional fitness that's more about wellbeing than aesthetics
• A more personal approach to wellness programmes
• Expert nutrition advice over and beyond celebrity chefs and influencers

Beauty trends for 2025

Beauty and wellbeing aren't the same thing but clearly they are linked. Often this is where the trends become a little more conflicting. Cosmetic Business reported on The Future of Beauty Trend Report, with an array of beauty trends set to be at the forefront of our purchasing in 2025, from 'the Ozempic effect' to bold eye make-up, and beauty as entertainment.

They emphasise a clear focus on addressing individual wants and needs, which aligns with the trends towards personalised wellness. What they call 'The Ozempic effect' sees plastic surgeons experiencing a demand increase for procedures that "restore facial volume and tighten sagging skin" following rapid weight loss. It's perhaps not a surprise given the popularity of the drug - The British Pharmacological Society says that "the number of Ozempic prescriptions in the United States has grown by more than 5,000% since 2018".

Meanwhile, they say that data shows a maximalist look is back on trend when it comes to eye make-up, and brands that tell a story through their marketing are de rigueur amongst Gen Z especially. Preventative skincare is also top of the trends at both ends of the spectrum, from aesthetic treatments to sustainable skin health. Finally, they note a rebellious streak in beauty for the New Year, noting:

"2025 is shaping up to be a rebellion-fest for beauty, with two polarising trends, ‘brat’ imperfection and 'anti-woke' tradition, reflecting ideological differences among consumers."