Let me ask you something, darling. When did wellness become the wild, wild west? When did beauty become a battlefield of biohacks, DIY tinctures, cryochambers, and collagen cocktails that promise immortality – or at the very least, the skin of a Gwyneth Paltrow hologram?

This week, the Internet (and by Internet, I mean the great echo chamber of TikTok wellness gurus and over-filtered influencers on Instagram) is abuzz yet again – this time about the dangers of cryotherapy, a wellness trend that’s essentially glorified human freezing. Yes, you heard right. People are willingly stepping into sub-zero chambers for a ‘glow-up’, and sometimes – as the Daily Mail reports – not stepping out unscathed. Who knew looking like Elsa from Frozen came with a side of nerve damage?

But this is not just about cryotherapy. This is about the cult of `beauty influencers’ who one minute swear by turmeric shots and lymphatic drainage, and the next are zipping off to an aesthetic clinic for a high-frequency, AI-assisted, skin-smoothing laser peel. All while posting #naturalbeauty and telling you to “just stay hydrated.”

Let’s be clear. There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking beauty treatments – I’ve personally experienced three laser facials in my entire lifetime as a writer for my beauty column (the rest is simply disciplined skincare routines morning and night, guasha, eating a balanced diet, and my parents’ good genes). But the hypocrisy lies in preaching holistic hacks while being signed on as ambassadors for clinics armed with injectables, machines, and medical-grade miracles.

It’s the gaslighting that irks me. You’re not ugly, darling, you’re just not sponsored. To my readers, imprint this affirmation deep into your psyche – Each one of you is beautiful in your own unique skin, features, and flaws.

There is no beauty standard to follow. Just be you.

We are now living in a wellness twilight zone, where influencers wield more power than trained doctors, and beauty trends spread faster than a seasonal flu. But unlike medical advice from certified professionals, these viral beauty “hacks” aren’t held to ethical standards. They’re held to the standard of likes, engagement, and aesthetic appeal. And if you so dare call out the social media peddling, ill-informed keyboard haters descend like a sudden thunderstorm. All noise, no juice 🙂

And here’s the kicker: many of these influencers aren’t medically trained, have zero understanding of the body’s intricate systems, and wouldn’t know their cortisol from their cuticle, because each human body is designed differently, genetically and physiologically.  Yet they’ll recommend ingesting chlorophyll, smearing garlic on your face, or steaming your nether regions — with all the confidence of a neurosurgeon. Dude, even turmeric can kill you! Did you know that?

Listen, your body isn’t a Pinterest board. You can’t patch up problems with patchouli oil and pretend your gut health has been “reset” because you drank something green that tasted like swamp regret. Meh!

Celebrate your own uniqueness. The world needs more authenticity

My advice? Follow the people who have studied the science – Naturopaths, dermatologists, endocrinologists, medically trained aestheticians – people whose job isn’t just to look healthy but to actually keep you healthy. Want great skin, meet a professional skin specialist. And if your favourite influencer is telling you to eat clay while secretly freezing her face off with cryo-sculpting in an upscale beauty lab – it’s time to unfollow, unlearn, and unclog your critical thinking.

Moral of the story: In the end, real wellness isn’t always aesthetic. It’s not always glowy. It doesn’t always come in a frosted bottle or a sponsored reel. It’s a slow, unsexy, deeply personal journey. And it sure as hell doesn’t come with a discount code. Stay healthy. Find ethical, safe, sustainable, well recommended beauty products. Read the label of ingredients so you’re not unknowingly poisoning yourself and meet professionally trained aesthetic and wellness experts to support your holistic relationship with yourself.

For `beauty influencers’ let’s make it mandatory to mention in their feed/post which aesthetic clinic they are attached to in private but don’t publicly declare – before dishing out beauty hacks – so that readers/followers/fans know your goddess-ness is not all about turmeric shots 😉 Transparency is Authenticity.

Love and Peace.

 

 

Images courtesy: Freepik

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