#bangkok day spa

[metropolitant]

THE ULTIMATE DAY OUT IN BANGKOK’S RATCHAPRASONG: WHERE TO EAT, SHOP, AND EXPLORE

If you’re in Bangkok and have a day to spare, I’ve got the perfect neighborhood for you: Ratchaprasong. Whether you’re a local looking for fresh spots or a traveler trying to avoid the typical tourist traps, Ratchaprasong offers the right balance between tradition and modernity — and the best part is, it’s all packed into one vibrant district. Start Your Day with Some Spiritual Calm Now, you…

[loafysainz]

Animals chap 3 | LN 4

cast: lando norris x minji nj

warn: PLS DONT READ IF U NOT INTO DARK FIC! SMUT 18+, NSFW, MDNI, toxic relationship, manipulation, obsession, controlling behaviours, mention of rape, suicide, and sa, rough sex, no-consent, kidnapping, full of madness, step-brother lando!, step-sister minji!

song rec: animals - maroon 5

chap 3/8

PLS DONT READ IF U NOT INTO DARK FIC!

Bianca returned her gaze to the city skyline outside the window. The cotton-like clouds had begun to scatter, revealing a clear sky—a perfect morning for their business trip to Thailand. She would be flying with a group of executives and, of course, Lando, who was leading the project.

Their company, Norris Automotive, was in the process of collaborating with Sainz Company, a luxury car manufacturer, to open a state-of-the-art factory in Thailand. This joint venture aimed to expand their market in Southeast Asia and establish a stronghold in the region’s automotive industry. Bianca knew this was a massive project, one that could shape her future.

"Wake me up when we landed, okay?" she said to her seatmate, a young production manager named Olivia, as she settled into her business class seat. Olivia smiled warmly. "Yes Bi. You look like you haven't slept all night. Rest up."

Bianca chuckled lightly. She hadn't had a proper night's sleep in days. The 11-hour flight to Bangkok seemed too far and long, and she barely had enough time to catch up on rest before the plane landed.

Upon arrival, they were whisked away by luxury cars arranged by the local team. The hotel Bianca had carefully selected was both beautiful and strategically located near the planned factory site. She had ensured every detail of their accommodations met the team’s needs, but Lando's unreadable expression left her wondering if her efforts were satisfactory.

“Here’s your room key, Sir,” she said nervously as she approached him.

Lando just taking the key without making eye contact before walking away.

Bianca sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Did I mess up again?" she muttered under her breath.

“Let’s get to our room,” Olivia said cheerfully, looping her arm through Bianca’s and snapping her out of her daze. They had agreed to share a room to make coordination easier.

****

As the hours passed, Bianca worked diligently to prepare for the afternoon meeting. The team gathered in a sleek, modern conference room in central Bangkok, where Lando presented a compelling proposal to Sainz’s stakeholders. His commanding presence and strategic insights impressed everyone in the room.

The meeting was a success. The company agreed to proceed with the partnership, paving the way for the construction of their new factory in Thailand. The deal promised to bring economic growth to the area and position Norris Automotive as a leader in the luxury car market.

“I need this report ready by tomorrow morning,” Lando said brusquely.

“Yes, sir,” she replied, masking her frustration.

****

After a long meeting the teams have all arrived in a quiet village near Chiang Rai, where they plan to visit the potential site for Norris Automotive's new factory. The company is exploring partnerships in this beautiful location surrounded by lush greenery and fields that seem to stretch on indefinitely.

The main road that runs through the village is impeccably maintained, their tour guide, Mr. Somchai, leads them to a resort-style facility built in harmony with its natural surroundings. The architecture reflects a traditional, Thai elements, with wide glass windows and teak wood accents. The air carries the scent of lemongrass and jasmine in bloom as Bianca and other teams explore the facility.

"Good afternoon," greeted a woman dressed in traditional Thai attire. Bianca and her colleague smiled politely in return. "We’ve arranged a complimentary spa for all the company staff,"

"This is amazing," Olivia whispered, nudging Bianca as they entered the spa’s reception area. "A fully paid spa session? I feel so lucky to be here!" Bianca chuckled, following one of the Thai attendants toward the massage rooms.

"This way, ma’am," the attendant said, guiding Bianca into a serene room filled with calming music and the faint aroma of essential oils. Bianca chose a traditional herbal compress massage, eager to experience the famed Thai therapy.

Half an hour later, Bianca decided to take a dip in the natural stone pool located in a secluded corner of the spa. She draped a soft cotton wrap over herself and stepped into the warm sun. But just as she was about to descend the stone steps leading to the pool, her foot is too slippery because of the spa oil.

But a pair of arms that suddenly wrapped around her waist made her body freeze.

"Sssh!" Lando! Bianca's heart fell to the bottom of her stomach. The danger alarm, set up on hear head. Because she is totally naked. Without a single fabric wrapped around her body. Bianca should have been able to escape as quickly as possible, but her reflexes suddenly dead. She could feel Lando's arms right under her breasts hugging her tightly,

"Shut up, if you don't want to be ashamed." Lando whispered right next to Bianca ear. What did that mean? Wasn't it Lando who was now make a shame on her?

"Well, well, Lando just getting a massage must be with a comfort woman." Max's sudden footsteps and voice alerted Bianca. She panicked and scared, what if he knew that the girl Lando was hugging was her own sister? But Lando's arms tightened around her.

"No matter where you are, there's always a girl who's willing to play with you. Including that woman, who spent the night with you in the hotel room."

Lando chuckled. "Of course. This woman deserves to be enjoyed." And the man's low laughter made Bianca tense up.

"So, can you go Max? My little business with this woman isn't done yet."

"Okay, I'll be waiting in my room." Max chuckled. "Make it easy, man."

Then the sound of his footsteps retreated, allowing Lando's voice to return to Bianca's numb hearing. This is wrong. This shouldn't be happening.

They were in the middle of a mistake.

"I have saved you from embarrassment," the man whispered in a low voice, while

whispered in a low voice, as he spread a strange all over Bianca's body.

"I deserve a thank you right? Lil sister?" Bianca steeled herself. "Let me go, Land-"

The man pulled her, and Bianca was about to say never came out because Lando silenced her lips first. Until the girl's eyelids widened as Lando crushed them passionately. With his rough tongue that insisted on playing around in her mouth. Lando kissed her.

After a few minute Lando came to his senses and broke the deep kiss, their gazes met. Bianca gasped, her tears welling up and her lips swollen.

Lando's breathing was just as bad, uncontrollable. But in those blazing eyes, there was not the slightest hint of regret for making her little sister cry.

Instead of clarifying his actions, Lando picked up the fallen fabric and draped it around Bianca's naked body. And his fingers put the flower that fall from the trees in his girl's ear. Before he left, without leaving a word.

next chap

[lucas-grey]

Location ranking of each Hitman WoA Game

All locations from the three WoA games of Hitman have their very own charm. But some levels have inspired me more than others over the years, so here is my ranking of my favourite and least favourite Hitman locations from all three games!

Hitman 2016

Favourite Location: Sapienza

Sapienza has a very special place in my heart. Although Paris was the first level, it was Sapienza that totally grabbed me. The small town, the café, the beach, the villa, the laboratory. Everything about Sapienza is beautiful! There is one small deduction, namely that the two targets are almost exclusively in the villa and the rest of the town was hardly used. But fortunately this was made up for a little with "Landslide" and "The Icon".

Least favourite Location: Bangkok

Even though the Himmapan Hotel itself looks beautiful, it's my least favourite level in Hitman 2016. For one thing, it hardly feels like a hotel, due to the lack of areas that I consider a hotel, such as a pool or spa area. This worked far better in Haven or Hokkaido. Secondly, I find the routes of the two targets very limited, which makes the already very compact level seem even smaller.

Hitman 2

Favourite Location: Santa Fortuna

It was very hard to pick a favourite level in Hitman 2, as this is my favourite game of the whole trilogy. But if I have to choose, I'll go for Colombia. Santa Fortuna is not only nice and big, it also has the most unique and fun challenges in my opinion. The only small consolation: again, it's a shame that the three targets have a fairly limited route and don't come together. This had more potential.

Least Favourite Location: Sgail

Sgail is really beautiful. I like the look of the castle and also the outdoor area. But it just didn't captivate me enough. I also find it quite difficult and I find it annoying that you have to wear certain robes for certain areas (I found that annoying in Hokkaido too).

Hitman 3

Note: I have excluded the Carpathian Mountains from my rating, as for me this is more of an epilogue than a real level. I also excluded Ambrose Island because, although it was released with Hitman 3, it technically takes place before the events of Hitman 3.

Favourite Location: Berlin

I love Berlin! I love the vibe of the club because it also reminds me of my clubbing days (yes, in my early 20s I used to visit clubs. Hard to imagine for me today, haha). The feeling when you enter Club Hölle is so realistic that I get goosebumps every time. I like that the music gets louder the further down you go, I like the outdoor area and the NPCs dancing and chilling. I also think it's cool that there are ten different targets to choose from, giving you lots of options and challenges.

Least favourite Location: Chongqing

I really like Chongqing, especially the outdoor area, the flats and the restaurant. With all the neon lights, it has a Blade Runner feel to it. But what I don't like about Chongqing is the ICA headquarters, which I personally find too futuristic and, in contrast to the outdoor area, too lame. And a big point deduction: the targets. In my opinion, Hush and Royce are the most boring targets in all three Hitman games. They are totally uninteresting to me. There was potential, for example regarding Hush and Olivia's past, but it wasn't utilised. Too bad!

What are your favourite and least favourite Locations in the three Hitman games?

[gales-big-naturals]

Survived my first day in Bangkok. Went to a mall and stumbled across an idol group performing which was super cool, absolutely no clue who they were but it was a fun show. I’ve had a much easier time navigating the trains than I thought I would. Caved and spent too much on a tuk tuk ride from the station to the hotel after I was done at the mall because it was like 7am in my normal time zone by then and I did not wanna walk

Also went to a spa I saw in a TikTok and that was An Experience. Two hour head massage, got shampooed like 4 separate times, some other things I could not identify, then got bonked a few times for good measure. And now my hair is the shiniest and softest it’s ever been

[tsevents]

this year's asia arts, entertainment, and sports gala (known as the aaes gala) has grown exponentially in buzz as parts of the guest list have been leaked. hundreds of stars, from longterm industry strongholds to rising stars (and those with just enough agency connections to land an invite) from across east and southeast asia are rumored to show up for what promises to be one of the biggest celebrity events of the year. hosted in bangkok and sponsored by some of the biggest brands in the business, the tenth annual aaes gala honors notable people from the fashion, film, television, music, sports, and entertainment industries. previous iterations of the event have been accompanied by exhibitions, screenings, and busy tabloid news days.

the aaes gala was held for the first time in 2014 in seoul. the aaes gala has, in its ten years, earned a reputation as the place to see the biggest stars in one place. the week the gala is held is known as the place to be for celebrity-watchers and fans alike, as various additional public and private events are held in the city by stars and brands. a number of scandals have broken in the past in the aftermath of that year's aams gala — from attitude controversies to dating rumors — which has earned it great anticipation the eyes of fans and reporters alike. to those who care about more than the glamor and the gossip, proceeds from the event go to the foundation's mission to support the growth of several non-profit arts, culture, sports, and entertainment organizations. this year, the gala takes place on the evening of december 15, but guests for the event will begin arriving as early as december 11, as schedules permit.

event schedule:

the following are event highlights to prompt thread and plot setting ideas. this is not necessarily all-inclusive of all possible related settings that can be used for the event.

december 11 - december 15 : stars will arrive in bangkok at some point during this period, as schedules allow. all gala attendees have been given the option to room at the four seasons hotel bangkok, a presenting brand partner for the event, for the duration of their time in the city, though they or their management may choose for them to stay elsewhere. a number of activities are made available to gala attendees through partnerships prior to the event. this includes guided sights and food tours, riverboat meal cruises, spa treatments, classes in yoga and art, and more. it's not unusual for brands to hold special dinners or events with their brand representatives that are in town for the event, and stars holding their own gatherings or events is also common. december 14, all day - charity auction : the day before the gala takes place, a charity auction is held online for twenty-four hours where the public can bid on donated items from celebrities. past donations have included items such as signed merchandise, scripts, or equipment, recognizable outfits from stage or film, video calls with a celebrity, etc. proceeds go toward supporting arts and sports programs for children. december 15, evening - winter gala : the gala formally starts at 7pm, when dinner begins to be served, but doors will be open for two hours beforehand for all attendees to make their way through the red carpet. the two hours preceding the formal start of the event inside the venue will be accompanied by cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and live orchestra music. following dinner will be a short ceremony celebrating the year's handful of honorees before everyone is set free to socialize with live music (this time live performances by popular recording artists instead of an orchestra) and an open bar. december 16 - december 17 - gala guests may choose to fly from bangkok to chiang rai the day following the gala for an all-expenses paid one-night, two-day stay at four seasons' tented camp golden triangle, an all-inclusive camp resort in the nature of northern thailand. in exchange, they will appear in a new campaign advertising the resort. for those who choose to partake (or are made to do so by their management), ad filming for each individual will be short — ultimately only a few seconds of each celebrity enjoying the resort will be used — and they may use the rest of their time freely.

event prompts:

the following prompts can be completed until the end of the event. each prompt completed is worth one booking point. this means that if all six prompts are completed, a muse can earn six booking points total for this event. for ease of access, please make sure to tag completions of these prompts with #thefouraaes.

plotting call: make a post with a rundown of plot and/or thread ideas for your muse during the event. this should include a call to action for plotting (ex. like this post to plot). threads: complete at least five three threads related to the event. you must make at least three posts of your own towards each thread (starter / reply / reply or reply / reply / reply). this prompt may overlap with the other thread prompt below. new interactions: participate in threads with at least two muses one muse your muse has not previously threaded with. you must make at least three posts of your own towards each thread (starter / reply / reply or reply / reply / reply). this prompt may overlap with the other thread prompt above. participation proposal: submit a proposal for your muse to be involved in aams gala week festivities in some way other than attending the gala by using this form. the week of the aams gala is known to bring other special events to the city its held in. feel free to use this for your muse! your muse might hold a special fanmeeting, a special pop-up concert, a screening of a drama or film, an exhibition at a local gallery, a merch or brand pop-up, film a youtube vlog, etc. feel free to be creative! a participation proposal can also be submitted for a donation to the charity auction or doing something other than attending at the gala itself (performing live, having art on display at the venue, 'getting ready' youtube video with a magazine or brand, etc.). up to two participation proposals may be submitted and approved per muse, although this prompt can only count toward booking points once. character development item: create and post a character development item related to the event. if the muse completes the participation proposal, this can be related to that. if not, you're welcome to make the item related to the skeleton of the event itself. the source submission: submit an article, forum post, or blind item to the source blog related to the event.

ooc info

this event will run for five weeks until saturday, december 23 at 11:59pm kst (right before acceptances). you're welcome to write non-event threads and development pieces during this time, but anything you want to earn points for for the event must be completed by the deadline. please tag event-related posts with #thefouraaes. participation in this event is optional, though encouraged.

[lexallisonthailandtrip]

Massages, Malls, Michelin stars, and more!

Jet lag hit us pretty hard today, but still having fun ! Thai breakfast at the hotel is awesome, you get a complimentary choice of Thai or “American” breakfast, which is more like an English breakfast. We both chose Thai, which comes with unlimited espresso drinks, Thai tea, juice, fresh fruit, etc. but the big hit for Allison was the coconut soup for breakfast..!

After breakfast we walked to a nearby mall, that was a recommended stop by the gal we met on the plane. Allison got some Birkenstocks, sunglasses, and clothes; Lex got some meatballs at IKEA. Ideal shopping experience for us both.

After the mall we went for a swim on the rooftop pool at our hotel, which we had all to ourselves, before a couples massage at the spa down the street. I gritted my teeth through the deepest deep tissue massage of my life, Allison asked for a reasonable pressure, and again an ideal situation for us both.

At night we took the train and went to Siam in search of dinner, and ended up in the largest center of continuous shopping malls either of us has ever experienced. We went in to the first food court we saw, got in the biggest line, and happened upon a Michelin star restaurant: inside a mall food court. Got some chrysanthemum and Roselle fruit drinks from another stand, and washed it down with a maple bacon donut from duck donuts. We’re both convinced Bangkok is some combination of New York City and Las Vegas, and thankful for our little boutique hotel oasis off the beaten path!

Tomorrow is Temple Exploration Tuesday, our final full day in Bangkok!

[southeastasiadiary]

Day Twenty-Eight: All Good Things Must Come to an End; Final Thoughts

The itinerary for this last day was to include a visit to the Jim Thompson House and then my transfer to the airport for the flight home. But since I’d already visited the Jim Thompson House on the day I arrived in Bangkok, I had the entire day to myself.

So, I decided to divide it (like Caesar's Gaul) into three parts. First thing in the morning, while it was still cool (or more accurately, when it was only blazingly hot but not to the point where it would cause you to combust spontaneously), I decided to take a stroll around Bangkok’s Chinatown because my hotel was right in the middle of it.

Here is about one minute of a three-minute stroll through the morning market:

If you want to see the full three-minute clip, you’ll need to go to shared photo album. I’m delighted to bring you the sights and sounds out this market, but not (fortunately or not) the aromas.

Of course, what Chinatown would be complete without a Mister Hotdog directly across the street from a Texas Suki and a shop selling “Authentic Chinese Cuisine”?

And it’s always nice to be reminded that “We are a part of your delicious.”

In my walk, I chanced upon a small neighborhood shrine

that was complete with gifts, which had just been brought there by people on their way to work that morning.

Then, a bit later, I saw this lovely statue of Confucius

and a singularly elegant spirit house with a prang on top.

The non-random part of my walk was my one pre-determined destination: the Wat Traimit,

Temple of the Golden Buddha.

Now perhaps, if you’ve been keeping up with this blog, this must be a temple of a golden Buddha since you've already seem more than your fair share of golden Buddhas. Ah, but here’s the difference. All the other golden Buddhas were made of other materials and then covered with gold leaf. This particular Buddha is solid gold, 15’9” high and 12’5” wide, weighing 5.5 tons … of solid gold. In times of invasion, the statue was covered with plaster so that it would look less valuable than it was.

In time, since the statue looked as though it was merely made of plaster, people forgot what was inside. Only in 1955, when there were plans to move the statue from another site to here at the Wat Traimit, did some of the plaster fall off, and it became clear that underneath a shallow façade was a virtual mountain of gold.

And today, if you like, you can buy a pre-packaged bottle of holy water at the temple for only twenty baht.

After visiting the Golden Buddha, I returned to the hotel for breakfast, a shower, and a brief rest before checking out.

The second part of the day has not yet occurred, but I need to post this entry now while I have access to the Internet. Since I’ve yet to experience Thai massage or, for that matter, any massage in Southeast Asia, I've booked a few hours in a spa this afternoon between my check-out time and my departure for the airport. Thai massage is one of the things that people often talk about after visiting Bangkok, and I have a few empty hours on my hands, so …

When booking the appointment I told them that my spa visit would occur shortly before a thirty-hour flight back home, so I wanted to feel “clean and refreshed but also relaxed.” They assured me they have “just the thing.” (When do businesses not have “just the thing” when you make an inquiry?) I'll be in for a body cleanse and scrub, followed by a gentle aromatherapy massage.

We’ll see how that goes. If you truly want to know, ask me in person sometime.

Now, the third part of my day will be to engage in a bit of post-trip reflection. And I've already given that topic a lot of thought during my walkabout this morning. So, here goes.

This experience in Southeast Asia was one of my long-term goals. You might even say it was a life goal. At least, it was something I'd talked about for years and felt I absolutely needed to do. So, life goal accomplished!

But here's the funny thing about life goals. Once you achieve them, you have mixed feelings. On the one hand, there's a major sense of accomplishment. On the other, it feels as though a milestone in life has now past, and you wonder whether there will ever be other goals that you’ll long for quite that much. Not to exaggerate, but it feels as though a part of your life is now over and that you’ve passed one more signpost on the road toward mortality.

I remind myself that I’d had similar feelings before. When I was very young, my life goal had been to get a Ph.D. and become a college professor. (Seriously. I remember telling people this as early as fifth grade.) Then, when I was 26 and had achieved that goal, I thought, “Well, now what?”

Other goals came along, of course. There was a period when, if people asked whether I had a “bucket list,” I’d say, “I want to do three things. See the pyramids in Egypt, visit Kyoto, and attend the Wagner festival at Bayreuth.” Then, by a strange turn of fate, I did all three of those things within the same six-month period and again thought, “Now what?”

But there was always that Southeast Asia trip left for me to plan. So, now it's over. Okay, now what?

The honest answer is “I don’t know” but also “I’m sure I’ll think of something. I always have.”

As this trip comes to an end, I find myself reminded of that article I mentioned on Day Nine: “The Case Against Travel.” The author’s argument was that people always say they travel because travel changes them, but everyone returns from a trip no different from the person they were before setting out.

So, am I the same person I was before this trip?

Absolutely.

But I don’t really think that’s the point. Certainly, there can be zen-like, blinding flashes of insight during a trip, like a flash of gold appearing from beneath a thin façade of plaster. I already mentioned once being in Rome and realizing, “Oh! That’s what Horace meant in his poetry!” and never seeing his works in the same way again. But those experiences are rare.

More often, travel changes you slowly over time. You don’t see those changes in a single day, a single week, or even a single year. Rather it’s like the slow polishing of a stone into a statue. It takes time. It happens almost imperceptibly. And eventually you realize that you actually aren’t the same person you were before. You’ve broadened your perspective, left behind a few assumptions, and made connections between ideas you never would've made before.

That’s a good thing.

No. I'm wrong.

That’s a great thing.

In fact, as far as I’m concerned, it’s one of the best things a person can do.

And I wonder where I’ll go next and how that experience might change me.

I can't wait.

[chocahontas]

The Ultimate Guide to Finding the Best Massages in Bangkok

Bangkok, the bustling capital city of Thailand, is known for its rich culture, vibrant street life, delicious street food, and of course, its world-class massage parlors. If you're looking to unwind and rejuvenate yourself after a long day of sightseeing, then you're in luck because Bangkok has a plethora of massage options to choose from. Whether you're looking for a traditional Thai massage, a luxurious spa experience, or a unique and innovative massage technique, you're sure to find something that suits your needs in Bangkok. Feel free to visit their website at best massages in bangkok for more details.

Here are some of the best massages in Bangkok that you can enjoy during your stay:

Traditional Thai Massage Thai massage is one of the most popular massage styles in Bangkok and is known for its therapeutic benefits. This ancient practice involves a combination of yoga-like stretches, acupressure, and other techniques to help improve flexibility, circulation, and overall well-being. If you're looking for an authentic Thai massage experience, head to Wat Pho, one of Bangkok's oldest and most famous temples, where you can enjoy a traditional Thai massage in the peaceful surroundings of a temple courtyard.

Oil Massage Oil massage is another popular massage style in Bangkok and is known for its relaxing and rejuvenating effects. This massage style uses warm oil to help release tension and improve circulation, making it the perfect choice for anyone looking to unwind after a long day of exploring the city. Some of the best oil massage parlors in Bangkok include Namm Spa, Bodhi Serene, and Sabai Body Temple.

Foot Massage If you've been walking around Bangkok all day and are in need of some pampering, then a foot massage is the perfect choice. Foot massage is a popular and affordable option in Bangkok, and you can find many street-side shops offering this service. During a foot massage, your therapist will focus on specific pressure points in your feet to help improve overall health and relaxation.

Aromatherapy Massage Aromatherapy massage is a relaxing and rejuvenating massage style that uses essential oils to help promote overall well-being. These oils are chosen based on their therapeutic properties and are combined with massage techniques to create a soothing and rejuvenating experience. Some of the best aromatherapy massages in Bangkok can be found at Bodhi Spa, The Oriental Spa, and The Spa at Mandarin Oriental.

Hot Stone Massage Hot stone massage is a unique and innovative massage style that uses heated stones to help release tension and improve circulation. This massage style is perfect for anyone looking for a luxurious spa experience, and you can find some of the best hot stone massages in Bangkok at The Grand Hyatt Erawan Spa, The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, and The Siam Spa.

In conclusion, if you're looking for a way to unwind and rejuvenate yourself during your stay in Bangkok, then you're sure to find the perfect massage to suit your needs. From traditional Thai massages to luxurious spa experiences, there's something for everyone in this vibrant city. So why wait? Book your massage today and start relaxing and rejuvenating your mind, body, and soul!

[sofiahotelhuahin]

Thailand's top hotels || SofiaHotelHuahin

Thailand punches well above its weight when it comes to accommodations because it is home to some of the top hotels in Asia. The country's iconic addresses are saved for the beaches and islands; Chiva Som has frequently been named the best destination spa in the world, while Aman, Banyan Tree, and Six Senses are scattered throughout Thailand's top islands. In Bangkok, glitzy city hotels rival those found in New York and London.

There are a lot of quaint and hidden hideaways to be discovered as well, where warm service and regional cuisine make you feel like you've had a taste of local life. The best hotels in Thailand are rounded together here for a rundown of our favorites.

Six Senses Yao Noi, Phang Nga

On the steep tiny island of Yao Noi, which is situated in Phang Nga Bay midway between Phuket and Krabi, Six Senses has mastered the castaway experience. On the speedboat trip to the resort, shoes are removed, and signs made of driftwood indicate to the white sand beach, the hilltop infinity pool, and a cluster of stilted homes with thatched roofs. Seeing the spa buried among the jungle's traditional long homes, getting to dinner by climbing through the multi-level bamboo and clapboard restaurants, and watching movies on the beach beneath the stars all feel like adventures. Use one of the hotel's bicycles to make a circuit of the island, passing through the fishing community and rubber plantations, and keep an eye out for pairs of sooty black hornbills.

Chiva Som, Hua Hin

Chiva Som is without a doubt the reigning queen of the Thai wellness industry; 27 years ago, when they first appeared on the scene, spa vacations in Thailand weren't even a thing. Since then, there have been many imitators, but none have been able to top the original's life-enriching blend of cutting-edge fitness (new equipment includes Iron Man-like Vision Bodysuits), medical diagnostics (blood work, gene testing), conventional Asian healing therapies, and hyper-intuitive staff. There are 16 distinct retreats to choose from, each of which will be meticulously customized to satisfy all of your mental, physical, and emotional needs. These retreats include stress and pain management, fitness boost, immune resilience, and elder wellness. This is where lifelong habits can be altered.

Banyan Tree Samui

The private pool in your home features a floating lotus flower and unparalleled panoramic views of Lamai Bay. Buggies transport visitors around the villas, private beach, spa, and elevated restaurant The Edge, which are connected by twisting steep walkways. Differently sized and shaped villas rise from the peninsula, but everyone has a view of the garden or the sea. The spacious bedrooms in the family and couple villas are open to expose private infinity pools, and the rainfall showers are large enough for two people. Beanbag chairs are set up on a wooden deck so that guests can relax and watch the sunrise over the water. Try renting a kayak or taking a private boat tour while spending the day at the private beach, or have afternoon tea at the beach café. If you go between April and May, you might get the chance to see local turtle hatchlings making their way into the water. It's imperative to visit the spa, particularly for the hydrotherapy massage. A steam room session precedes the ice-cold shower in the Rainforest treatment, which is followed by hard-powered water jets that target the back muscles.

sofiahotelhuahin

Standard: Two to three persons can fit in a room. The accommodation has a refrigerator, air conditioning, and a king-size bed. has a window that overlooks a garden, a table and two chairs, an emergency fire extinguisher, and a wall fan.

Deluxe: Two to three people can stay in each room. The accommodation has a refrigerator, air conditioning, and a king-size bed. has a window that overlooks a garden, a table and two chairs, an emergency fire extinguisher, and a wall fan.

Superior: Two to three people can stay in each room. The accommodation has a refrigerator, air conditioning, and a king-size bed. has a window that overlooks a garden, a table and two chairs, an emergency fire extinguisher, and a wall fan.

To reach us out in offline mode do not forget to visit

Sofia Hotel Huahin        

100 / 3 - 6 Poonsuk Road Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand 77110

Email: sofiahuahin@gmail.com

Visit Our website — https://sofiahotelhuahin.com/

[cleverhottubmiracle]

In the zodiac calendar, 2025 is the year of the snake, portending transformation and renewal. The wellness industry, however, isn’t as much entering a new period this year as it is doubling down on changes already in progress. The buzziest wellness trends of 2025 continue to track with long-term shifts in how consumers think about their health — the way we age, the shape of our bodies — facilitated by new developments in technology, medicine and culture. The centuries-old pursuit of lasting health and modern anti-aging has been refocused in the post-pandemic age as “well-aging” and longevity, bolstering interest in supplements and alternative therapies.The widespread adoption of GLP-1 agonist medications will surely continue, with stigmas around using drugs like Wegovy or Mounjaro shedding fast, fueling demand for nutritional products suited to consumers’ suddenly specific dietary needs. But 2025’s biggest shift began to firm up on Monday as President Donald Trump was inaugurated. If Robert F. Kennedy Jr, his pick for secretary of health and human services, is confirmed — and his rallying cry to Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, goes mainstream — there could be considerable change coming to health and wellness in the US from a regulatory standpoint. The surest thing is that wellness will continue to pervade the closely-related beauty, food and fitness industries. “It’s an exciting time, when you’ve got wellness connecting through skincare, through technology, through ingredients,” said Justin Boxford, the global brand president of the Estée Lauder label. Long Live LongevityLongevity is perhaps the most dominant theme in wellness right now, inspiring a “whole change of conversation,” said Boxford. He’s talking about words like healthspan replacing lifespan — implying great health can happen at any age — and biological aging superseding chronological aging. “Chronological aging seems to be a bit passé,” said Michael Nolte, an SVP and creative director at insights platform Beautystreams. “You can’t measure your age solely by the number on your passport.” One’s “biological age” is determined through a battery of pricey tests and doesn’t necessary relate to the number on your birth certificate — a chronological Millennial who smokes, for example, could be a biological Boomer. New ingredients are being created to address recently-understood developments in cell health, like the process of “senescence” by which cells die off. This is where the field of longevity starts to look familiar: Dsm-firmenich’s Eterwell Youth, a trademarked ingredient made from an Alpine herb, promises to make you “look nine years younger in just three months.” The Estée Lauder brand announced it will support the Stanford Center of Longevity to further its research into how to keep skin cells fresher for longer. One way is by targeting sirtuins, molecules found in the body that Boxford calls “the ultimate longevity proteins”; the brand’s new Re-Nutriv eye cream boasts a patented Sirtivity-LP complex, “proven to not only slow but reverse visible aging,” according to a press release.Longevity will also continue to permeate spas, trickling down from Alpine resorts like Clinique La Prairie (which has been hosting longevity-centric retreats for the past century, but recently opened lavish outposts in Bangkok and Dubai) and into upscale gym chains like Equinox (and their new $40,000 membership, which includes epigenetic testing). Despite rumblings about these types of clinics one day spreading to strip malls, all evidence indicates that longevity remains a luxury product — if no longer a priceless one. Ozempic’s Supersized EconomyAt the end of 2024, pharma giant Novo Nordisk, the largest company in Europe by market capitalisation and the makers of GLP-1 medications Ozempic and Wegovy, announced it had entered late stage trials for a new product called CagriSema, a so-called “Super Ozempic” that combines the two medications cagrilintide and semaglutide and promises to shed 25 percent of a patient’s body weight. The results of one of those trials, which posted in late December, showed disappointing results, with 3400 patients seeing an average weight loss of 22 percent — about the same as Zepbound, Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide injection — and just over half making it to the full dosage, suggesting gnarlier side effects. The news prompted Novo’s stock to plummet. Still, it’s clear the race to produce even better weight loss drugs is well underway. Pfizer’s oral GLP-1 drug, danuglipron, could enter late-stage clinical trials in late 2025, with Novo and Lilly working on their own ingestible (versus injectable) versions; US financial firm Morningstar predicts as many as 16 new drugs could launch by 2029.Their widespread adoption is “transforming eating habits, driving a shift toward nutrient-dense, smaller portions,” said Danika Gloege, insights director at social listening firm Black Swan Data, which digests millions of online posts across platforms.This has led to an increase in protein-packed products at the grocery store, like Chobani’s new “High Protein” yogurts or Nestlé’s Boost Pre-Meal Hunger Support shakes, sold in a pack of four on Amazon. (Black Swan also notes demand for multivitamins, protein bars and bone broth.) Plant proteins derived from fungi and algae species are also ascendant, Gloege added, citing the popularity of spirulina-dusted popcorn at trendy grocery chain Erewhon. A Right Path to HealthThe wellness community’s embrace of largely unregulated alternative medicines and therapies has increasingly become associated with the far right. That is set to continue in 2025, with President Donald Trump’s appointment of Kennedy as HHS secretary. Kennedy has attracted rabid fans and passionate critics for his scepticism around vaccines and processed foods, and has also declared his own war on the “aggressive suppression” of “psychedelics, peptides, stem cells,” and “raw milk,” paving the way for alternative therapies to go mainstream. (In step with this move to the right, “carnivore diet” was a breakout wellness term in 2024, according to Spate.) Trump, similarly, said he would “course-correct and refocus” the FDA, nominating the surgeon Marty Makary to lead the agency. It’s a shift from years past. “Historically, Republican administrations have taken a more restrained approach to regulation and enforcement,” explained Marcha Isabelle Chaudry, an attorney and policy analyst. The Biden Administration, for instance, passed the Modernization of Cosmetic Regulation Act, or MoCRA, a bipartisan effort that provided the first updates to the FDA’s regulation of cosmetics in 80 years, which went into effect in July 2024. Under MoCRA, cosmetic companies are obligated to register their manufacturing facilities, and to report adverse events from using their products to the FDA. “I see those staying in place,” Chaudry said. “They’re not too stringent.”But they don’t seem safe, either, after Trump spent his first day in office rolling back a wide range of Biden’s policies from immigration to DEI. Chaudry emphasized the continued importance of brands, retailers and agencies to do their own legwork when it comes to validating their claims and ingredients. “It’s not just about marketing �� customers want functional benefits,” Chaudry said. “It goes back to performance and substantiation. We’re going to want more proof that the product works.” Vogue VitaminsNAD+, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a naturally-occurring molecule that facilitates human metabolism, has become a popular offering at upscale spas and “longevity” clinics and is typically administered via intravenous drip. (NAD+ and sirtuins are closely related.) Regular doses can improve cognition and energy, according to influential supporters. Athletes like NAD+ for its supposed performance benefits, and Rhode founder Hailey Bieber recently said she was planning to receive NAD+ “for the rest of my life.”There is scant evidence that drugs like NAD+ make much of a difference in human life span, but consumer interest has spread nonetheless. Spate’s new Popularity Index, which tracks trends across Google and TikTok, recorded a surge in search volume for NAD+ supplements (up 226 percent from last year) and their benefits (up 414 percent). On TikTok in particular, mentions of NAD+ often appear alongside the #antiaging hashtag, which Spate’s Addison Cain believes is correlated to an increased focus on longevity. Fragrance Made FunctionalPerfumes of all kinds — from sweet, inexpensive body mists to niche, artisanal scent expressions — had a banner year in 2024 as beauty’s fastest-growing category. Next year, converging wellness themes will buoy it to new heights.“Functional healing” was Black Swan Data’s top future growth trend in the fragrance category, Gloege said. These fragrances, which provide benefits to the user that go beyond scent alone, may have finally gone mainstream. Labels like Being Frenshe, the Target-sold brand co-founded by the actress Ashley Tisdale and manufacturer Maesa, released candles and fragrances that contain a proprietary “Moodscience” complex that claims to improve its wearers’ mood. The brand’s Vanilla Cashmere Body Mist is the number one fragrance SKU in mass retail, according to insights firm Circana and industry sources. Feel-good fragrance can be functional, but Gloege also points to formulas that boast benefits, especially when it comes to sleep. (Fragrance searches including keywords “performance” and “sleep” were up 32 percent and 88 percent, respectively.) This provides opportunities for mass and niche fragrance brands, but also wellness labels. Supplement brand the Nue Co., which first launched its “Functional Fragrance” that claims to “support stress relief” with notes of palo santo, in 2018, more recently relaunched its fragrances in a collection that now includes formulations called Water Therapy (also anti-stress) and Mind Energy (for focus); a new addition will launch early this year. Through as small a gesture as spritzing perfume, consumers hope to “transform daily routines into opportunities for holistic healing,” Gloege said. Sign up to The Business of Beauty newsletter, your must-read source for the day’s most important beauty and wellness news and analysis. Source link

[norajworld]

In the zodiac calendar, 2025 is the year of the snake, portending transformation and renewal. The wellness industry, however, isn’t as much entering a new period this year as it is doubling down on changes already in progress. The buzziest wellness trends of 2025 continue to track with long-term shifts in how consumers think about their health — the way we age, the shape of our bodies — facilitated by new developments in technology, medicine and culture. The centuries-old pursuit of lasting health and modern anti-aging has been refocused in the post-pandemic age as “well-aging” and longevity, bolstering interest in supplements and alternative therapies.The widespread adoption of GLP-1 agonist medications will surely continue, with stigmas around using drugs like Wegovy or Mounjaro shedding fast, fueling demand for nutritional products suited to consumers’ suddenly specific dietary needs. But 2025’s biggest shift began to firm up on Monday as President Donald Trump was inaugurated. If Robert F. Kennedy Jr, his pick for secretary of health and human services, is confirmed — and his rallying cry to Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, goes mainstream — there could be considerable change coming to health and wellness in the US from a regulatory standpoint. The surest thing is that wellness will continue to pervade the closely-related beauty, food and fitness industries. “It’s an exciting time, when you’ve got wellness connecting through skincare, through technology, through ingredients,” said Justin Boxford, the global brand president of the Estée Lauder label. Long Live LongevityLongevity is perhaps the most dominant theme in wellness right now, inspiring a “whole change of conversation,” said Boxford. He’s talking about words like healthspan replacing lifespan — implying great health can happen at any age — and biological aging superseding chronological aging. “Chronological aging seems to be a bit passé,” said Michael Nolte, an SVP and creative director at insights platform Beautystreams. “You can’t measure your age solely by the number on your passport.” One’s “biological age” is determined through a battery of pricey tests and doesn’t necessary relate to the number on your birth certificate — a chronological Millennial who smokes, for example, could be a biological Boomer. New ingredients are being created to address recently-understood developments in cell health, like the process of “senescence” by which cells die off. This is where the field of longevity starts to look familiar: Dsm-firmenich’s Eterwell Youth, a trademarked ingredient made from an Alpine herb, promises to make you “look nine years younger in just three months.” The Estée Lauder brand announced it will support the Stanford Center of Longevity to further its research into how to keep skin cells fresher for longer. One way is by targeting sirtuins, molecules found in the body that Boxford calls “the ultimate longevity proteins”; the brand’s new Re-Nutriv eye cream boasts a patented Sirtivity-LP complex, “proven to not only slow but reverse visible aging,” according to a press release.Longevity will also continue to permeate spas, trickling down from Alpine resorts like Clinique La Prairie (which has been hosting longevity-centric retreats for the past century, but recently opened lavish outposts in Bangkok and Dubai) and into upscale gym chains like Equinox (and their new $40,000 membership, which includes epigenetic testing). Despite rumblings about these types of clinics one day spreading to strip malls, all evidence indicates that longevity remains a luxury product — if no longer a priceless one. Ozempic’s Supersized EconomyAt the end of 2024, pharma giant Novo Nordisk, the largest company in Europe by market capitalisation and the makers of GLP-1 medications Ozempic and Wegovy, announced it had entered late stage trials for a new product called CagriSema, a so-called “Super Ozempic” that combines the two medications cagrilintide and semaglutide and promises to shed 25 percent of a patient’s body weight. The results of one of those trials, which posted in late December, showed disappointing results, with 3400 patients seeing an average weight loss of 22 percent — about the same as Zepbound, Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide injection — and just over half making it to the full dosage, suggesting gnarlier side effects. The news prompted Novo’s stock to plummet. Still, it’s clear the race to produce even better weight loss drugs is well underway. Pfizer’s oral GLP-1 drug, danuglipron, could enter late-stage clinical trials in late 2025, with Novo and Lilly working on their own ingestible (versus injectable) versions; US financial firm Morningstar predicts as many as 16 new drugs could launch by 2029.Their widespread adoption is “transforming eating habits, driving a shift toward nutrient-dense, smaller portions,” said Danika Gloege, insights director at social listening firm Black Swan Data, which digests millions of online posts across platforms.This has led to an increase in protein-packed products at the grocery store, like Chobani’s new “High Protein” yogurts or Nestlé’s Boost Pre-Meal Hunger Support shakes, sold in a pack of four on Amazon. (Black Swan also notes demand for multivitamins, protein bars and bone broth.) Plant proteins derived from fungi and algae species are also ascendant, Gloege added, citing the popularity of spirulina-dusted popcorn at trendy grocery chain Erewhon. A Right Path to HealthThe wellness community’s embrace of largely unregulated alternative medicines and therapies has increasingly become associated with the far right. That is set to continue in 2025, with President Donald Trump’s appointment of Kennedy as HHS secretary. Kennedy has attracted rabid fans and passionate critics for his scepticism around vaccines and processed foods, and has also declared his own war on the “aggressive suppression” of “psychedelics, peptides, stem cells,” and “raw milk,” paving the way for alternative therapies to go mainstream. (In step with this move to the right, “carnivore diet” was a breakout wellness term in 2024, according to Spate.) Trump, similarly, said he would “course-correct and refocus” the FDA, nominating the surgeon Marty Makary to lead the agency. It’s a shift from years past. “Historically, Republican administrations have taken a more restrained approach to regulation and enforcement,” explained Marcha Isabelle Chaudry, an attorney and policy analyst. The Biden Administration, for instance, passed the Modernization of Cosmetic Regulation Act, or MoCRA, a bipartisan effort that provided the first updates to the FDA’s regulation of cosmetics in 80 years, which went into effect in July 2024. Under MoCRA, cosmetic companies are obligated to register their manufacturing facilities, and to report adverse events from using their products to the FDA. “I see those staying in place,” Chaudry said. “They’re not too stringent.”But they don’t seem safe, either, after Trump spent his first day in office rolling back a wide range of Biden’s policies from immigration to DEI. Chaudry emphasized the continued importance of brands, retailers and agencies to do their own legwork when it comes to validating their claims and ingredients. “It’s not just about marketing — customers want functional benefits,” Chaudry said. “It goes back to performance and substantiation. We’re going to want more proof that the product works.” Vogue VitaminsNAD+, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a naturally-occurring molecule that facilitates human metabolism, has become a popular offering at upscale spas and “longevity” clinics and is typically administered via intravenous drip. (NAD+ and sirtuins are closely related.) Regular doses can improve cognition and energy, according to influential supporters. Athletes like NAD+ for its supposed performance benefits, and Rhode founder Hailey Bieber recently said she was planning to receive NAD+ “for the rest of my life.”There is scant evidence that drugs like NAD+ make much of a difference in human life span, but consumer interest has spread nonetheless. Spate’s new Popularity Index, which tracks trends across Google and TikTok, recorded a surge in search volume for NAD+ supplements (up 226 percent from last year) and their benefits (up 414 percent). On TikTok in particular, mentions of NAD+ often appear alongside the #antiaging hashtag, which Spate’s Addison Cain believes is correlated to an increased focus on longevity. Fragrance Made FunctionalPerfumes of all kinds — from sweet, inexpensive body mists to niche, artisanal scent expressions — had a banner year in 2024 as beauty’s fastest-growing category. Next year, converging wellness themes will buoy it to new heights.“Functional healing” was Black Swan Data’s top future growth trend in the fragrance category, Gloege said. These fragrances, which provide benefits to the user that go beyond scent alone, may have finally gone mainstream. Labels like Being Frenshe, the Target-sold brand co-founded by the actress Ashley Tisdale and manufacturer Maesa, released candles and fragrances that contain a proprietary “Moodscience” complex that claims to improve its wearers’ mood. The brand’s Vanilla Cashmere Body Mist is the number one fragrance SKU in mass retail, according to insights firm Circana and industry sources. Feel-good fragrance can be functional, but Gloege also points to formulas that boast benefits, especially when it comes to sleep. (Fragrance searches including keywords “performance” and “sleep” were up 32 percent and 88 percent, respectively.) This provides opportunities for mass and niche fragrance brands, but also wellness labels. Supplement brand the Nue Co., which first launched its “Functional Fragrance” that claims to “support stress relief” with notes of palo santo, in 2018, more recently relaunched its fragrances in a collection that now includes formulations called Water Therapy (also anti-stress) and Mind Energy (for focus); a new addition will launch early this year. Through as small a gesture as spritzing perfume, consumers hope to “transform daily routines into opportunities for holistic healing,” Gloege said. Sign up to The Business of Beauty newsletter, your must-read source for the day’s most important beauty and wellness news and analysis. Source link

[ellajme0]

In the zodiac calendar, 2025 is the year of the snake, portending transformation and renewal. The wellness industry, however, isn’t as much entering a new period this year as it is doubling down on changes already in progress. The buzziest wellness trends of 2025 continue to track with long-term shifts in how consumers think about their health — the way we age, the shape of our bodies — facilitated by new developments in technology, medicine and culture. The centuries-old pursuit of lasting health and modern anti-aging has been refocused in the post-pandemic age as “well-aging” and longevity, bolstering interest in supplements and alternative therapies.The widespread adoption of GLP-1 agonist medications will surely continue, with stigmas around using drugs like Wegovy or Mounjaro shedding fast, fueling demand for nutritional products suited to consumers’ suddenly specific dietary needs. But 2025’s biggest shift began to firm up on Monday as President Donald Trump was inaugurated. If Robert F. Kennedy Jr, his pick for secretary of health and human services, is confirmed — and his rallying cry to Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, goes mainstream — there could be considerable change coming to health and wellness in the US from a regulatory standpoint. The surest thing is that wellness will continue to pervade the closely-related beauty, food and fitness industries. “It’s an exciting time, when you’ve got wellness connecting through skincare, through technology, through ingredients,” said Justin Boxford, the global brand president of the Estée Lauder label. Long Live LongevityLongevity is perhaps the most dominant theme in wellness right now, inspiring a “whole change of conversation,” said Boxford. He’s talking about words like healthspan replacing lifespan — implying great health can happen at any age — and biological aging superseding chronological aging. “Chronological aging seems to be a bit passé,” said Michael Nolte, an SVP and creative director at insights platform Beautystreams. “You can’t measure your age solely by the number on your passport.” One’s “biological age” is determined through a battery of pricey tests and doesn’t necessary relate to the number on your birth certificate — a chronological Millennial who smokes, for example, could be a biological Boomer. New ingredients are being created to address recently-understood developments in cell health, like the process of “senescence” by which cells die off. This is where the field of longevity starts to look familiar: Dsm-firmenich’s Eterwell Youth, a trademarked ingredient made from an Alpine herb, promises to make you “look nine years younger in just three months.” The Estée Lauder brand announced it will support the Stanford Center of Longevity to further its research into how to keep skin cells fresher for longer. One way is by targeting sirtuins, molecules found in the body that Boxford calls “the ultimate longevity proteins”; the brand’s new Re-Nutriv eye cream boasts a patented Sirtivity-LP complex, “proven to not only slow but reverse visible aging,” according to a press release.Longevity will also continue to permeate spas, trickling down from Alpine resorts like Clinique La Prairie (which has been hosting longevity-centric retreats for the past century, but recently opened lavish outposts in Bangkok and Dubai) and into upscale gym chains like Equinox (and their new $40,000 membership, which includes epigenetic testing). Despite rumblings about these types of clinics one day spreading to strip malls, all evidence indicates that longevity remains a luxury product — if no longer a priceless one. Ozempic’s Supersized EconomyAt the end of 2024, pharma giant Novo Nordisk, the largest company in Europe by market capitalisation and the makers of GLP-1 medications Ozempic and Wegovy, announced it had entered late stage trials for a new product called CagriSema, a so-called “Super Ozempic” that combines the two medications cagrilintide and semaglutide and promises to shed 25 percent of a patient’s body weight. The results of one of those trials, which posted in late December, showed disappointing results, with 3400 patients seeing an average weight loss of 22 percent — about the same as Zepbound, Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide injection — and just over half making it to the full dosage, suggesting gnarlier side effects. The news prompted Novo’s stock to plummet. Still, it’s clear the race to produce even better weight loss drugs is well underway. Pfizer’s oral GLP-1 drug, danuglipron, could enter late-stage clinical trials in late 2025, with Novo and Lilly working on their own ingestible (versus injectable) versions; US financial firm Morningstar predicts as many as 16 new drugs could launch by 2029.Their widespread adoption is “transforming eating habits, driving a shift toward nutrient-dense, smaller portions,” said Danika Gloege, insights director at social listening firm Black Swan Data, which digests millions of online posts across platforms.This has led to an increase in protein-packed products at the grocery store, like Chobani’s new “High Protein” yogurts or Nestlé’s Boost Pre-Meal Hunger Support shakes, sold in a pack of four on Amazon. (Black Swan also notes demand for multivitamins, protein bars and bone broth.) Plant proteins derived from fungi and algae species are also ascendant, Gloege added, citing the popularity of spirulina-dusted popcorn at trendy grocery chain Erewhon. A Right Path to HealthThe wellness community’s embrace of largely unregulated alternative medicines and therapies has increasingly become associated with the far right. That is set to continue in 2025, with President Donald Trump’s appointment of Kennedy as HHS secretary. Kennedy has attracted rabid fans and passionate critics for his scepticism around vaccines and processed foods, and has also declared his own war on the “aggressive suppression” of “psychedelics, peptides, stem cells,” and “raw milk,” paving the way for alternative therapies to go mainstream. (In step with this move to the right, “carnivore diet” was a breakout wellness term in 2024, according to Spate.) Trump, similarly, said he would “course-correct and refocus” the FDA, nominating the surgeon Marty Makary to lead the agency. It’s a shift from years past. “Historically, Republican administrations have taken a more restrained approach to regulation and enforcement,” explained Marcha Isabelle Chaudry, an attorney and policy analyst. The Biden Administration, for instance, passed the Modernization of Cosmetic Regulation Act, or MoCRA, a bipartisan effort that provided the first updates to the FDA’s regulation of cosmetics in 80 years, which went into effect in July 2024. Under MoCRA, cosmetic companies are obligated to register their manufacturing facilities, and to report adverse events from using their products to the FDA. “I see those staying in place,” Chaudry said. “They’re not too stringent.”But they don’t seem safe, either, after Trump spent his first day in office rolling back a wide range of Biden’s policies from immigration to DEI. Chaudry emphasized the continued importance of brands, retailers and agencies to do their own legwork when it comes to validating their claims and ingredients. “It’s not just about marketing — customers want functional benefits,” Chaudry said. “It goes back to performance and substantiation. We’re going to want more proof that the product works.” Vogue VitaminsNAD+, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a naturally-occurring molecule that facilitates human metabolism, has become a popular offering at upscale spas and “longevity” clinics and is typically administered via intravenous drip. (NAD+ and sirtuins are closely related.) Regular doses can improve cognition and energy, according to influential supporters. Athletes like NAD+ for its supposed performance benefits, and Rhode founder Hailey Bieber recently said she was planning to receive NAD+ “for the rest of my life.”There is scant evidence that drugs like NAD+ make much of a difference in human life span, but consumer interest has spread nonetheless. Spate’s new Popularity Index, which tracks trends across Google and TikTok, recorded a surge in search volume for NAD+ supplements (up 226 percent from last year) and their benefits (up 414 percent). On TikTok in particular, mentions of NAD+ often appear alongside the #antiaging hashtag, which Spate’s Addison Cain believes is correlated to an increased focus on longevity. Fragrance Made FunctionalPerfumes of all kinds — from sweet, inexpensive body mists to niche, artisanal scent expressions — had a banner year in 2024 as beauty’s fastest-growing category. Next year, converging wellness themes will buoy it to new heights.“Functional healing” was Black Swan Data’s top future growth trend in the fragrance category, Gloege said. These fragrances, which provide benefits to the user that go beyond scent alone, may have finally gone mainstream. Labels like Being Frenshe, the Target-sold brand co-founded by the actress Ashley Tisdale and manufacturer Maesa, released candles and fragrances that contain a proprietary “Moodscience” complex that claims to improve its wearers’ mood. The brand’s Vanilla Cashmere Body Mist is the number one fragrance SKU in mass retail, according to insights firm Circana and industry sources. Feel-good fragrance can be functional, but Gloege also points to formulas that boast benefits, especially when it comes to sleep. (Fragrance searches including keywords “performance” and “sleep” were up 32 percent and 88 percent, respectively.) This provides opportunities for mass and niche fragrance brands, but also wellness labels. Supplement brand the Nue Co., which first launched its “Functional Fragrance” that claims to “support stress relief” with notes of palo santo, in 2018, more recently relaunched its fragrances in a collection that now includes formulations called Water Therapy (also anti-stress) and Mind Energy (for focus); a new addition will launch early this year. Through as small a gesture as spritzing perfume, consumers hope to “transform daily routines into opportunities for holistic healing,” Gloege said. Sign up to The Business of Beauty newsletter, your must-read source for the day’s most important beauty and wellness news and analysis. Source link

[chilimili212]

In the zodiac calendar, 2025 is the year of the snake, portending transformation and renewal. The wellness industry, however, isn’t as much entering a new period this year as it is doubling down on changes already in progress. The buzziest wellness trends of 2025 continue to track with long-term shifts in how consumers think about their health — the way we age, the shape of our bodies — facilitated by new developments in technology, medicine and culture. The centuries-old pursuit of lasting health and modern anti-aging has been refocused in the post-pandemic age as “well-aging” and longevity, bolstering interest in supplements and alternative therapies.The widespread adoption of GLP-1 agonist medications will surely continue, with stigmas around using drugs like Wegovy or Mounjaro shedding fast, fueling demand for nutritional products suited to consumers’ suddenly specific dietary needs. But 2025’s biggest shift began to firm up on Monday as President Donald Trump was inaugurated. If Robert F. Kennedy Jr, his pick for secretary of health and human services, is confirmed — and his rallying cry to Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, goes mainstream — there could be considerable change coming to health and wellness in the US from a regulatory standpoint. The surest thing is that wellness will continue to pervade the closely-related beauty, food and fitness industries. “It’s an exciting time, when you’ve got wellness connecting through skincare, through technology, through ingredients,” said Justin Boxford, the global brand president of the Estée Lauder label. Long Live LongevityLongevity is perhaps the most dominant theme in wellness right now, inspiring a “whole change of conversation,” said Boxford. He’s talking about words like healthspan replacing lifespan — implying great health can happen at any age — and biological aging superseding chronological aging. “Chronological aging seems to be a bit passé,” said Michael Nolte, an SVP and creative director at insights platform Beautystreams. “You can’t measure your age solely by the number on your passport.” One’s “biological age” is determined through a battery of pricey tests and doesn’t necessary relate to the number on your birth certificate — a chronological Millennial who smokes, for example, could be a biological Boomer. New ingredients are being created to address recently-understood developments in cell health, like the process of “senescence” by which cells die off. This is where the field of longevity starts to look familiar: Dsm-firmenich’s Eterwell Youth, a trademarked ingredient made from an Alpine herb, promises to make you “look nine years younger in just three months.” The Estée Lauder brand announced it will support the Stanford Center of Longevity to further its research into how to keep skin cells fresher for longer. One way is by targeting sirtuins, molecules found in the body that Boxford calls “the ultimate longevity proteins”; the brand’s new Re-Nutriv eye cream boasts a patented Sirtivity-LP complex, “proven to not only slow but reverse visible aging,” according to a press release.Longevity will also continue to permeate spas, trickling down from Alpine resorts like Clinique La Prairie (which has been hosting longevity-centric retreats for the past century, but recently opened lavish outposts in Bangkok and Dubai) and into upscale gym chains like Equinox (and their new $40,000 membership, which includes epigenetic testing). Despite rumblings about these types of clinics one day spreading to strip malls, all evidence indicates that longevity remains a luxury product — if no longer a priceless one. Ozempic’s Supersized EconomyAt the end of 2024, pharma giant Novo Nordisk, the largest company in Europe by market capitalisation and the makers of GLP-1 medications Ozempic and Wegovy, announced it had entered late stage trials for a new product called CagriSema, a so-called “Super Ozempic” that combines the two medications cagrilintide and semaglutide and promises to shed 25 percent of a patient’s body weight. The results of one of those trials, which posted in late December, showed disappointing results, with 3400 patients seeing an average weight loss of 22 percent — about the same as Zepbound, Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide injection — and just over half making it to the full dosage, suggesting gnarlier side effects. The news prompted Novo’s stock to plummet. Still, it’s clear the race to produce even better weight loss drugs is well underway. Pfizer’s oral GLP-1 drug, danuglipron, could enter late-stage clinical trials in late 2025, with Novo and Lilly working on their own ingestible (versus injectable) versions; US financial firm Morningstar predicts as many as 16 new drugs could launch by 2029.Their widespread adoption is “transforming eating habits, driving a shift toward nutrient-dense, smaller portions,” said Danika Gloege, insights director at social listening firm Black Swan Data, which digests millions of online posts across platforms.This has led to an increase in protein-packed products at the grocery store, like Chobani’s new “High Protein” yogurts or Nestlé’s Boost Pre-Meal Hunger Support shakes, sold in a pack of four on Amazon. (Black Swan also notes demand for multivitamins, protein bars and bone broth.) Plant proteins derived from fungi and algae species are also ascendant, Gloege added, citing the popularity of spirulina-dusted popcorn at trendy grocery chain Erewhon. A Right Path to HealthThe wellness community’s embrace of largely unregulated alternative medicines and therapies has increasingly become associated with the far right. That is set to continue in 2025, with President Donald Trump’s appointment of Kennedy as HHS secretary. Kennedy has attracted rabid fans and passionate critics for his scepticism around vaccines and processed foods, and has also declared his own war on the “aggressive suppression” of “psychedelics, peptides, stem cells,” and “raw milk,” paving the way for alternative therapies to go mainstream. (In step with this move to the right, “carnivore diet” was a breakout wellness term in 2024, according to Spate.) Trump, similarly, said he would “course-correct and refocus” the FDA, nominating the surgeon Marty Makary to lead the agency. It’s a shift from years past. “Historically, Republican administrations have taken a more restrained approach to regulation and enforcement,” explained Marcha Isabelle Chaudry, an attorney and policy analyst. The Biden Administration, for instance, passed the Modernization of Cosmetic Regulation Act, or MoCRA, a bipartisan effort that provided the first updates to the FDA’s regulation of cosmetics in 80 years, which went into effect in July 2024. Under MoCRA, cosmetic companies are obligated to register their manufacturing facilities, and to report adverse events from using their products to the FDA. “I see those staying in place,” Chaudry said. “They’re not too stringent.”But they don’t seem safe, either, after Trump spent his first day in office rolling back a wide range of Biden’s policies from immigration to DEI. Chaudry emphasized the continued importance of brands, retailers and agencies to do their own legwork when it comes to validating their claims and ingredients. “It’s not just about marketing — customers want functional benefits,” Chaudry said. “It goes back to performance and substantiation. We’re going to want more proof that the product works.” Vogue VitaminsNAD+, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a naturally-occurring molecule that facilitates human metabolism, has become a popular offering at upscale spas and “longevity” clinics and is typically administered via intravenous drip. (NAD+ and sirtuins are closely related.) Regular doses can improve cognition and energy, according to influential supporters. Athletes like NAD+ for its supposed performance benefits, and Rhode founder Hailey Bieber recently said she was planning to receive NAD+ “for the rest of my life.”There is scant evidence that drugs like NAD+ make much of a difference in human life span, but consumer interest has spread nonetheless. Spate’s new Popularity Index, which tracks trends across Google and TikTok, recorded a surge in search volume for NAD+ supplements (up 226 percent from last year) and their benefits (up 414 percent). On TikTok in particular, mentions of NAD+ often appear alongside the #antiaging hashtag, which Spate’s Addison Cain believes is correlated to an increased focus on longevity. Fragrance Made FunctionalPerfumes of all kinds — from sweet, inexpensive body mists to niche, artisanal scent expressions — had a banner year in 2024 as beauty’s fastest-growing category. Next year, converging wellness themes will buoy it to new heights.“Functional healing” was Black Swan Data’s top future growth trend in the fragrance category, Gloege said. These fragrances, which provide benefits to the user that go beyond scent alone, may have finally gone mainstream. Labels like Being Frenshe, the Target-sold brand co-founded by the actress Ashley Tisdale and manufacturer Maesa, released candles and fragrances that contain a proprietary “Moodscience” complex that claims to improve its wearers’ mood. The brand’s Vanilla Cashmere Body Mist is the number one fragrance SKU in mass retail, according to insights firm Circana and industry sources. Feel-good fragrance can be functional, but Gloege also points to formulas that boast benefits, especially when it comes to sleep. (Fragrance searches including keywords “performance” and “sleep” were up 32 percent and 88 percent, respectively.) This provides opportunities for mass and niche fragrance brands, but also wellness labels. Supplement brand the Nue Co., which first launched its “Functional Fragrance” that claims to “support stress relief” with notes of palo santo, in 2018, more recently relaunched its fragrances in a collection that now includes formulations called Water Therapy (also anti-stress) and Mind Energy (for focus); a new addition will launch early this year. Through as small a gesture as spritzing perfume, consumers hope to “transform daily routines into opportunities for holistic healing,” Gloege said. Sign up to The Business of Beauty newsletter, your must-read source for the day’s most important beauty and wellness news and analysis. Source link

[oliviajoyice21]

In the zodiac calendar, 2025 is the year of the snake, portending transformation and renewal. The wellness industry, however, isn’t as much entering a new period this year as it is doubling down on changes already in progress. The buzziest wellness trends of 2025 continue to track with long-term shifts in how consumers think about their health — the way we age, the shape of our bodies — facilitated by new developments in technology, medicine and culture. The centuries-old pursuit of lasting health and modern anti-aging has been refocused in the post-pandemic age as “well-aging” and longevity, bolstering interest in supplements and alternative therapies.The widespread adoption of GLP-1 agonist medications will surely continue, with stigmas around using drugs like Wegovy or Mounjaro shedding fast, fueling demand for nutritional products suited to consumers’ suddenly specific dietary needs. But 2025’s biggest shift began to firm up on Monday as President Donald Trump was inaugurated. If Robert F. Kennedy Jr, his pick for secretary of health and human services, is confirmed — and his rallying cry to Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, goes mainstream — there could be considerable change coming to health and wellness in the US from a regulatory standpoint. The surest thing is that wellness will continue to pervade the closely-related beauty, food and fitness industries. “It’s an exciting time, when you’ve got wellness connecting through skincare, through technology, through ingredients,” said Justin Boxford, the global brand president of the Estée Lauder label. Long Live LongevityLongevity is perhaps the most dominant theme in wellness right now, inspiring a “whole change of conversation,” said Boxford. He’s talking about words like healthspan replacing lifespan — implying great health can happen at any age — and biological aging superseding chronological aging. “Chronological aging seems to be a bit passé,” said Michael Nolte, an SVP and creative director at insights platform Beautystreams. “You can’t measure your age solely by the number on your passport.” One’s “biological age” is determined through a battery of pricey tests and doesn’t necessary relate to the number on your birth certificate — a chronological Millennial who smokes, for example, could be a biological Boomer. New ingredients are being created to address recently-understood developments in cell health, like the process of “senescence” by which cells die off. This is where the field of longevity starts to look familiar: Dsm-firmenich’s Eterwell Youth, a trademarked ingredient made from an Alpine herb, promises to make you “look nine years younger in just three months.” The Estée Lauder brand announced it will support the Stanford Center of Longevity to further its research into how to keep skin cells fresher for longer. One way is by targeting sirtuins, molecules found in the body that Boxford calls “the ultimate longevity proteins”; the brand’s new Re-Nutriv eye cream boasts a patented Sirtivity-LP complex, “proven to not only slow but reverse visible aging,” according to a press release.Longevity will also continue to permeate spas, trickling down from Alpine resorts like Clinique La Prairie (which has been hosting longevity-centric retreats for the past century, but recently opened lavish outposts in Bangkok and Dubai) and into upscale gym chains like Equinox (and their new $40,000 membership, which includes epigenetic testing). Despite rumblings about these types of clinics one day spreading to strip malls, all evidence indicates that longevity remains a luxury product — if no longer a priceless one. Ozempic’s Supersized EconomyAt the end of 2024, pharma giant Novo Nordisk, the largest company in Europe by market capitalisation and the makers of GLP-1 medications Ozempic and Wegovy, announced it had entered late stage trials for a new product called CagriSema, a so-called “Super Ozempic” that combines the two medications cagrilintide and semaglutide and promises to shed 25 percent of a patient’s body weight. The results of one of those trials, which posted in late December, showed disappointing results, with 3400 patients seeing an average weight loss of 22 percent — about the same as Zepbound, Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide injection — and just over half making it to the full dosage, suggesting gnarlier side effects. The news prompted Novo’s stock to plummet. Still, it’s clear the race to produce even better weight loss drugs is well underway. Pfizer’s oral GLP-1 drug, danuglipron, could enter late-stage clinical trials in late 2025, with Novo and Lilly working on their own ingestible (versus injectable) versions; US financial firm Morningstar predicts as many as 16 new drugs could launch by 2029.Their widespread adoption is “transforming eating habits, driving a shift toward nutrient-dense, smaller portions,” said Danika Gloege, insights director at social listening firm Black Swan Data, which digests millions of online posts across platforms.This has led to an increase in protein-packed products at the grocery store, like Chobani’s new “High Protein” yogurts or Nestlé’s Boost Pre-Meal Hunger Support shakes, sold in a pack of four on Amazon. (Black Swan also notes demand for multivitamins, protein bars and bone broth.) Plant proteins derived from fungi and algae species are also ascendant, Gloege added, citing the popularity of spirulina-dusted popcorn at trendy grocery chain Erewhon. A Right Path to HealthThe wellness community’s embrace of largely unregulated alternative medicines and therapies has increasingly become associated with the far right. That is set to continue in 2025, with President Donald Trump’s appointment of Kennedy as HHS secretary. Kennedy has attracted rabid fans and passionate critics for his scepticism around vaccines and processed foods, and has also declared his own war on the “aggressive suppression” of “psychedelics, peptides, stem cells,” and “raw milk,” paving the way for alternative therapies to go mainstream. (In step with this move to the right, “carnivore diet” was a breakout wellness term in 2024, according to Spate.) Trump, similarly, said he would “course-correct and refocus” the FDA, nominating the surgeon Marty Makary to lead the agency. It’s a shift from years past. “Historically, Republican administrations have taken a more restrained approach to regulation and enforcement,” explained Marcha Isabelle Chaudry, an attorney and policy analyst. The Biden Administration, for instance, passed the Modernization of Cosmetic Regulation Act, or MoCRA, a bipartisan effort that provided the first updates to the FDA’s regulation of cosmetics in 80 years, which went into effect in July 2024. Under MoCRA, cosmetic companies are obligated to register their manufacturing facilities, and to report adverse events from using their products to the FDA. “I see those staying in place,” Chaudry said. “They’re not too stringent.”But they don’t seem safe, either, after Trump spent his first day in office rolling back a wide range of Biden’s policies from immigration to DEI. Chaudry emphasized the continued importance of brands, retailers and agencies to do their own legwork when it comes to validating their claims and ingredients. “It’s not just about marketing — customers want functional benefits,” Chaudry said. “It goes back to performance and substantiation. We’re going to want more proof that the product works.” Vogue VitaminsNAD+, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a naturally-occurring molecule that facilitates human metabolism, has become a popular offering at upscale spas and “longevity” clinics and is typically administered via intravenous drip. (NAD+ and sirtuins are closely related.) Regular doses can improve cognition and energy, according to influential supporters. Athletes like NAD+ for its supposed performance benefits, and Rhode founder Hailey Bieber recently said she was planning to receive NAD+ “for the rest of my life.”There is scant evidence that drugs like NAD+ make much of a difference in human life span, but consumer interest has spread nonetheless. Spate’s new Popularity Index, which tracks trends across Google and TikTok, recorded a surge in search volume for NAD+ supplements (up 226 percent from last year) and their benefits (up 414 percent). On TikTok in particular, mentions of NAD+ often appear alongside the #antiaging hashtag, which Spate’s Addison Cain believes is correlated to an increased focus on longevity. Fragrance Made FunctionalPerfumes of all kinds — from sweet, inexpensive body mists to niche, artisanal scent expressions — had a banner year in 2024 as beauty’s fastest-growing category. Next year, converging wellness themes will buoy it to new heights.“Functional healing” was Black Swan Data’s top future growth trend in the fragrance category, Gloege said. These fragrances, which provide benefits to the user that go beyond scent alone, may have finally gone mainstream. Labels like Being Frenshe, the Target-sold brand co-founded by the actress Ashley Tisdale and manufacturer Maesa, released candles and fragrances that contain a proprietary “Moodscience” complex that claims to improve its wearers’ mood. The brand’s Vanilla Cashmere Body Mist is the number one fragrance SKU in mass retail, according to insights firm Circana and industry sources. Feel-good fragrance can be functional, but Gloege also points to formulas that boast benefits, especially when it comes to sleep. (Fragrance searches including keywords “performance” and “sleep” were up 32 percent and 88 percent, respectively.) This provides opportunities for mass and niche fragrance brands, but also wellness labels. Supplement brand the Nue Co., which first launched its “Functional Fragrance” that claims to “support stress relief” with notes of palo santo, in 2018, more recently relaunched its fragrances in a collection that now includes formulations called Water Therapy (also anti-stress) and Mind Energy (for focus); a new addition will launch early this year. Through as small a gesture as spritzing perfume, consumers hope to “transform daily routines into opportunities for holistic healing,” Gloege said. Sign up to The Business of Beauty newsletter, your must-read source for the day’s most important beauty and wellness news and analysis. Source link