New research from the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) shows the US wellness market is valued at $2 trillion, representing one-third of the entire global wellness economy. The US is not just the largest wellness economy, it’s one of the fastest-growing ones. American consumers are spending more than $6,000 per person annually on wellness. Here are some trends we’re paying attention to right now.
Hot Date
With roots tracing back over 2,000 years to Finland, time spent in the sauna has long been an accepted wellness practice. The traditional wood-lined, heated rooms provided a space to retreat for warmth, relaxation, and social connection. These sweat centers also boast impressive benefits that include improved circulation, muscle recovery, and enhanced mental well-being.
In 2025, the sauna is more than a place to zone out and detoxify. A trend called “sauna-tainment” has turned sauna sessions into events. Younger users, especially, are visiting saunas to experience performances by an Aufguss master (or “saunameister”), which is a German word that translates to “infusion.” The Aufguss in the sauna conducts an orchestrated experience that can include music, lighting effects, and a release of essential oil-infused ice balls on the hot stones, while wafting the scented steam with their towel moves. There are even Aufguss competitions to celebrate these –pun intended—heat conductors.
In Las Vegas, the Fountainbleu’s Lapis Spa & Wellness was recognized by the World Spa Awards as
World’s Best Casino Hotel Spa 2024 and Nevada’s Best Hotel Spa 2024. Their Aufguss ritual is held in an atmospheric theater-in-the-round style room where the Aufgussmeister takes center stage. The session incorporates aromatherapy, choreography with dancing towels, and hypnotic imagery projected onto a 110” LCD screen.
This fusion of sauna culture with entertainment and social connection is redefining how people experience heat therapy.
K-Beauty Tech
Medicube, the pioneering South Korean skincare brand, welcomes Sir John as its Creative Director. A makeup artist to Beyoncé, Naomi Campbell, Serena Williams, and Gabrielle Union, Sir John steps into this role to helps shape dynamic and educational content and next-level product development.
As Creative Director, Sir John will educate, inspire, and expand awareness of Medicube’s Booster Pro and other clinical-grade at-home devices, elevating the brand’s presence among both beauty professionals and consumers.
Beyond brand storytelling, Sir John will also work to bridge the gap between skincare and makeup, helping consumers understand how healthy skin enhances flawless application. His expertise in makeup and artistry, combined with his passion for effective and powerful skincare,
“I believe beauty starts from within, but it also begins with the dermis,” says Sir John. “Your skin is the largest organ you have, and the relationship you build with it must be sustainable for life. When I visited Seoul, I saw that skincare is treated almost like a religious practice, not just a routine. That philosophy aligns with my own approach to beauty: it’s about intentionality, care, and creating a foundation that supports everything else. This is not just beauty, this is wellness.”
Eco-Beauty
Sabon is a luxury bath and body care brand founded in Israel in 1997. They specialize in soaps, scrubs, lotions, and skincare products, often featuring natural ingredients like Dead Sea minerals.
Sabon’s Organic Rose Dew Face Care Line offers an all-natural formula that’s gentle on the skin and on the Earth. Certified organic with the COSMOS label, a rigorous standard for organic and natural cosmetics ensuring that beauty and skincare products meet strict environmental and ingredient criteria, each product in this line is crafted with up to 100% natural origin ingredients and features eco-friendly production methods and recyclable packaging.
Free from parabens, mineral oils, silicones, and synthetic colorants, this collection blends luxury and sustainability with the rejuvenating properties of roses to provide a skincare routine that nurtures your skin and helps to protect the planet.
Vine Time
Photo credit: The Wine Spa
Founded by travel pro Kelly Lewis, The Wine Spa is a full-service spa offering traditional massage therapy and facials, as well as vinotherapy, which harnesses the power of grapes, rich in antioxidants and resveratrol, to rejuvenate and revitalize the skin and body.
The spa, which partners with Caudalie, the French beauty brand that uses skincare products crafted from the harnessed extracts of grapes and grapevines, offers vinotherapy packages that include 20-minute wine soaks for individuals and couples, and massages ranging from 30-50 minutes as well as facials, Swedish massage, and deep tissue massages.
Recently, The Wine Spa, which is in Portland, Oregon, was featured in TIME’s annual list of the World’s Greatest Places which recognizes 100 extraordinary destinations to visit and stay.
| New research from the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), made possible through collaboration with National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), shows the US wellness market is valued at $2 trillion, representing one-third of the entire global wellness economy. The US is not just the largest wellness economy, it’s one of the fastest-growing ones. It recorded 8.3% annual growth from 2019 to 2023, compared to 4.9% for China, 5.9% for Germany, and 3.1% for Japan. Remarkably, by 2023, the US market had expanded 37% beyond its pre-pandemic size in 2019. American consumers are spending more than $6,000 per person annually on wellness. |
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