Cool Girl Wellness Trends: Where to Go to Chill TF Out
Despite all the territorial disputes about the virtues of NYC versus LA, some things unite the bicoastal contingent. We’re more alike than we are different. LA has Erewhon, and NYC has those newly gentrified, overpriced bodegas. NYC has Dimes Square, LA has Los Feliz. And at these semi-pretentious cultural meccas, the trendiest people in each city congregate.
The It-girls and cool guys on either coast may dress (slightly) differently and have different opinions when it comes to matcha vs cold brew… but when they clock out of their creative jobs and need to kill time before heading to their neighborhood natural wine bar, they’re filling their hours with the latest, greatest in wellness.
The goop-loving, bone broth-drinking wellness set is an interesting bunch. Some are the body-is-a-temple yogis you’d expect, and others are the same groups you see ripping ELF bars outside the club on a weekday. It’s all about balance. I, too, have been known to do a face mask while devouring the same sugary snacks that give me the acne I’m trying to fix. We all have our vices.
But I always say that, while getting wellness treatments might not completely undo the damage I do to my body by neglecting sleep and eating fewer veggies than I should, every little bit helps. From occasional facials to massages, I love indulging in wellness treatments and little treats for that boost of good health and self-care.
Plus, as we enter winter, I need serotonin-boosting activities to get me out of the house. So, I’ve been scouring the internet to discover all the latest treatments and put all the wellness hotspots favored by my favorite internet cool girls on my bucket list.
Here are the treatments that everyone is talking about — places you’ll definitely see an influencer in the waiting room and will make you feel both calm and cool on the way out:
Natural Face Lift Sculpting & Remodeling Massage – Sporty and Rich Wellness Spa, NYC
Founded by influencer and former Complex and Kith strategist Emily Oberg, Sporty and Rich is the influencer-favorite athleisure brand that positions itself in the intersection of wellness and luxury. “Health is wealth” is their slogan, and they’ve built their brand on delivering an updated version of that coveted old-money aesthetic. Now, they’re also offering you the chance to partake in good health right in their flagship SoHo, NYC store.
With a juice bar and in-house smoothies, Sporty and Rich is not just a clothing brand, it’s a lifestyle. They even have a treatment spa in their flagship location where you can get treatments like massages and lymphatic drainage.
Opt for their Natural Face Lift Sculpting & Remodeling Massage, where your face will get the workout of its life and be soothed by the brand’s newly-launched line of clean, simple products.
Cold Plunge – Pause Studio, LA
While most wellness treatments promise to relax and soothe you, cold plunges offer the opposite: to shock you back into your body. These energizing ice baths are all the rage on social media. You might have seen people cringing through the cold, trying to see how long they can brave the ice. But this isn’t just a social media endurance challenge, cold plunges have many benefits such as heightening your immunity, increasing your circulation, boosting your metabolism, decreasing post-workout soreness, and more. It’s like a caffeine shot, without the jitters. And, at Pause Studios in LA, you can enjoy a cold plunge and then treat yourself to an Infrared sauna.
Breathwork and Sound Baths — Open Studios, LA
Yeah, you’re reading that right, wellness lovers are going to classes to teach them how to breathe. But hear me out: they’re actually worth it. It’s like savasana in yoga — a deceptively simple practice that aims to help you rest and let go. And Open Studios offers some of the most therapeutic breathwork classes in LA.
According to their website: “Breathe is an immersive sensory experience that amplifies our core methodology. Grounding you in your senses, it brings together music, breathwork, and guided meditation to create something wholly new … Breathe works beyond our popular conceptions of regular meditative practice. Moving, beautiful, experiential, it demonstrates the power of our most everyday activity—breath—to deliver us into new states of mind.”Bathhouses — Bathhouse, Brooklyn
Turns out, I’m thinking of the Roman Empire because I’m always thinking about Bathhouses. This ancient ritual has never really disappeared, as the bathhouse experience is central to many men’s health clubs, but the trendy new approach to the Bathhouse is calling in a whole new roster of clientele. Bathhouse in NYC offers a selection of pools, cold plunges, saunas, and steam rooms. Plus, they have their own massages and treatments and even a cafe upstairs.
Lymphatic Drainage – Ricari Studios, LA/NYC
Lymphatic drainage has been all the hype for a few years for its wellness and aesthetic benefits. Lymphatic drainage is the process of massaging out the excess fluids in your body by opening up your lymph nodes and stimulating your body’s natural detoxing abilities. Some lymphatic massages use either hands or wooden tools to give you an invigorating and sculpting effect. Some use high-frequency machinery to more gently deliver the same results. Whichever your poison, you’ll leave feeling snatched and sculpted.
