Ann Gabrielle Domingo is a junior cultural desk researcher at Canvas8. She graduated with a degree in Communication from Ateneo de Manila University, where she took up journalism and advertising tracks while dabbling in social sciences classes. Passionate about tracking Asia’s cultural shifts, she’s also written for the likes of 

. She enjoys downtime with her Kindle, curating alternative music playlists, or discovering new hangout spots in Metro Manila.

As the new post-pandemic normal settles in and people adapt to a context of uncertainty, constant adversities, and pessimism, we are moving away from a moment in which consumers expected brands to rise up to society's challenges and into one when they’re demanding genuine allyship from businesses.

Shared Values

We’re witnessing the ‘wellnessification’ of absolutely everything. Beyond boosting their physical health with fitness and nutrition, people are looking for a path to being well in all aspects of their lives, including their finances, careers, activism, spirituality, home design, tech usage, and so much more. The global health and wellness market is expected to reach over $8,945.3 billion by 2032, while self-improvement and the quest for reprieve and relaxation have become integral to all areas of our lifestyles.

Wellness was once for the elite, expressed through a Goop-like look and lifestyle. But now a more fragmented definition of wellness is on the rise, encompassing people’s diverse backgrounds and distinct needs. In a society ruled by high stress and burnout, what was once considered a baseline are now status symbols: sleep is a luxury, glucose monitors signal exclusive healthcare, and sob parlours offer curated spaces for catharsis. People are embracing more radical forms of wellness, employing minor plastic surgery and weight-loss drugs as a means of control over their lives.

Wellness is rapidly reaching new demographics across generations. Exhausted by the permacrisis, Gen Z is rejecting more traditional, buttoned-up wellness movements in favour of little treats, girl dinner, ‘bedrotting’, or ‘rat snacking’ as forms of self-care with a sense of release. At the same time, longevity is becoming a priority as Gen X and Boomers rethink wellness to suit their needs. Some are taking up clubbing as a way of keeping an active lifestyle, while others are looking for nuanced approaches like menopause diets to support the changes that come with age. A desire for more bespoke wellbeing is driving an increase in health hacking – whether through technology or prioritising socialising with peers.

Being+

Gen X (born 1967-1981)

Boomers (born 1947-1966)

South Korea

Republic of Korea

Beauty

Skincare

A 77-year-old YouTuber @koreagrandma is launching a skincare brand in collaboration with global cosmetics giant Cosmax. While anti-ageing concerns still dominate beauty trends, older adult influencers who promote self-care are paving the way for pro-ageing rituals instead.