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Top 5 Wellness Trends in 2023, As Seen on Social Media

By: Viral Nation | 5 mins read | Jan 23, 2023
Have you made your New Year's resolution yet? Let’s face it, there’s nothing more motivating than a fresh year if you’re looking to improve yourself. A study shows that more than 50% of people focus on resolutions surrounding their health and fitness. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that the sales of health and beauty products increase significantly leading up to New Year. The rise of mental health awareness has also made people value their health and wellness more. At some point in your life, you may notice that your physical fitness can boost your mental health and vice versa.  Although many are worried about our economic state post-pandemic, many instances show how resilient the industry is on a global scale. So we highlighted the top wellness trends to watch out for in 2023.

Home workout programs

Home workout programs will gain even more popularity this year. A movement that started when the pandemic forced gyms to close, saw people turning to creating their own home gyms or relying on online fitness programs.  The habit of working out at home is expected to continue going forward. About 42% of health enthusiasts said they plan to only work out at home, while 51% are considering combining a home-gym workout system. You may find home workouts more appealing because you can perform various routines more confidently, save time that would be spent commuting to the gym and fitting in a workout with your busy schedules. Digital home workout programs can ensure fitness goals are still attainable at home by combining expert advice and smart tools.

Health and fitness apps

Health and fitness apps help manage your health by providing a customized experience that is usually competitive and interactive to maintain your engagement throughout your health and wellness journey. The user increase for health and fitness apps including tracking fitness progress, eating habits and sleep reaches almost 50% per year. The two greatest attractions to using these apps are helping build habits to maintain your fitness in the long run and making working out fun by allowing you to track important achievements and milestones.

Wellness metaverse

The interest in the metaverse is accelerating these days, affecting various aspects of human life, including wellness. Around 60% of adolescents and adults in the U.S. think that the virtual world will enhance exercise routines. There are various ways health and fitness companies can use the metaverse to boost business, like mindfulness sessions, interactive cooking classes, gamified physical activities and virtual workouts. Because the metaverse is still relatively new, there will be more opportunities in the future. Game-like features are the highlights of the wellness metaverse. The leaderboard, scoring and level system will engage you more in achieving fitness milestones. Instead of feeling forced to exercise, you will feel like you are playing a game in this metaverse and it makes working out more fun.

Men’s personal care products

About a third of men said they would consider using beauty products in the future, with this number being higher among people of age 18 to 34. In the past, health and beauty products mostly targeted women. Men used to have very basic product offerings to maintain personal care. Personal care products for men are in high demand these days, and their revenue will continue to increase over the years. Skincare is clearly the winner among many categories in men’s personal care. Several products under this list are serums, face wash and moisturizers. Men are also more aware of the UV danger, hence the increased popularity of sunscreen products. Like women’s products, men’s products have also evolved with time. You can find men’s beauty products that address certain skin conditions — such as sensitive skin — and other specific traits. Sustainable and organic personal care products for men are also on the rise.  Many large companies are tapping into this sector due to its potential growth. Some of these brands even work with public figures, like major league athletes, for their campaigns. Have you never seen Patrick Mahomes star in a Head and Shoulders commercial?

Clean and minimalist beauty

Being “extra” was fun in the past. However, many people today want to enhance their natural beauty instead of putting excess makeup on. Clean and minimalist skin products are growing in popularity along with this aspiration. Part of the reason is because people can’t be bothered with a 10-step skincare routine every morning and night. People want to maintain their healthy looking skin without sacrificing practicality. Although the “less is more” movement in the beauty industry means that people will use fewer products, consumers expect more efficacy from them. For example, women don’t just want to purchase BB cream to make their skin appear smooth. They now want a BB cream that also provides protection from the sun and soothes inflammation. Brands that can sustain this era should be able to accommodate these new needs. It is necessary to provide beauty products containing effective active ingredients — hyaluronic acid, ceramide, SPF and others — and ones that are dermatologist approved. 

How can marketers adapt to these trends?

In 2023, wellness brands are gearing up to face economic uncertainty, so adopting some tech and teaming up with influencers are two ways to prepare for the upcoming economic turmoil.

Tech adoption

The wellness trends above affect brands as they increase the need for a personalized experience. Consumers expect brands to accommodate their specific needs, which can be challenging unless these brands adopt innovative technology in their business models. Many brands have created interactive mobile apps that offer advantageous functionalities to users, and they can offer point rewards systems, health and beauty trackers, or even e-commerce functions to simplify purchasing. This type of tech is an effective way to recession-proof your business because it enhances customer dependency on your brands and keeps them engaged with your company, not your competitors.

Authentic influencer campaigns

Building authentic influencer campaigns is an effective way to draw in consumers when you are worried people are cutting back their spending. About 66% of consumers said a brand’s authenticity matters more than quality when purchasing products. Working with influencers is highly recommended in a time of economic uncertainty. People are less likely to go out of their way to purchase new products, but consumers will listen to influencers they follow that share products and reviews with them. Find an influencer that has created a reputation in the wellness industry to represent your brand because they have already established a strong relationship with their audience. Viral Nation’s health and recipe influencer Joey Wellness said: "My best way to connect to my audience is by sharing my daily experiences with them so they can see how easy, accessible and practical it is. Whether that be drinking one extra glass of water, walking outside for 15 minutes, or choosing to make your own baked potatoes rather than buying fast food french fries, the first step is going to lead you to the next step and eventually turn into a snowball effect.  This is why I created an interactive e-cookbook that has cook-along step by step videos associated with each recipe so that you don’t have to break your head finding or stepping on that first step. It’s set up for you. To a fulfilling life lived with vitality and an abundance of health, wealth & happiness!" The wellness industry is moving very quickly. Brands must move as fast as the new trends to seize the tight market. It is also important to be adaptive to the latest updates in the marketing industry. Using tech and running authentic influencer campaigns are the way to go if you aim to succeed.
_About the author
Viral Nation

Viral Nation is a new media innovation group that powers the social ecosystem through integrated solutions that align strategy, talent, media, and technology. As pioneers in the influencer space, Viral Nation is comprised of a full-service creative agency, a creator and athlete-influencer representation agency, and a technology division creating modern marketing solutions for the social media age.