As 2022 races to a close, we’re taking stock of the self-care and wellness trends that dominated the headlines (and our TikTok feeds).
While workplace wellness and booze-free drinks are trends we’ve been loving, there’s been some no-so-helpful self-care practices that have gained popularity in 2022.
Unfortunately, many self-care myths and wellness trends are doing more harm than good. Plus, we’re big believers that taking care of ourselves doesn’t have to mean investing hundreds of dollars into fancy products, potions or supplements either.
To start the new year off on the right foot, we’ve rounded up some of the biggest self-care and wellness trends and myths that we should all officially wave goodbye to in 2022.
Self-care myth 1. Juice cleanses rid your body of toxins
Juice cleanses have been a trend for a while, with the first evidence of juice cleansing dating all the way back to the 1930s. More recently, cleanses have gained popularity thanks to celebrities like Gwenyth Paltrow endorsing them on her platform Goop as a way to ‘reset and restart.’
Juice cleanses essentially involve drinking only fruit and vegetable juices for a specific number of days (with some cleanses lasting as long as 10 days). Although incorporating fruit and vegetables in your diet is a good idea, you’re not actually getting the full nutritional benefits of these ingredients when following a juice cleanse.
Plus, the notion that we need to follow expensive cleanse programs to ‘rid our body of toxins’ isn’t actually backed up by science. Medical experts agree that our body’s skin, lungs, liver and digestive tract act as an in-built detoxification system – making the need for cleansing redundant.
Since you’re not actually consuming any food, juice cleanses can come with some pretty nasty side effects because of their low-calorie content like fatigue, headaches and dizziness. So, despite what you read on Goop, juice cleanses are definitely a wellness trend to leave behind in 2022.
Self-care myth 2. You need to be taking supplements and collagen to improve your skin
Collagen is a protein naturally present in your body that acts as a building block for your skin, muscles, bones and ligaments. In fact, it accounts for 30% of the body’s total protein.
But, as we age, our body produces less collagen and collagen breaks down at a faster rate which is why so many collagen products are popping up on the market.
Although collagen supplements have been around for a while, celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Khloe Kardashian have endorsed collagen supplements to give them a healthy glow. So, it really shouldn’t come as a surprise that the collagen market is valued at $1.8 billion and has become a wellness trend that everyone is talking about.
In reality, you don’t actually need to spend a ton of money on collagen and other supplements to look and feel your best. Instead, you can increase your collagen levels through a balanced diet by eating high-protein foods like fish, poultry, meat, eggs, dairy and legumes and foods rich in Vitamin C like broccoli, nuts and citrus fruits.
There’s also very limited research into the positive effects of collagen supplements. While early signs are positive, there’s still a lot we don’t know about the effectiveness of collagen, what dosage is appropriate and what formulas to use. The best way to increase your collagen production is to eat the right foods and take proactive health measures like wearing sunscreen daily and getting plenty of sleep.
Self-care myth 3. You need a 10-step skincare routine
When people think about self-care they tend to think of a complex skincare routine. Thanks to TikTok and Instagram, many of us believe we need a 10-step skincare routine to unlock that glassy, glowy complexion plastered across the Internet.
While a skincare routine is a great way to practise self-care, you don’t need to apply 10 different products every night. Having a 10-step skincare routine often comes with a hefty price tag and can take up a big chunk of your day, which can make it hard to stick to for the long term.
On top of that, overloading our skin with too many products (or the wrong products) can actually cause more dryness, sensitivity and irritation to our skin. The more products you use on your skin the less likely you are to figure out which products are actually helping your skin.
So, what do you really need for a skincare routine? For a good skincare routine, you really only need a few products like a great cleanser, serum, moisturiser and of course, you can’t forget your SPF. Focus on quality, not quantity.
Self-care myth 4. You need to do a parasite cleanse
Just like juice cleanses, the parasite cleanse is a hot topic of conversation in the beauty and wellness world.
Just scroll on TikTok for a couple of minutes and you’ll find hundreds of videos talking about the parasite cleanse wellness trend. A parasite cleanse is basically any detox product that is supposed to rid your body of parasites, without using prescription medications.
But, there’s virtually no research out there to back up the parasite cleanse as a way of treating a parasitic infection. The only research we have is a tiny study from 2007 of 60 children, which doesn’t give a conclusive evidence about whether thai cleanse actually works.
On top of that, many people on TikTok promoting the parasite cleanse are simply doing it for wellness or marketing purposes, not actually to treat a parasitic infection.
Despite what you see on TikTok, a parasite cleanse is a wellness trend to leave behind in 2022 as it comes with the same risks as a juice cleanse. Often you’re not getting rid of any parasites in your body. Plus, if you do have a parasitic infection, it’s always best to consult your doctor before making a move that can do more harm to your body than good.
Self-care myth 5. You need to buy an expensive hair oil for healthy hair growth
Every month there seems to be a new hair oil dropping on the market promising to help you unlock healthy, thick locks. Hair growth is a major concern for women and men because thinning hair and hair loss tends to start in your 30s and 40s.
But, most hair oils on the market aren’t really that effective for hair growth and they can be pretty expensive too. The good news is that there are plenty of science-backed ingredients that can help you with hair growth like rosemary, peppermint, lavender, zinc and vitamin E.
On top of that, hair oil products need to have enough concentration of ingredients to actually work. So, when you’re shopping for a hair oil that actually gets the job done you have to make sure it has the right ingredients and they should be listed at the top of the ingredients list.
It might also be worth skipping the expensive hair oils for a bottle of higher-concentrated rosemary, lavender or peppermint oil and simply adding it to your shampoo which can be a lot cheaper and used for other purposes.
Self-care myth 6. You need to be using a Gua Sha every day
It wouldn’t be a 2022 self-care and wellness trend list without the Gua Sha trend making the list. Videos with the hashtag #Guasha have amassed over 1 billion views on TikTok and it seemed like everybody is jumped on this wellness trend.
Gua Sha basically involves gently scraping or pulling a flat rose-quartz or jade stone along the skin to relax your facial muscles, improve blood circulation, reduce puffiness and promote lymphatic drainage.
Although Gua Sha is incredibly popular on TikTok and has been used in Chinese medicine for decades, there’s little research showing its effectiveness, particularly when not performed by a professional because well we aren’t exactly performing it correctly.
If you’re looking to enjoy the benefits of lymphatic drainage, your best bet is to book a lymphatic drainage massage which is used to stimulate the lymph fluid around your body and helps to move and purify the body’s waste products and toxins.
Ultimately, the best way you can practise self-care and promote wellness is to stick to trends that actually work and listen to your mind and body to give them the TLC it needs.
Self-care looks a little different to everyone and involves finding a routine that works for you whether that’s practising mindfulness, doing regular breath work, going for a hot girl walk or getting regular massage treatments.
