Meet the Wellness Brands Riding the Anti-Optimization Wave

One glance at the wellness industry, and optimization is everywhere. Women are taking creatine and assessing their vaginal health. Men are fertility-maxxing and looksmaxxing with peptides. And both are tracking their stress levels, workouts and sleep, with Oura rings or Whoop bands. But as Vogue Business reported earlier this year, a growing cohort of consumers are now defecting from tracking and optimizing their wellbeing altogether. Brands within the anti-optimization space are thriving as a result.

While anti-optimization is yet to be officially defined, anecdotally, it describes a wellness philosophy that prioritizes experience and presence over pure vitality and efficiency. It’s “anything that helps consumers reconnect with the fundamentals, whether that’s their breath, presence, sleep, nature, or themselves,” Daniel Teweles, head of communications at UK-based wellness retailer Healf, says.