You know I love a good wellness debunking and bursting everyone’s healthy bubble but I’ve been thrilled to discover that I’m not the only naturally born skeptic in this community.
A few weeks ago I asked you guys on Instagram which wellness products are overrated and/or thought weren’t worth the hype. As the wellness industry has exploded over the last 10 years, so has the list of wellness products that are overrated. It’s easy to jump into this space and prey on people’s belief that there is such thing as “optimal health”. Health is an ever-evolving concept, both individually and collectively. While there are certain products and practices that are incredibly helpful, others just aren’t.
That being said, we are all different and this post is written from my perspective and why I believe to be overrated or unnecessary. If you disagree with me on something, that’s okay! It’s important to stick to what works for you, or even if it doesn’t “work” at the very least, it brings you joy.
For context, when I say “wellness products” I’m defining it as anything that is supposedly “better” for you. This can include food, supplements, skincare, makeup and so on…You’ll get the gist pretty quickly.
Next week I’ll be going over products that ARE worth the hype, so stay tuned for that. Also I received hundreds of responses from you so I’m only sharing the most common ones.
Let’s get into it…
Wellness Products That Are Overrated
Collagen
First and foremost: not all collagen is made equal. Make sure you’re getting from a reputable brand that is 3rd party tested. In addition, collagen peptides have often been heated up to a point where they are no longer useful and pretty much just your average protein powder (collagen benefits are minimal at this point). If you’re going to consume collagen (which has been shown to be effective for arthritis and wound healing), you should be consuming it cold or at room temperature. Adding it to coffee or other hot beverages eliminates all benefits. Also collagen in skincare is a fraud. Collagen is too large a molecule to penetrate the skin so don’t even bother.
Beautycounter
Zero surprise this is on the list. By now most of you know my thoughts on Beautycounter (here, here and here) but mostly it’s just overpriced skincare, makeup and body care sold by “consultants” who for unclear reasons think they’re qualified to give people skincare advice. Save your money because it’s better used elsewhere.
Charcoal
Charcoal has become super popular both in food and body care products. I’ll be honest, I don’t really believe in the “detoxifying” effects of it in body care (though I am obsessed with the charcoal Primally Pure deodorant because it actually works – verdict still out if it’s because of the charcoal). In terms of charcoal in food, it makes absolutely no sense. Heavy doses are charcoal are often given after a drug overdose to help remove the drugs from the intestinal tract.
