Yanghee Paik, CEO and co-founder of Rael, says, “For three days, they can focus on themselves, listen to their bodies, immerse themselves into nature, have a chance to get away from the the everyday busyness and have time to really focus on their self-care and also connect with other women to build some meaningful connections.”

Rael CMO Sorah Park chimes in, “With an influencer’s lifestyle, they are being invited on trips all the time and being flown out to Paris and New York and all sorts of different exciting places, but we oftentimes hear that they are burnt out. With all of that exciting travel comes different time zones and leaving kids at home…It was wonderful to see them be able to really unwind and keep it casual with our brand.”

Brands such as Rael, which executed its first influencer trip in May with eight editors and influencers that gave them a behind-the-scenes look at its South Korea office, Good Psyche, PuffCuff, Kazmalaje and Hanahana Beauty are opting for toned-down wellness retreats instead of or, at the very least, to complement over-the-top influencer trips and cocktail parties. They’re far cries from the lavish #trippinwithtarte excursions that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and inspired backlashes for being out of touch and can deliver valuable information and help forge genuine in-person relationships at a moment when they’re sorely lacking for many.

Similar to brands spearheading walks, runs and hikes, the wellness retreats underscore an approach to beauty that verges into wellness and speak to a reprieve influencers and consumers are clamoring for as they navigate the overstuffed beauty market and noisy social media feeds. They can appeal to young influencers and consumers like members of gen Z with healthier lifestyles than their counterparts in earlier generations—for example, they drink alcohol less than older people—and older influencers and consumers at life stages not entirely compatible with excess and tired of the all-expenses-paid bacchanalia.

“These events are extremely beneficial when it comes to community building, especially for women,” says Trish Mock, founder of wellness brand Good Psyche. “There’s a substantial impact on feeling seen, heard and connected that comes out of these types of wellness events, and that is something women need now more than ever.”

For the Belmond staycation, Rael chose influencers that have created self-care and wellness content and was cool with them bringing their kids. It generated 125 organic posts over three days and nearly 12 million impressions. The brand declined to divulge the cost of the trip, but a room at the Belmond in Santa Barbara starts at $840 a night and spa treatments start at $145.

In October, Good Psyche and fellow indie brands MASK Skincare, My Neighbor’s Tallow and Reunion gathered for a wellness event at The Henson hotel in the Catskill Mountains. The 50 customers and editors attending the event signed up for facials, tarot card readings and “notox Botox” acupuncture treatments. Although Mock didn’t have to dish out any money to participate in the event, she’s hosted around a dozen wellness events, mostly in Austin, Tex., where she lived prior to moving to New York’s Hudson Valley six months ago, and they primarily cost $1,000 to $20,000.

In the last few years, Mock has noticed a boom in wellness-aligned events, from meditations and psychedelic retreats to group runs and yoga sessions. “Coming out of the pandemic, people were so isolated and lonely as we all know and felt and having these types of events where it’s giving someone an alternative option to going and hanging out at a bar is so much more fulfilling, engaging and healthful,” she says. “You feel better walking away from it, and I think people really appreciate the community building aspect of it.”

Mock hopes to establish immersive wellness weekends at Fallbrook Farms, a medicinal herb and mushroom farm founded by her mother Shannon Chanler in Geneseo, N.Y., that involve yoga, sound baths, educational programming, bonfires and hikes. She says, “There’s a movement of people wanting to get out of the cities and experience country life.”

As reported by the publication Glossy, the brands Saie and Mara have assembled running and walking clubs to cultivate community. In addition to them, skincare brand Hanahana Beauty has been hosting Smooth Walking Club walks across Chicago for the past year in partnership with Black Girl Vitamins, Wilson, On Running and marathon runner Kayla Jeter. Indie beauty brand darling Ami Colé joined in the fun to host a Smooth Walking Club in New York City in July.

Hanahana Beauty founder Abena Boamah shares that the brand has hosted 12 Smooth Walking Clubs since September 2023, with some meets bringing together over 90 people. Boamah first started the walks after losing her grandmother and a close friend during the first half of 2023. She turned to walking during her time of grieving, adding, “with the rise of the “Hot Girl Walk” online, we thought it would be a great fit.”

Boamah shares that the meet ups have been instrumental in driving newsletter sign-ups and increasing social engagement. “The purpose is for our community to connect with each other, offering a moment of wellness, release and calm,” she says. “We want our customers and community to understand that we’re here for their well-being, beyond just selling products. At the end of the day, Hanahana Beauty has grown because of our community, and we’re deeply committed to supporting them.”

Hair accessories brands Kazmaleje and PuffCuff have teamed up to host a wellness retreat in the first quarter of next year. Inspired by PuffCuff founder Ceata Lash’s experience connecting with a woman struggling to wear her natural hair in an office setting, the retreat will feature styling tips from professionals and healing sessions for Black women.

Kazmalaje founder LaToya Stirrup says, “Hair is a huge topic, especially for African-American women, and sometimes it can be tied to trauma, whether it’s from childhood or things that may have happened in the young adult to adult lives. We want to create a space to, one, provide women with tools, tips and accessories that they can use to bring these elements home and change the way they care for their hair, and then also help them to heal some of the things that they have experienced so that way they can look at themselves and their hair differently.”

Lash adds, “The retreat is designed to be a transformative experience where women can address societal biases and workplace expectations, embrace their natural hair with confidence and reconnect with themselves in a beautiful, stress-free setting.”