Why Wellness Isn’t Just For The Lily Van Der Woodsens Of Golf Links Anymore

Once upon a spa, wellness in India had a very specific face, and it looked suspiciously like a Sunday brunch table in Delhi’s Golf Links or a sea-facing Bandra bungalow. Think high-priced Pilates classes, lymphatic drainage massages booked as casually as blow-dries, and the occasional trip to Korea for a scalp examination (because, why not?)

It wasn’t self-care, it was a status symbol. Wellness belonged to the elite.

Cut To 2025

Fast forward, and the game has changed. Wellness is no longer whispered about over mimosas. It’s all over Instagram. Those once “exclusive” rituals? They’re now open-source.

Across India, women are curating their own version of holistic beauty: one that doesn’t burn a hole in their pocket but still leaves them glowing. The once-elitist spa culture has been democratised, reimagined, and folded into everyday life.

The Brands Making It Happen

Driving this shift is a new wave of Indian and Korean brands, bringing wellness tools, superfood supplements, and skincare staples down to earth—both in price and accessibility. It’s no longer about flying to Switzerland for a retreat. It’s about making matcha in your kitchen, slipping a gua sha into your skincare routine, or journaling before bed.

A few cult favourites:

• Minimalist’s Vitamin C 10% Face Serum

• The Face Shop’s Rice Water Bright Foaming Cleanser

• Tira’s Rose Gua Sha

• Personal Touch’s Mucin Moist Serum

• Gratitude journals

• Mudram Wellness Spa (for when you want the full reset)

Luxury hasn’t disappeared. It’s just been absorbed into lifestyles and woven into routines in smaller, smarter ways. 

What Are Wellness Girlies Doing Today?

Picture women swapping peas for edamame, experimenting with homemade kombucha, and balancing pickle jars with tins of matcha` in their kitchens. They’re not chasing a mob-defined version of health. They’re defining their own instead. Trading their usual 

A high-priced pilates class was once the hub of Bougie soDel/SoBo girls, but now it's every girl's go-to escape session. “Pilates is moving from being perceived as elite to becoming an integral part of everyday wellness,” says Jasneet Sadana, founder of MindFlex Pilates Hub.

“India is embracing mindful fitness, and Pilates fits beautifully into this evolution—adaptable, safe, and result-oriented. Over the past year, we’ve seen a significant rise in demand—from young professionals to new moms, athletes, and even seniors. People are seeking workouts that are effective without risking injury, and Pilates answers that need perfectly. At MindFlex, we’ve grown to four studios in Mumbai in just nine months, which reflects this shift beautifully.”

These “wellness girlies” know that holistic beauty is as much about a ten-minute meditation as it is about a serum. It’s spiritual, it’s practical, and most importantly, it’s personal.

The New Cool

The Lily van der Woodsens of Golf Links may have started the trend from their lavish retreats, but the narrative has shifted. Today, wellness is not about wealth; it’s about self. It’s about mindfulness through rituals that are affordable, intentional, and entirely yours.

“Coffee just makes anxiety worse—the jitters, the crash,” says Pratishtha Rawat, founder of Glow Glossary. “It’s not helping anyone in today’s high-pressure lifestyle. Matcha, on the other hand, delivers sustained energy, focus, and calm. That’s why more people in India are swapping out their morning brew.” 

We also hear that girls claim frothing matcha with a bamboo whisk is a solid 7/10 arm workout too.

The real deal is taking place right in front of us. Wellness that belongs to everyone. And yes, we’re all matcha and pickle girlies now. And contrary to popular belief, it's for more than just the 'gram.