Hi besties,
Katie here this week, and apparently my theme has been body maintenance š.
Iāve been back to see two of our firm favourites, Dr Niveen, our holistic chiropractor, and Dr Hafsa, a brilliant womenās health physio who Iāve been seeing for some long-overdue postpartum work. Three babies, one forceps delivery and two C-sections later, it turns out thereās quite a lot to work on š. Iāve been trying radiofrequency treatment with her for pelvic floor recovery, my C-section scar and abdominal separation. Iāll share more because what actually happens to our bodies after babies, and how we can support recovery, is something we really donāt talk about enough.
Harriet and I have also started a 30 day olive oil shot challenge. We were sent an incredible high-polyphenol olive oil from Greece - read up on the potential benefits and decided to give it a go. One shot a day for 30 days. Weāll report back.
And the Inner Circle membership is nearly here š. Six months of brilliant wellness experiences, the kind youāll genuinely want to clear your diary for. Weāll be revealing exactly how to join very soon.
This weekās Local Lowdown is slightly unhinged, in the best possible way. Pilates with horses, Sanctum on a padel court, a three hour phone free reset and a Pilates class that comes with new grip socks. Dubai wellness, never change.
Over in the Wellness Wire, one of the regionās most ambitious wellness resorts has just opened in Saudi, Eight Sleep has got smaller and cheaper, oral wellness is having a moment, and thereās some genuinely useful new research on reducing your plastic exposure.
Letās get into it.
With love (and a daily shot of olive oil),
Katie x
In a city full of reformer studios, BODY made us pay attention.
This ladies-only boutique studio in Dubai Hills is intimate, seriously beautiful and very much about quality over quantity. With only a handful of beds in each class, thereās nowhere to hide - in the best possible way. Your instructor can actually watch how youāre moving, correct your form and make sure youāre engaging the muscles youāre supposed to be engaging.
The BODY method fuses reformer Pilates with personal training, developed by its founder after years spent training at some of Dubaiās top fitness studios and working with private clients. Rather than every class trying to do everything, you can choose exactly what you want to work: Full BODY, Abs & Arms, Lower BODY, plus BURN, their jumpboard cardio-meets-control class, and Stretch Society for recovery.
And they take technique seriously. Every new member starts with a BODY Method session, designed to teach the form, control and engagement their classes are built around before you properly get going.
Our Wellness Drop ambassador Lauren went along to put it to the test and came away seriously impressed. Sheās done plenty of reformer and strength-based classes, but actually found BODYās slower, more controlled movements tougher than some of the more obviously intense workouts sheās tried. Turns out moving slowly when someone is actually checking your form is rather humblingā¦
That attention to detail was the standout for her. Small classes mean proper individual corrections, with a real focus on alignment, deep core connection and those smaller stabilising muscles that are very good at letting everything else do the work.
And then thereās the studio itself. It is GORGEOUS. Herringbone floors, creamy reformers, marble, statement art and pops of red - it feels more like a very chic membersā club than your average Pilates studio.
Which makes sense, because BODY is members-only, with access by referral or invitation. Group classes are 18+, and if Dubai parking is the thing that usually puts you off, thereās parking directly opposite at Dubai Hills Park or complimentary valet next door at Roasters with the purchase of a drink.
The Wellness Drop verdictĀ š§
Come for the ridiculously beautiful studio, stay for the teaching. BODY is proof that harder doesnāt always mean faster, heavier or sweatier. If you care about form, precision and actually understanding how your body is moving, this one deserves a spot on your radar.
This week gets points for originality. Yoga followed by a traditional steam ritual, meditative art, Pilates with horses, Sanctum taking over a padel court and a three-hour phone-free Sunday morning. Hereās whatās caught our attention this week. š¤
š§āāļøĀ Morning Recovery
Tuesday 29th September, 8:00 AM ā 10:00 AM
Banya Forrest, Bluewaters Island
Yoga on the terrace followed by healthy drinks and a traditional banya ritual, moving between hot steam and a cold plunge. Itās ladies-only and sounds like a very good way to start a Tuesday - although getting into cold water before 10am may require some convincing.
To book, click here
šØĀ Dot Mandala Workshop
Friday 2nd October, 7:00 PM
Dubai Marina Studio
If your Friday evenings usually involve dinner and drinks, hereās something a little different. Jaya will guide you through the surprisingly meditative process of creating your own dot mandala, with everything provided and your masterpiece coming home with you. No artistic talent required, thankfully.
To book, DM @dots.unlimited
š¦Ā Unicorn Yogalates
Saturday 3rd October, 8:30 AM ā 10:00 AM
Crystalline Equine
Yoga, Pilates and horses is not a combination we see every week, but weāre very much on board. Youāll stretch and move alongside the herd before staying for tea, coffee and a chance to meet them properly. Itās all ground-based, so no riding - or horse experience - required.
To book, click here
šĀ Sanctum After Dark: The Lob Takeover
Saturday 3rd October, 8:00 PM
The Lob
Sanctum, but not as you know it. For one night only, theyāre leaving the studio and taking over The Lobās padel courts, with more than 100 people moving through music, breathwork and Sanctumās signature movement together after dark. If you already love Sanctum, this looks set to take the energy up several notches.
To book, click here
š“ Pegasus Pilates
Sunday 4th October, 8:30 AM ā 10:00 AM
Crystalline Equine
Mat Pilates with horses grazing at the edge of your mat feels like a fairly compelling reason to get up on Sunday morning. Expect a strong mat session, time with the herd and tea and coffee afterwards. Pilates with an equine audience? Weād give it a go.
To book, click here
šµĀ OFFLINE: Three Hours, No Phone Required
Sunday 4th October, 10:00 AM ā 1:00 PM
Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah
Three hours where nobody can WhatsApp you, email you or ask you for anything? Sold. OFFLINE combines somatic movement, BreathPlayā¢ and a hypno-sound immersion, with the idea being to get you out of your head - and, crucially, off your phone - for a morning.
To book, click here
š¶ļø Spicy Sculpt
Sunday 4th October, 12:00 PM
The Lob
The promise of new grip socks will get us to almost any Pilates class, and GRIPPD x The Lob clearly know it. Their new Palm Frill socks are launching with a spicy sculpt session, goodie bags and giveaways - plus every ticket comes with a pair of the new socks. Your legs may regret it, but your sock drawer certainly wonāt.
To book, click here
Ā INDUSTRY TRENDS AND NEWS
šĀ The Most Ambitious Wellness Resort on Our Doorstep Just Opened
Jayasom Wellness Resort has officially opened at Amaala on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast - and it's something. A 7,000 sq m wellness centre with 70 treatment rooms, 200+ therapies across six pillars, and every guest assigned a dedicated wellness advisor. What makes it distinct is the division into two complementary experiences: Jayana for adults seeking deep restoration, and Jayela for families, with age-specific studios for children from infants to teenagers. The programme offering is equally considered - As a Woman addresses hormonal health and vitality, As a Leader is built for high-performance lifestyles, As a Family for multi-generational wellbeing. Partners include Hydrafacial, Margaret Dabbs London, Gyrotonic and HeartMath.
Our Take:Ā Traditionally, experiences like this have meant long-haul flights to Thailand or Switzerland. Having something of this calibre essentially on our doorstep is a real signal of where this region is heading.
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š“Ā Eight Sleep Just Got Smaller - and More Accessible
We are Eight Sleep owners and fully obsessed - so the Pod 6 launch this week genuinely excited us. The big news: it now comes in solo sizes starting at $1,999, fitting one side of a queen, king or California King. For anyone who's wanted to try it but couldn't justify the full cost, or whose partner simply isn't on board with temperature-controlled sleep (we see you), this changes things. The new pod is 50% smaller - meaning it fits most bed frames, which has historically been one of the biggest barriers - and has 9x more sensors for more granular temperature control. It can even filter out data from a pet or child who ends up in the bed. Very much needed in this household. Beyond the hardware, Eight Sleep is pursuing FDA approval to position the Pod as a regulated medical device for sleep apnea - a genuinely significant next step if it lands.
Our Take:Ā We've always said Eight Sleep is one of the best wellness investments we've made. The solo size makes it more accessible than ever. If you've been on the fence, this might be your moment. š“
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šŖĀ The AI Fitness Mirror That's Taking Another Shot at the US Market
Remember Mirror? Lululemon paid $500M for it in 2020 and wrote off $443M by 2023. It's not a great precedent. But London startup Magic AI has just raised $11M to do exactly that - bring an AI-powered fitness mirror to the US - and the pitch is meaningfully different. Rather than just streaming classes, Magic AI uses sensors to correct your form in real time, with holographic trainers including Jesse Lingard and Sir Alastair Cook. No subscription required - $1,499 buys lifetime access to a full library of strength, HIIT, yoga, Pilates, dance and boxing workouts. The company already has 20,000+ members across all 50 US states and Ā£10.7M in revenue last year.
Our Take: The fitness mirror category has a troubled history - but AI form correction changes the value proposition significantly. The real question isn't whether the technology works, it's whether people will actually use it consistently. That's where Mirror failed. We'll be watching.
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š±Ā The Fertility Brand Finally Putting Men in the Conversation
Bird&Be just raised $13M to scale its fertility wellness brand - and what sets it apart is its deliberate focus on men. While fertility conversations have historically placed almost all the burden on women, Bird&Be is shifting that narrative. Their at-home sperm test delivers results in 15 minutes, and their Power Pack supplement - a mix of vitamins and antioxidants - showed a 52% increase in sperm motility over three months across three clinical studies. The brand also offers a full suite of female fertility support across conception, egg freezing, IVF, pregnancy and postpartum. Eight figures in revenue in their first three years, with 75% coming from subscriptions and clinician referrals growing 200% year on year.
Wellness Besties Thoughts: We LOVE this shift. So many fertility conversations are placed entirely around women - and yet sperm quality is one of the key determinants of a healthy pregnancy. It's long overdue for men to be equally part of this conversation.
Read More
šĀ A Smart Ring for Ā£80 - No Subscription Required
Sekonda - the British watch brand - has just launched its first smart ring at a price point that makes everyone else look expensive. At Ā£79.99 with no subscription fees, it's a fraction of what Oura, Ultrahuman and Samsung charge. And it's not a stripped-back product either: sleep tracking, heart rate, HRV, blood oxygen, stress, skin temperature and women's cycle tracking are all included, alongside 5-7 day battery life, water resistance to 50 metres and compatibility with both Apple Health and Google Health Connect.
Bottom Line:Ā Smart rings have been genuinely out of reach for a lot of people - Oura alone costs Ā£300+ plus a monthly subscription. The fact that a credible, full-featured alternative now exists at Ā£80 with no ongoing fees is a genuinely significant development for making health tracking more accessible. Worth knowing about
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š®Ā TREND TO WATCH
š¦·Ā Oral Wellness Is Having Its Moment - and It Goes Way Beyond Brushing
Your mouth has become the next frontier of wellness - and the market has noticed. UK electric toothbrush sales hit Ā£361M last year. Prebiotic toothpastes, oral microbiome supplements, tongue scrapers and hydroxyapatite formulas are proliferating. Dyson just launched a Ā£500 camera toothbrush. The oral care market is projected to hit $70B by 2032. And the science behind the shift is real - oral health is increasingly linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cognitive decline and systemic inflammation. Your mouth is genuinely a window into your overall health.
Our Take: Oral wellness deserves its place in the wellness conversation - the mouth-body connection is compelling and the innovation is exciting. One caveat worth noting though: the people spending hundreds on smart toothbrushes are likely already brushing well. The bigger public health challenge - access to affordable dental care - remains stubbornly unsolved. Both things can be true at once.Ā
Read More
š¬Ā RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT
šæĀ The Single Biggest Change You Can Make to Reduce Plastic Exposure - and It Works in 7 Days
A new randomised controlled trial has some genuinely encouraging news on plastic exposure - and the biggest lever isn't your cookware or your skincare. It's your grocery list. Researchers tested multiple strategies including plastic-free kitchenware and lower-plastic personal care products, and found that diet had the broadest impact by far. Measurable changes showed up in just seven days - with participants following a low-plastic diet seeing BPA levels drop by nearly 60% and key endocrine disruptors linked to hormone and reproductive health drop by over 50%.The practical takeaway is simple: fresh whole foods with minimal packaging, glass over plastic where possible, less reliance on processed and canned foods, and avoiding heating food in plastic. Personal care products matter too - switching to lower-plastic options independently reduced exposure levels in the study.
Punchline:Ā This is one of the most actionable pieces of research we've seen on plastic exposure - and the news is genuinely encouraging. You don't need to overhaul your entire life or obsess over every trace of plastic. Start with your shopping basket. Fresh food, less packaging, glass where you can. Seven days. That's doable for all of us.
Read The Study
