Hi besties,
We are BACK. Both of us. In the same city. At the same time. And if you know what that means - yes, events are coming. Consider this your warning (the good kind). Before the summer exodus hits and Dubai empties out, we are squeezing every last drop out of this season together - and we could not be more excited.
First up: our Wellness Stroll returns. 🌿 And honestly? We've missed you. Like, really missed you. Save the date - Wednesday 13th May, 7am - and hit RSVP here to let us know you're coming. We'll have some special treats lined up, and we cannot wait to see your faces. Fair warning: we are huggers. You know this. Come prepared. 🤍
Now - it's been a big week in wellness. We've got broccoli outperforming pre-workouts, the seed oil debate finally getting the nuance it deserves, a monk who walked 25,000 miles, and a sleep AI that adjusts your bed before you've even had a chance to make bad decisions. Let's get into it.
With love (and genuinely counting down to May 13th),
📍ReFIVE Spa, FIVE Palm Jumeirah: Sensorial Head Spa
Let's get the obvious out of the way: FIVE Palm Jumeirah doesn't exactly scream wellness. But hear us out.
After three weeks back in the UK - in a part of the country with truly punishing hard water - my hair was destroyed. (And here I was thinking Dubai water was the villain.) I needed an intervention, fast.
Enter the Sensorial Head Spa. I'd actually bought it as a birthday gift for a friend last year, and her reaction was so over the top that I knew I had to try it myself. (Confession: I am the woman who books a blow-dry purely for the head massage. Surely I'm not alone?) I've tried a few Japanese head spas around town, and frankly, some have left me feeling lightly waterboarded. This one is a completely different proposition.
First surprise: the spa itself. Tucked away from the chaos of the pool-and-party side of the hotel, ReFIVE is a proper sanctuary. The treatment rooms are so pristine I genuinely asked if they'd just been refurbished - for an older property, it looks brand new. Everything has been considered.
The treatment is 90 minutes of pure, slow-paced bliss. It opens with a personalised scalp consultation - oily, dry, sensitive, stressed-out-by-British-limescale - and from there, your therapist tailors the whole ritual: a different exfoliation, a different treatment mask, a different steam infusion depending on what your scalp actually needs. Then comes the acupressure massage that does things to your nervous system, nourishing oils, and - the unexpected hero - a lymphatic drainage facial and glow mask folded into the same ritual. You essentially get a head spa, a massage, and a facial in one. AED 695 starts to feel reasonable when you do the maths.
Best part? Most of the rooms have two beds, so it's an excellent thing to do with a friend (or, frankly, a partner). You also get full access to the spa facilities afterwards - rooftop hydrotherapy pool, steam rooms, the lot. They've got reformer Pilates and a proper menu of other treatments worth exploring while you're there.
A few things to know: you'll leave the treatment room with wet hair. There's a dryer in the room so you can do a quick rough-dry yourself, but if you want the full polished blow-dry experience, book it as an add-on. Worth flagging: it's not recommended for anyone with extensions. And the valet was a bit of a shambles - if you're on a schedule, park yourself or get a taxi.
Otherwise? Genuinely impressed. The kind of treatment that makes a brilliant gift - for someone special, or for the person who deserves it most: you.
A week of easy movement, gentle resets and plans that feel good from start to finish - from strength sessions and beach yoga to floating meditations and social runs that don’t feel like effort. Whether you’re in the mood for something grounding, social or just a little different, this week’s edit is full of the kind of plans you’ll actually want to show up for.
🏋️ Strengthen & Sculpt
25th April – 15th May, 8:00 AM - 8:50 AM
Museum of the Future
A strength-led session that’s controlled, intentional, and surprisingly grounding inside one of the city’s most iconic spaces. You leave feeling worked in the best way - steady, strong, and reset.
To book, click here
🌊 Floating Sound Healing Meditation
Monday 27th April, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM
La Cantine Beach, Delano, Bluewaters Island
A really lovely midweek reset set out on the water. You’ll just float, breathe, and let the crystal sound bowls do their thing - no effort required. One of the easiest ways to properly switch off.
To book, click here
🌸 The Power of Flowers
Wednesday, 29th April, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Keyani
Such a nice, slower way to spend your evening. You’ll be guided through the art of Hanakotoba, creating something that actually reflects how you feel (and you take it home with you). Quietly beautiful, and just a bit different.
To book: Call 058 5870799
🌍 Earth Month Immersive Experience
Wednesday 29th April, 8:00 PM
TODA
A full sensory experience set inside TODA’s digital space. Expect hypno-meditation, sound healing and grounding woven together into one immersive evening. It’s one of those nights that leaves you feeling properly reset.
To book, click here
👟 Social Run Club
Thursday 30th April, 7:00 PM
The Garden Project, Emirates Hills
This one feels more like a social than a workout, in the best way. Easy-paced run, good people, music, and then it rolls straight into pizza and DJ sets. If you’ve been wanting something a bit more fun and low-pressure, this is it.
Check full details here
🌙 Nocturne: The Evening Repertoire with Kailo
Thursday 30th April, 5:00 PM & 6:30 PM
Studio 14 Pilates, Jumeirah
A softer, more intentional take on Pilates under red light with infrared heat. Expect fluid movement, a calming atmosphere, and a proper wind-down at the end. Perfect if you want something that helps you switch off, not just work out.
Book your spot via WhatsApp 050 604 8377
🌿 Scented Flow: Mat Pilates + Aromatherapy
Friday 1st May, 10:00 AM
Pilates, but with a little extra. Slow, precise movement paired with aromatherapy so you stay grounded while you feel the burn. It’s a really nice balance of effort and calm.
To book, click here
🧘 Sensory Flow Yoga by Shivam Raj
Saturday 2nd May, 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Arte Museum, Dubai Mall
Yoga set inside immersive art, light and sound - it feels quite special from the start. You move through a sensory-led flow, then ease into tea and a wander through the museum. One of those experiences worth booking early.
To book: DM or WhatsApp +91 9050806083
💆 New Beach Yoga at Soil
Saturday 2nd May, 8:00 AM
Kite Beach
Slow movement, sea breeze, and that grounded feeling you only get by the water. It’s simple, but it really sets the tone for your whole weekend. One to do if you want an easy, feel-good start.
To book, click here
🌙 Full Moon Special
Saturday 2nd May, 9:00 AM
SIRO One Za'abeel
A deeper reset guided by the Scorpio Full Moon. Expect breathwork and movement focused on release and reconnecting to yourself. It’s a little intense, but in the best way.
To book, click here
💪 Barry's x Synkro Event
Sunday 3rd May
Bar Du Port
A high-energy mix of movement and community in a waterfront setting. You get the Barry’s burn, but with a more social, feel-good edge. Expect to stay a little longer after - everyone usually does.
To book, click here
🧠 The Art of Regulation
Sunday 3rd May, 12:00 PM
Paus
A proper nervous system reset if things have been feeling a bit full. Breathwork, gentle movement and slower moments to help you unwind. You’ll leave feeling noticeably calmer.
To book, click here
🎵 Stretch & Sound Bath
Wednesdays (recurring), 7:00 PM
The 305
A really easy midweek switch-off by the water. Gentle movement, sound healing, and that calm, under-the-stars kind of energy. Simple, soothing, and always a good idea.
To book click here
❄️ Free Cryotherapy Session
Throughout April
Avida Longevity, Jumeirah
A quick, cold reset that really wakes everything up. Just a few minutes and you feel clearer, lighter, and more energised. Simple, but surprisingly effective when you need a reset.
To book: DM @avida.ae
INDUSTRY TRENDS AND NEWS
🏃♀️ Abu Dhabi's Next Big Wellness Destination
Abu Dhabi is getting a serious upgrade. Oxygen Sports Garden is in development near the Western Mangrove Canal - and it's shaping up to be less "place I go to work out" and more "place I accidentally spend my entire day." A 118,000-square-metre site bringing together high-performance fitness, wellness amenities and luxury dining in one glossy, aesthetically-considered campus. Think social wellness destination rather than a single-purpose facility - the kind of place where your morning workout slides seamlessly into lunch, a catch-up and somehow it's sundown.
Wellness Bestie Thoughts: We love to see it. The future of wellness isn't just about what you do - it's about where you do it, and who you do it with. If Oxygen Sports Garden delivers on its early promise, Abu Dhabi just got a landmark worth the drive. 👀
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💍 Oura Is Building Something Bigger Than a Ring
If you've been sleeping on Oura (ironic, given what it does), time to pay attention. The smart ring brand just acquired Galen AI - a health companion that pulls together medical records, labs, medications and wearable data into one always-on, personalised picture. It's the latest in a string of moves that tells a very clear story: Oura is done being a hardware company. It wants to be your entire health operating system. With 5.5M rings sold, an $11B valuation, and a growing list of acquisitions under its belt - the pieces are coming together fast.
Bottom Line: We're here for wearables that actually do something meaningful. But as these platforms get more powerful, the conversation around data ownership is one we're going to need to have. Watch this space.
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🥦 Broccoli Is Having a Main Character Moment
A Swedish startup called Nomio is making a strong case that broccoli might be the most underrated performance enhancer on the planet. Their 60ml pre-workout shot - broccoli sprout extract, lemon juice, sugar, that's it - has been shown to reduce lactate levels by up to 12% while activating antioxidant defences. Elite runners, cyclists, triathletes and Olympians are already on it, and a fresh ~$4M raise means it's only going to get louder. Long-term research is now pointing toward benefits for mitochondrial function, sleep, cognition and inflammation too.
Outtake: Here's the thing - this isn't wellness hype. The science behind broccoli sprouts is genuinely robust, and has been building quietly for years. The fact that it's now being packaged into something actually usable feels like a long time coming. Your mum was right. Eat your broccoli. 🥦
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🌲 The Retreat That's Literally Built Against the Algorithm
We don't use the word "unique" lightly - but this one earns it. Solgorithm is a new phone-free retreat concept launching on a 34-acre farm in North Carolina, built by the former CMO of Sauna House and designed for one purpose: helping you reconnect with your own internal rhythm in a world that's constantly pulling you toward someone else's. Open pastures, forest trails, horses, guided movement, breathwork, meditation - and the best bit, zero phones. The name says it all. But the inaugural June gathering has something that stops us in our tracks. A Tendai Buddhist "Marathon Monk" - one of the few people alive to have completed the Kaihōgyō, a 1,000-day practice involving walking 25,000 miles over seven years, culminating in nine days without food, water or sleep - will be visiting from Japan for the first time. Participants will walk alongside him, learn from him, and receive teachings on discipline, mental clarity and what it actually means to be present.
The Verdict: In a world of wellness optimisation and biometric dashboards, there's something quietly radical about a retreat that asks you to put your phone down and walk with a monk instead. Where can we sign up?
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🛏️ Our Favourite Sleep Upgrade Just Got Smarter
Full disclosure - we have an Eight Sleep Pod and we are absolutely obsessed. So when they dropped Autopilot 4.0 this week, we paid attention. This isn't just a software update - it's a genuine leap. The new AI functions as a full sleep agent: it predicts how you're likely to sleep based on your day (workouts, meals, stress, that late coffee), automatically adjusts your bed temperature before and during the night, then explains exactly what it did and why every single morning. It connects to Apple Health, lets you tag events like alcohol or a big workout, and gets more personalised the more data it has. Built on over a billion hours of real-world sleep data. No wearable needed.
Punchline: Most sleep tech tells you what went wrong after the fact. This one actually does something about it - before you've even closed your eyes. If you've been on the fence about Eight Sleep, consider this your sign. 😴
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🔮 TREND TO WATCH
⛺ Camping Is the New Therapy (Glamping Absolutely Counts)
New research out of the US confirms what we probably already knew - the great outdoors is having a serious wellness moment. And the motivation is less "roughing it" and more "resetting properly." People are heading outside specifically to improve mental wellbeing, slow down, and actually disconnect. 77% of campers say nature is enough without amenities. And yet… glamping is accounting for nearly a third of all experiences. We're saying nothing. 😇 Connection is a big part of it too - most people camp with a partner or friends, and campgrounds are increasingly being described as a modern third space. Even solo campers are going with the intention of making new friends.
Outtake: We see you, Dubai. Desert camping absolutely counts - and if your version involves a four-poster bed, a private plunge pool and a sky full of stars, we are not here to judge. Recovery, connection, and an actual digital detox? That's wellness. 🌙
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🔬 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT
🌻 Seed Oils: The Internet Is Wrong (But Also Not Entirely Wrong)
Seed oils have become the wellness world's most fought-over topic - and a new systematic review suggests the reality is considerably more nuanced than your Instagram feed would have you believe. The research, covering 11 studies, found that oils like canola, flaxseed and sesame may actually improve lipid markers, support blood sugar control and reduce oxidative stress -particularly in people with diabetes or dyslipidemia. Context, it turns out, matters enormously. Because here's the thing: seed oils used in a balanced whole-food meal behave very differently from oils repeatedly heated in industrial fryers alongside ultra-processed food. Oxidation, repeated heating, and the overall diet all change the equation. The real issue may be less about the oil itself and more about the metabolic environment it enters - omega-3 intake, inflammation levels, insulin resistance, overall diet quality.
Our Thoughts: We're not here to tell you to start deep frying everything. But we are here to say - the "seed oils are poison" narrative may well be an oversimplification. As ever, the boring answer is probably the right one: whole foods, minimal processing, and a little less outrage in the comments. 🫒
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