The Weird, The Niche, and The Alt: Why the internet loves the unconventional wellness creators

Clean girls got you down? You aren’t the only one. As unrealistic modes of wellness rise, so does the realistic revolution of girls paving their own way through gothic meal prep, words of affirmation, and quick skincare regimes when you stumble in after the club. 

When we think of wellness and beauty, we tend to be sold the idea of a minimalist apartment, chic French tip nails, a passion for vegan and organic cooking, a subscription to an exclusive pilates class each week, an array of rare imported skincare, and some other strange fantasy that sits within the idea of squeaky clean ultra-rich ‘health and wellness’. But as the industry is set to rake in £6.6 trillion by 2028 through an expanding market of 80% of consumers who see wellness as a priority, we must ask… who are they marketing this stuff to? 

Well, us, silly. They are selling us an excruciatingly unattainable dream, to make you feel worse, and thus indulge in their products. But half of them don’t actually work, and as we all know, focusing on specific activities that work for us is the only way we can achieve a holistic sense of wellbeing. 

But this just isn’t the case online, right now. Algorithms cater to the promotion of ragebait to push a profitable, unattainable aspiration. Recent headlines shook the digital health and wellness world when it was reported that TikTok had banned the #SkinnyTok “since it had become linked to unhealthy weight loss content”. Disguised as health and nutrition content, the hashtag was infiltrating the wellness world to promote an unhealthy idea of ‘perfectionism’ when it comes to body types. As positive as this news is, it is only one of many trends that push this unrealistic idea of ‘optimal’ health and wellness.

So, in a bid to reject the perfectionism that reigns over our algorithms, we have compiled a list of all the anti-wellness wellness influencers who are actively pushing back against perfectionism, and embracing real life and the occasional indulgence. In a few years, we could see a complete shift in ‘wellness’ influencers, who promote a lifestyle where these sporadic wellness practices are part of a larger, balanced life. There is a reason that creators and trends that focus on self-acceptance and inner happiness are so popular – because they portray authentic journeys we can all relate to.

So take a look at our list and take on some of the advice yourself, and perhaps you may begin to question what a tight rein the commercialised, unrealistic expectations of unwavering self-improvement have on you…

Sade and Jade Beguelin

The founders of 4 AM skincare are embracing skincare in a new light. They have concocted products for the girl on the go, who may prefer a party to a night-in, but still wants a quick skincare fix. Take a look at their brilliant anti-wellness wellness marketing and decide for yourself! 

Gabriette or Alissa’s Magic

Goth girl chefs with a panache for nutrition? We are on board. Gabriette, who is engaged to The 1975 singer Matty Healy, loves showing off her skills in the kitchen, whilst doppelganger Alissa’s Magic educates her watchers and makes luxurious snack plates in fun alternative outfits. “Wellness for the freaks,” is what Alissa calls it.

Emma Chamberlain 

How could we make this list and not include the most mindful YouTuber on the internet? She pioneered the lazy girl trend, and indulges in crafts, chatting nonsense, and doing a whole load of nothing whilst being open and vulnerable. If you need a dose of the slow life, Emma’s gotcha covered. 

Besty Lerner

Author Betsy Lerner is a hit on TikTok as she reads back all her old journal entries from her twenties, encouraging a mindful community to talk about their feelings. She encourages an open therapy in her comment section, and she has a pretty relaxing voice! Not the usual wellness influencer at pilates with a matcha, but in our opinion, more effective in her content. 

A Mug Of Life 

The tales of an individual walking around the UK and sharing a cup of tea\ with a stranger – it’s literally that simple. Combatting loneliness through genuine conversations, it is ushering in a new era of wellness and content creation that feels starkly different from anything we have now. A pure breath of fresh air. 

Pumpkin Bakery 

Basically, the British version of Alissa’s Magic, Pumpkin Bakery, is self-described as “your favourite British goth cook”. Through her recipes, she educates her viewers and tries meals from around the world and throughout history. We recommend being inspired by her regional dishes series, where she calmly makes her way up the UK through nostalgic recipes. 

Superficial Sharon

“Evil and right,” reads her bio. Sharon is the uncensored voice of TikTok right now, going on long talks to disrupt the TikTok algorithm and virality, and giving her two pence on all the topics of conversation online right now. There are the frills, the fake setups, and the annoying internet language – it makes for a lovely watch! 

Internet Anthropology 

Decoding all the trends and disrupting with academic purpose, Internet Anthropology goes behind the wellness and pop culture curtain and tells you all you need to know. And they are on it, usually releasing their take on the same day as any news drops. 

Hal Baddie (Devin Halbal)

Famous for their motivational quips, they rose to fame in 2022, and pretty much had fans obsessed since the start. If you need words of affirmation inspo, you know where to go.