WTF is Cellness?

Optimisation culture has taken a new turn, now we are targeting ourselves one cell at a time.  

If biohacking was the wellness industry's big obsession of 2025 and 2026, this new year is where we go microscopic. Vogue has identified ‘cellness’ as an emerging beauty and wellness trend, describing it as the next evolution of longevity: a growing focus on the health of our cells, rather than simply how we look or feel on the surface. 

It sounds slightly ridiculous until you realise the science behind all the buzzwords are very real. Our bodies contain trillions of cells, and inside almost every one are mitochondria (tiny structures responsible for producing the energy our cells need to function). The NIH estimates that mitochondria generate around 90% of the energy cells need to function, making them rather important if your wellness goals include, well, being alive. 

Suddenly, mitochondria are everywhere. NAD+, red light therapy, cold exposure, fasting, supplements, blood testing, and longevity clinics are increasingly being packaged around the idea of supporting cellular health. The pitch is seductive for sure, you don't just exercise for your muscles, or eat well for your heart, but you do it for the tiny biological machinery operating inside you. 

It fits neatly with our growing obsession with longevity. Research by McKinsey cited by Vogue found that up to 60% of consumers consider healthy ageing a top or very important priority. Avoiding getting unwell is just the tip of the iceberg, now we are targetting staying younger, healthier, and more functional for as long as possible. 

That shift is changing the language of beauty too, like skincare brands talking about cellular repair, epigenetics, and regeneration. Ingredients such as exosomes (responsible for cellular messaging, regulation, and as biomarkers) are being sold around the idea of supporting the skin's ageing process, while products are increasingly promising resilience and long-term skin health rather than simply making a wrinkle or five disappear. Vogue reports that searches, page views and conversions around exosome products at Cult Beauty have risen by an average of 38%. 

And it’s true to some extent, I mean mitochondria genuinely matter. Researchers are investigating their role in metabolism, ageing and disease, and a 2026 ‘Nature’ study analysing mitochondrial DNA from around 750k people found that certain mitochondrial mutations accumulate sharply around age 60.  

Even researchers studying the subject are cautious about the leap from new findings to consumer wellness. A recent review describes mitochondrial dysfunction as an important part of the biology of ageing, but also notes that interventions such as mitochondrial gene editing still require further validation before clinical translation. 

And of course, the consumer world has already caught on. Vox recently explored the boom in mitochondrial wellness, noting that celebrities, biohackers, and biotech companies are promoting everything from NAD+ infusions to at-home testing kits. Its reporting also highlights that while mitochondria are absolutely relevant to health, many of the treatments marketed as “mitochondrial optimisation” don't yet have strong evidence behind them. 

Whilst the science gets more detailed, the marketing gets more sophisticated. Intervening in the natural evolution of our cells on a microscopic level before ageing or poor health even reaches the surface can become an issue. Something is interesting about getting to know our bodies on this level, but it's also exhausting turning every biological process into another means of