Hey angels,

Mixing things up a little today - let me know if you like it, or hate it (!!).

I felt crazy lucky last week (after a slightly shaky start, mind you - my car got impounded by the DVLA, who'd been sending my tax reminders to our old address, oooops) because my "work day" on Wednesday involved a glorious coastal hike in Kent with the Aqua Libra team to celebrate their new Peach & Kiwi sparkling filtered water flavour. FYI: it's clean and makes a great cocktail spritz.

I've mentioned before how after leaving big corp, I sort of built myself a pretty rigid corporate job anyway - working 10-7+ on weekdays with a Sunday newsletter service on top. Honestly, I still feel a little guilty getting my nails done or booking a facial during "work hours," even though I know I'll just be making up the time in the evening. Maybe corporate never fully leaves your blood?

Either way, it was a good reminder that a hike I'd have chosen to do anyway (at the weekend..) can also just be work - and honestly, that the Aqua Libra team had heard of Daily Rituals at all. After the hike, we sat down for lunch at No.42 (gorgeous hotel, if you’re planning to head to Margate) and I picked the brains of the team (part of the huge Carlsberg Britvic group - a beverage powerhouse) on upcoming launches and their plans to make some noise with the brand.

It was fun to think about growing something other than Daily Rituals for five minutes, since that consumes about 99% of my brain at any given moment. Which brings me to my next update: I've opened up one consulting spot for a wellness brand looking for an external, heavily on-the-pulse (if I say so myself) POV on everything from NPD to marketing and social strategy (email [email protected] if thats you!). I've loved working with a couple of startups since leaving big corp, but I'm not against dipping my toes back into a bigger org on a consulting basis either, if the project felt aligned. Honestly, the decision to consult again was inspired by this podcast with Farron Clark where she explains theres a lot to be said for working in the industry and creating content around it - it gives you a perspective most don't have and I tend to agree.

Thanks as always for being here and for your support. 🤍

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Reporting back from the wild west of wellness → 

I've wanted to launch this segment for a hot minute. When I think about why this newsletter exists at all - it's to help you be that incredibly informed friend in your girls group chat. The one who really knows her sh*t about what's going on in wellness and beauty, usually 3-6 months before everyone else catches on. Vital Signs is how we take that up a notch.

Myself and a group of trusted contributors I've previously admired from afar will be going out into the wild west of wellness - trying the treatments, tests and therapies gaining traction - for one purpose: to give you our brutally honest opinion on whether they're worth it. Real boots on the ground journalism stuff. We're booked in for everything from DUTCH tests to PRF, Xerf, EMS workouts, HIFU and - fingers crossed - a wellness hotel stay or two. So, if there's something you'd like the team to try before you go splurge your hard-earned £££ on it, hit reply and let me know.

One thing worth knowing: most treatments we try will have been gifted (how else would I fund this thing?!) - but with no obligation to write a glowing review - just to write. So write we shall. 

THE TREATMENT

Exomind at Reshape Clinic, Marylebone: £500

Would you get your brain zapped in the name of better sleep, memory, focus and emotional resilience? Best believe I would. So I did.

When I say zapped, I mean via transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) - a technology that's been used clinically since the 80s with a pretty impressive evidence base behind it, especially for treating depression and OCD. Exomind (a device by BTL using their patented ExoTMS technology) takes that same technology but fixes the two things that have historically held TMS back: sessions are now just 30 minutes and - crucially - they're comfortable. The catch? There’s always a damn catch. The only studies available on the Exomind device specifically are brand-sponsored and pretty small, so we have to take them with a pinch of salt. That said, 80-90% of participants reported better mood and wellbeing 3 months after completing their course of treatments. Safe to say it was compelling enough for me to give it a go when there's no downtime or risky side effects (unless you’re prone to seizures). 

THE CLINIC

Reshape is a no-frills clinic - and admittedly, not what I was expecting after spending time on their (rather nice) website. Their HQ is in Marylebone, inside a WeWork-style coworking space, where they've essentially taken over half a floor of offices.

I wasn't aware of this though. So as I buzzed in and was greeted by a man who held the door open & I naturally assumed he was the receptionist. "Hi, I'm Jasmine, I'm here for my treatment at 5.30," I explained. He looked at me like I had two heads, mumbled something along the lines of "oh right, enjoy," and walked off into the evening.

Pride dented and a little confused, I made it through the doors at least, only to discover I was in a building with approximately 28,392 other offices. So I began my quest to find Reshape. Luckily, I noticed a woman in what looked like an aesthetician's uniform and beelined for her - and as it turned out, she'd also been looking for me. She welcomed me into the Reshape Clinic (or, well, offices).

She kindly showed me around the treatment rooms, which were all a similar setup: chair, cabinet, bed, expensive device. It was at that moment I realised I do in fact like a bit of a show when it comes to a wellness treatment - some marble in the waiting room, a swanky light fitting even, to (not-so) subtly tell my nervous system I'm in safe hands. Reshape has clearly proved you don't need it, with plenty of good reviews to show for it - but what can I say, I’m clearly a little shallow.

THE EXPERIENCE

First things first, the practitioner explained she needed to work out what level to set the device at by pulsing it until my hand twitched. This was the only time it did throughout the session, so I assume it's set at a lower level than what causes the twitch. I then quickly volunteered that I still had my earrings in - a no-go according to what I'd read, to avoid messing with the device’s magnetic field.

Earrings removed, she confirmed I was feeling the tingling sensation in the right place on my head and we were good to go. The treatment intentionally targets the left side - or the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (LDPC), for the nerdy amongst us - the part of the brain that, when underactive and "not firing", is often associated with low mood, burnout and stress. The idea being that Exomind helps activate it again and increase neuroplasticity over repeated sessions.

The practitioner advised me to relax, stay off my phone and maybe close my eyes - but as she was still in the (silent) room with me, I found it a little awkward. I have since read that you can listen to music or a meditation out loud during the session, so next time I'd just let them know upfront and play one of my go-to activations. She left around 5 minutes in, popped back mid-way to turn the device up, then returned at the end. Overall, entirely pain free - albeit mentally a touch painful for someone who sucks at being still in silence for 30 minutes.

At the end of the session, I asked about other successes she'd seen with the treatment in the clinic. For best results, she said, a course of 6 sessions done twice a week is recommended, with most patients noticing a difference from sessions 3 or 4. She also mentioned that typically, patients (paying ones..) would have an initial session with a doctor or psychiatrist to understand the best treatment course for them. At this point, I didn't dare ask how she knew what to do on my brain.

WORTH IT?

At £500 a session across London - with most clinics offering discounts for the recommended course of 4-6 - you're looking at £2k+ before you'd typically start (hopefully) noticing results. I understandably haven't noticed anything after one session, and I wouldn't book more until I could commit to the full course - which I think is the right approach for anyone considering it.

I'd have loved to have been encouraged to play a meditation track, some music, or have a neuro-scent diffused during the treatment to make the whole thing feel a little more immersive. Small touches, but I think they'd make a difference to how it feels (and I’d argue, probably how effective it is, but what do I know). 

The thing I loved about Reshape: their opening hours. A busy girl's dream. Open until 10pm Monday to Friday and 6pm on weekends, heavenly. 

Would I go back? Yes, I think so. Especially if I was going through a rough patch and was struggling to shake it. There's also something to be said for the hope that comes with having sessions booked in - and arguably, the placebo effect alone can be pretty powerful. If you try it, make sure you go in ready to commit to the course, have your activation of choice queued up, and definitely get in the initial doctors consult before your brain gets zapped. 

Let me know if you enjoyed Vital Signs and what we should try next?

See you next week,

Jasmine xo