A Peek Inside The Global Wellness Summit’s Annual Trends Report

29 Jan 26

with Claire McCormack, Darlene Fiske, Sara Jones, Jane Kitchen

What happens when leading wellness journalists hear the Global Wellness Trends revealed live and react in real time?

In this episode of StarrCast, we bring you on-the-ground interviews with media voices covering the 2026 Global Wellness Trends and unpack what these shifts mean for wellness, hospitality, beauty, and longevity.

Recorded in New York during the official trend unveiling, this episode captures how editors and analysts interpret the trends, where they see momentum building, and how these insights will shape coverage, consumer behavior, and industry strategy over the coming year.

What You’ll Learn:

How wellness journalists are interpreting the Global Wellness Summit trend release
Which longevity, beauty, and health trends the media believes will gain real traction
Why women’s health and longevity are becoming unavoidable storylines
How social wellness and festival style experiences are resonating with audiences
What media leaders see as gaps between trend forecasting and real world adoption

Episode Highlights:

03:18 – Media reactions to the Global Wellness Summit trend release
08:42 – Why journalists see women led longevity as a defining storyline
15:07 – Skin longevity and how beauty media is reframing aging
21:55 – Strength training, sports, and the evolving narrative around women’s health
29:34 – Microplastics and why media attention is accelerating concern
36:18 – Festivalization of wellness and what audiences are craving now
43:06 – Longevity residences through the lens of media and consumer trust

Meet the Guests:

Claire McCormack
Senior Editor at The Beauty Independent, covering beauty, wellness, and longevity innovation with a focus on science-backed consumer trends.

Darlene Fiske
Founder and CEO of The Fiske Group, advising wellness, spa, and hospitality brands on media strategy, positioning, and industry visibility.

Sara Jones
Founder, Editor, and Publisher of Spa & Wellness MexiCaribe, reporting on wellness, hospitality, and longevity trends across Mexico and Latin America.

Jane Kitchen
Media Trends Analyst at the Global Wellness Institute and author of the longevity residences trend, specializing in wellness real estate and long-term health infrastructure. Editor at Large for Spa Business magazine and Editor of the annual Spa Handbook.

Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:

Global Wellness Summit Future Trends methodology
Media driven trend validation and storytelling frameworks
Skin longevity science and reporting lenses
Social wellness and experiential health programming models

Closing Insight:

Trends shape industries, but media shapes belief. Hearing how journalists interpret these ideas offers a rare look at how wellness narratives move from forecasts to headlines and into culture.