Exploring Wellness Through The Senses
This Problem? Only 4.3% of the world is deemed healthy...
This research project was the basis for my final major project of 'Sensory Wellness Experiences', concluding a literature review, trend review and in-depth analysis of wellness, data and ethnograohic research.
Research.
From 2014-2018 the wellness trend grew substantially, with focus on exercise, diets and mental wellness. 2019 the trend really took off with ‘lifestyle’ brands and simple cosmetics running the industries. COVID-19 has raged havoc across the globe since the end of 2019, this relit a fire beneath the wellness trend. People spent months inside reverting to simple skin and makeup routines, reflecting and improving on their mental health.
Although many feel wellness is a fad or trend, this research proposal will show how important focusing on a healthy mind and body actually is. In more recent years trend forecasting companies, beauty and fashion industries opt for simplicity and wellness boosting products. We are now understanding the importance of mental health and how it links with our bodies.
Cosmetic and beauty sites saturate the online marketplace, the rise is partly due to the pandemic changing consumers shopping habits and lifestyles. Over half (55%) of global consumers admit they purchase beauty and grooming products online, trends see consumers seek brands with a personal touch 16% of global shoppers declared they buy products made by independent brands (GlobalData, 2021). One popular online beauty retailer is Beauty Bay, it has over 10,000 UK based products, trend reports and makeup tutorials - becoming more of a community than just a selling site.
Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses art media as its main mode of expression and communication. Art therapists/art psychotherapists use art as a medium to address emotional issues which may be confusing and distressing (NHS definition). With depression on the rise around 21% of adults experienced some form of depression in early 2021 (27 January to 7 March); this is an increase since November 2020 (19%) and more than double that observed before the COVID-19 pandemic which was only 10%, (Williams, Davis, 2021). Art therapies are becoming more more widley used, and also needed. Art therapy ignites our senses, and allows the patient to unleash hidden feelings whilst being in control.
Human centred design (HCD) is a problem solving approach; it puts human needs and perspectives at the forefront of design to improve the users experience. HCD considers the process involved for the user, how it will make the feel, think and move for example. “When creating machines that have intrinsic value and personalised use we must use a HCD approach” (The Handbook of Human-Machine Interaction: A Human-Centered Design Approach by Guy A. Boy, 2011).
