When Live Love Spa launched National Wellness Month in 2018, founder and CEO Lisa Michaelis felt like she was “shouting from the rooftops.” “We would tell people how smart it was to embrace a wellness lifestyle, and no one was listening,” Michaelis said. “Now the public is coming to us.”
That shift is on full display this week as more than 600 spa executives, hospitality leaders, wellness innovators, influencers and media gather in downtown Los Angeles for Live Love Spa’s annual National Wellness Month Trends Event — the largest in its history.
Attendance has more than doubled over the past three years, growing from roughly 300 attendees to 625 this year, prompting organizers to expand from two floors of the Hudson Loft to all four.
For Michaelis, the growth reflects something much bigger than an industry conference. Wellness has moved from niche conversations among experts to becoming a mainstream lifestyle, fueled by wearable technology, health-tracking apps, podcasts and a growing public interest in longevity. “I’ve been in the spa industry for 20 years,” she said. “In the beginning, we were kind of talking to ourselves. Today, wellness has become accessible to the everyday person. There are Oura Rings, iPhone health tracking apps, wellness podcasts and influencers. People are actively seeking ways to live healthier lives.”
National Wellness Month itself was born from a simple observation. “We all get so busy throughout the year that we need a reminder at the halfway point to take care of ourselves,” Michaelis said. “Especially in the wellness industry, it came down to the saying, ‘Healer, heal thyself.’”
Rather than encouraging dramatic lifestyle overhauls, the campaign promotes adopting one healthy habit throughout August. “Science tells us habits take time to change,” she said. “Choose one healthy habit that appeals to you, share it and inspire someone else to do the same.”
The message comes as the wellness economy continues evolving beyond traditional spa treatments into a broader movement encompassing hospitality, technology, preventative healthcare and community.
According to Live Love Spa’s inaugural Spa & Wellness Industry Trends Survey, longevity and healthy aging dominate the industry’s outlook, with 84% of respondents identifying it as the fastest-growing sector heading into 2027. Women’s health, mental well-being, skincare longevity and sleep followed closely behind.
Consumers are also increasingly investing in preventative health services, including diagnostics and longevity testing, while wellness travel and recovery-focused experiences continue gaining momentum.
At home, red light therapy emerged as the clear leader among wellness technologies, significantly outpacing sleep technology and wearable devices. Despite those innovations, Michaelis believes one of the most important conversations remains largely overlooked. “Financial wellness doesn’t receive nearly enough attention,” she said. “It plays such an important role in reducing stress and improving overall wellbeing, but it’s often overlooked. At the end of the day, wellness still comes back to the basics from exercise, eating well, healthy relationships and finding ways to manage stress.”
Another major shift is redefining what self-care actually looks like. The isolation experienced during the pandemic accelerated interest in wellness technologies such as robotic massage, compression therapy and red-light treatment. Today, consumers increasingly want to experience those therapies together. “We’re seeing a clear rise in social wellness,” Michaelis said. “People realized during the pandemic how essential community and in-person connection really are.”
That trend is reshaping hotels, spas and fitness clubs. Major hospitality brands including Hilton and Montage are converting underused hotel space into community wellness areas where guests can gather while using recovery technologies together. Fitness operator Life Time has found enormous demand for group wellness education sessions combining consultations, treatments and health education, with many locations selling out immediately after announcing new events.
For Santa Monica, those shifts may present a unique opportunity as outdoor lifestyle and active community, the city is well positioned to capitalize on the growing wellness economy, according to Michaelis. “Besides being a showcase for nature and the healing power of the coastline, Santa Monica is an incredibly creative place,” she said.
She points to the emergence of restoration centers offering IV therapy, hyperbaric oxygen chambers, massage and red-light therapy, alongside adaptive uses for vacant retail space, including pickleball centers that combine recreation with social connection.
Luxury hospitality is also evolving. The Santa Monica Proper Hotel has expanded its community-focused wellness programming while introducing advanced longevity experiences such as its Ammortal Chamber alongside its Ayurvedic wellness offerings, blending emerging technologies with ancient healing traditions.
Michaelis believes successful wellness businesses increasingly depend on education rather than amenities alone. “You can’t simply say you’re offering a smoothie or a red-light therapy room,” she said. “You need to explain why they’re beneficial and tell that story.”
The city’s coastline, parks, outdoor recreation, luxury hotels and health-conscious culture already provide many of the elements wellness travelers seek. Combined with scientific research highlighting the benefits of outdoor activity and social recreation, Santa Monica has an opportunity to position itself as a model for healthy living. “There are so many healthy options across the Westside especially in Santa Monica,” Michaelis said. “It could become a National Wellness Month spotlight community.”