“It’s exactly what you’d expect, huh?” a friend of mine, hunched over a plate of split-pea hummus and avocado toast, says as we gaze at the crowd. She’s not wrong. As far as the wellness world is concerned, I’ve always felt like somewhat of an outsider. I’m into SoulCycle and hip-hop yoga, but I’d mostly rather exercise alone in my basement in a dingy, old sorority tee. Diet-wise, I’ll always pick a burger over kale. And I don’t quite know what a yoni egg does; I just know my vagina, and I will be OK without one. In short, I wouldn’t have expected to find myself at Gwyneth Paltrow‘s wildly popular—and slightly controversial—In Goop Health wellness summit on a Saturday morning. And yet, here I am, wearing Lululemons and mingling at Goop’s first-ever conference on the East Coast. And yes, it’s pretty much what I expected.
When I first arrive, I’m greeted by a cheerful army of Gwyn mini-mes in $400 Goop sweaters. In a matter of minutes, they check me in, offer to swap my Stan Smiths for complimentary Minnetonka slippers, and arm me with a tote bag and program. From there, it’s on to photos at an Insta wall (which appears to be made from cabbage and radishes) and off to the hygge-like great hall. It’s a Goop fan’s dream: There’s a beautifully curated shopping area with everything from $445 gym bags to fancy blenders to, yes, jade vagina eggs, and just about every clean eating and beauty offering you can imagine. Small stations for manis and massages are sprinkled around the room, as is a booth for tarot readings (this booth would have the longest line all day, which bummed me out because, unlike a B12 vitamin injection, I would have actually tried it).
A glance at my schedule shows there are over 10 hours of panels, breathing workshops, and Ayurvedic spa treatments planned for the 600 Goop-ies in attendance, each of whom have paid anywhere from $650 to $2,000 for a ticket. Fourty-one die-hard participants even threw down for the $4,500 Wellness Weekender package—a two-night stay featuring an exclusive dinner and cocktail party with Gwyneth, extra workout classes, and monogrammed bathrobes, among other bonuses.
“People think women who are too Goopy are a little bit kooky, but I find that sexist.” —Alexa, 28
It’s clear the Goop philosophy attracts a certain kind of woman: ambitious, spiritual, fit, privileged. Mostly everyone appears to be in their twenties to late thirties, and also like a majority of the speakers (a mix of dietitians, doctors, and one psychic-medium), nearly everyone is white.
PHOTO: Astrid Stawiarz
Shots of vitamin B12 from The Hydration Room (the same brand that offered hangover-fighting IV-drips at the L.A. summit) were given to participants looking for a natural energy boost.
As the day progresses and I talk more with the women around me, I come to realize the summit isn’t so much about healing crystals and coffee enemas, but rather a sense of curiosity and community. “People think women who are too Goopy are a little bit kooky, but I find that sexist,” says Alexa Moraif, 28, a freelance publicist in New York City. “Whenever women are interested in learning something that’s off the beaten path, historically, they’re told they’re crazy or a witch. The people here are really just open-minded.”
To be fair, there are certainly a few moments that—albeit interesting and entertaining—might garner a few eye rolls from those more cynical. For example, the first talk of the day kicked off with medium and author Laura Lynne Jackson doing on-the-spot spiritual readings with audience members’ departed relatives. At one point, the whole room burst into laughter because a loved one wanted to pass on the message that a Philly football fan would soon be “very happy.” (Place your Super Bowl bets now!)
But most of the women I talk to approach the day’s discussions with a healthy amount of skepticism. They’re mostly interested in hearing different points of view and networking with other driven women with similar interests.
Heather McDowell, 39, founder and CEO of Tickle Water, a sparkling water brand for kids, says that even though she lives in New York, she spent extra on the staycation package to connect with other passionate women in her field. “My friends aren’t quite as passionate about the wellness space as I am, so I was really hoping to meet other women who are aligned in thinking with me—and I feel like I really have,” she says. “We’re at moment in time where women are acknowledging and really acting on our empowerment. But doing that isn’t all roses and cherries.” (The summit even acknowledged that: Gwyneth herself led a panel on feminism and sexual harassment that was the most powerful of the day). McDowell, for her part, says running her own company hasn’t left her with much time for friends, and she often has to pick three of her top five priorities to focus on, which end up being work, family, and exercise. The summit, she says, makes feel like she isn’t at it alone: “I met some women last night who really poured their heart out. It’s a struggle, and it’s hard. We need to support each other.”
Vicki Collins, 35, a registered nurse from Saskatchewan, traveled roughly five hours with a friend to attend the conference. “I knew about the summit in L.A. because I get the Goop newsletter,” she says. “There was a lot of ridicule around it being so expensive and out of touch, but honestly, the ridicule around it only made me more curious. I wanted to know what my opinion would be on it.” The more she debated the idea of attending, she tells me, the more the idea spoke to her. “It’s just so nice to have the weekend away and meet so many other women and hear their perspectives.”
And while the summit meets my expectations, Collins says it defied hers: “I expected it to be super consumer-driven. But I really didn’t feel like that at the end of the day. It was a lot more inspirational and felt like a sharing of information. I feel well taken care of—I even bought some books to bring home with me.” That and a suitcase full of $3,000-worth of wellness swag from Goop’s sponsors. No matter why you came, no one left empty-handed.
PHOTO: Ilya S. Savenok
