The Commodification of Self-Care

The concept of self-care originated in the medical and activist communities as a radical act of self-preservation in the face of systemic neglect. It was about ensuring you had enough energy to continue fighting for your rights and your life.

Today, self-care has been co-opted by capitalism. It is no longer a radical act; it is a marketing category.

We are told that the cure for the bone-deep exhaustion caused by overwork, underpay, and a precarious future is a 0 candle, a luxury skincare routine, or a weekend wellness retreat. We are sold the idea that our burnout is an individual failing that can be remedied through individual consumption.

But a bath bomb cannot cure structural inequality. A meditation app cannot fix a toxic workplace.

By framing self-care as a consumer choice, we absolve the systems that are causing our distress in the first place. We must reject the commodification of our well-being and recognize that true care often requires systemic change, not just a better skincare routine.