The Wellness Edit: News From Girl World
- jennysmithmattfeldt
- Aug 27
- 3 min read
All Your Women's Health, Wellness, & Aura Updates
DEBy Jenny Smith Mattfeldt | Published August 27, 2025
Welcome back to the Wellness Edit, where we round up the stories shaping girl world right now. This week: the Teal Wand for at-home Pap smears, matcha mania, and Taylor Swift’s engagement ring sending ripple effects through the wedding industry (yes, already).
FDA Approves First At Home Device for Pap Smears
The days of hearing “scoot down a little further… a little further… you might feel some pressure” could be coming to an end. The Teal Wand, created by Teal Health, is now the first FDA-approved at-home device that lets you test for HPV (the precursor to most cervical cancers) in the comfort of your home.
Every year about 13,000 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed and more than 4,000 women die, yet nearly a quarter of women say they’re behind on Pap smears. With the Teal Wand, all it takes is a simple swab at home that you send in for testing. It’s the first of its kind, but with more women leading the charge in healthcare and tech, it definitely won’t be the last.
The Taylor Swift Effect: Pinterest Searches, the Stock Market, & Wedding Aesthetics
Yes, it’s official: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are engaged. Their engagement photos were set in a secret garden aesthetic literally dripping with pastel blooms, but the true star of the show was an estimated 8-carat old mine brilliant-cut diamond set in an ornate, vintage-style band designed by Kindred Lubeck of Artifex Fine Jewelry.
And the Taylor Swift effect is already in motion. Searches for terms like “vintage maximalism” (which surged 260%) and “Art Deco vintage” (which jumped 805%) have skyrocketed. Even publicly traded jewelers felt the impact: Signet Jewelers’ stock rose 10% the following day.
Retailers are reporting a surge in interest for vintage-inspired engagement rings, already. Searches for “old mine cut diamonds” and “antique cushion cut rings” are up, reflecting a broader shift toward unique, heirloom-style pieces. Translation? Expect to see more vintage, romantic, and personalized wedding touches everywhere in the near future.
You’ve probably spotted them all over social media. Women sporting weighted vests during walks, squats, or even chores. Turns out, there’s a reason for the hype: low-intensity workouts are having a shining moment in the wellness world now that we know how good it is for women's health (all the sweat without the cortisol spike). Adding a bit of extra weight can boost strength, burn calories, and contribute to better bone density, all without turning your routine into a hardcore HIIT session. Basically, it’s like giving your walk a little extra spice. It's trendy, simple, and actually backed by science.
Zuranolone: Forward Progress in Postpartum Depression
Things in women’s healthcare are changing, and one of the highlights in wellness news right now are the steps toward taking postpartum depression more seriously. Zuranolone is the newest treatment gaining traction, but has actually been FDA approved since 2023.
Unlike traditional SSRIs (which can take weeks to kick in) Zuranolone can start improving symptoms in as little as three days. This rapid response is a big deal for new parents struggling with PPD and highlights a major shift in how the medical field is addressing maternal mental health.
The Summer of Matcha
Matcha has taken over this summer and the consequences of our actions might be starting to show up, high-grade matcha is officially in short supply. The majority of ceremonial grade comes from Japan’s Uji region, which had a smaller harvest this year while popularity (and prices) are still climbing. Retailers are struggling to keep up with the global craze, especially for “first-harvest” leaves that make the smoothest, brightest green powder. So if your pantry isn’t stocked yet you better grab it next time you see it.
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