Balms For Our Time, Literally

THE GLOBAL ORGANIC personal care market is expected to exceed $25 billion by 2025; as it grows, so too will the number of companies that rely on syncretic and occult ideas: paranormal energy fields, electromagnetic flows, straight-up magic. It’s no longer enough to employ pesticide-free ingredients — these days, products should have superpowers, too. Many companies are concocting formulas to offset the radiation allegedly emitted by technological devices, while others promote oils that don’t just moisturize the skin, but also feed the soul.

On the one hand, this is a—verbally, linguistically, literarily—wonderful walk through the historical woods of myco-powders and Rudolf Steiner and soul-salves, but on the other hand isn’t it sort of, I don’t know, In Defense Of Nature’s Placebos? I guess this is the great thing about liberty and capitalism: you get to say, “Why not spend thirty-eight dollars on three-gram sachets of powdered bullshit?” You do you. Glorious!