Meghan Markle in 2022. Photo: Getty
Some accessories are more about function than form. This past weekend, Meghan Markle was spotted in Montecito days after her 42nd birthday wearing a Max Mara camel coat, a bundled Hermès scarf, white denim, and a pair of Chanel flats. (Talk about quiet luxury.)
Also hanging off Markle’s right arm was a white leather Goyard tote—but it was the accessory spotted on her other wrist that attracted the most attention: a NuCalm Biosignal Processing Disc. Better known as an “anti-stress patch,” the small circular sticker quickly gained the attention of the Internet, with some claiming it was spon con, and others speculating its placement was intended to communicate her discomfort with the intense scrutiny of the paparazzi.
Either way, we were left with a more pressing question. What exactly is a biosignal processing disc, and how does it (theoretically) work?
According to NuCalm—a brand developed by Dr. Blake Holloway that blends neuroscience and biochemistry to help regulate patients with post-traumatic stress disorder—the disc enhances frequencies that relax the wearer. Each one-time use patch supposedly acts as a “tuning fork” of sorts, using resonance and frequencies to send signals to the vagus nerve and the hypothalamus (both of which manage mood), disarm the adrenaline response, and activate the production of the GABAergic system, slowing your brainwaves and relaxing your body. In short, its aim is to help you chill out—a lot of work for a sticker that measures little more than an inch wide.
Similar kinds of anti-stress quick fixes have found fans in the past—and faced a fair level of skepticism in the process. In 2017, Goop launched a line of “bio-frequency” stickers designed to use energetic frequency to address imbalances. The stickers were quickly deemed “snake oil” by a former chief scientist at NASA’s human research division. (TLDR: The stickers no longer exist.)
Still, Markle’s use of the sticker, and its prominent placement (many noticed that the cuff of her coat was rolled to reveal the patch) could be a sign of something more than stress. Does the tool represent Markle’s reentry into the lifestyle space? Could it signal a revival of The Tig, the Duchess’s now-defunct blog, or possibly even the launch of a brand-new wellness brand?
Whether or not the patch really is a stress-quelling cure-all—and whether Markle is gearing up for her next phase as a lifestyle mogul—remains to be seen, but it does appear that she’s seeking some extra calm this summer. And really, aren’t we all?
Originally published in Vogue.com
