Editor's Letter: January

I don’t know about you, but I’ve traditionally had a tricky relationship with January. With September – the start of the academic year – comes the promise of the busiest, most jolly few months, ending in tinsel and mince pies. January overwhelms me. The pressure of the blank slate, the months of dark and cold still to come, all against a backdrop of noise around self-improvement, resolutions and betterment.

So, I’m taking a different approach this year. No manifestation lists, unattainable targets or journals en route in the post. Instead, I’m focusing on all the things that will bring me joy this month – from a fresh Smythson notebook to a new coffee machine, it’s the small things that help the start of the year feel less daunting.

This doesn’t mean I’m going into 2024 without goals, but for the next few weeks at least, they’re falling firmly into the ‘spark joy’ camp. After falling in love with Saltburn (wild, fun, totally disturbing) and Maestro (elegant, beautiful, an acting tour de force) over the Christmas break, I’m determined to get to the cinema more this year. Yorgos Lanthimos (the brains behind The Lobster and The Favourite) is already generating Oscar buzz with Poor Things, starring Emma Stone, out in the UK on 12th January. On the small screen, Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm is back for its 12th and final season the first week of February – if you’ve never seen it, you have four weeks to binge the best comedy series ever made. And in a bid, like so many, to prioritise wellness, I’m looking forward to everything from breathwork 101 to dry body brushing tips coming up on SheerLuxe.

Looking ahead to 2024 at SL is also bringing me joy. The digital world is fast paced and ever changing, and I’m taking pleasure in the unknown, excited to see where we can push ourselves this year. As for the known, I can guarantee we’re going to work harder than ever to inspire and entertain you in every space – whether that’s guest editors on the SheerLuxe Show, thought-provoking podcast conversations, the best recommendations in the SL Community, making fun of ourselves on TikTok or with exciting site content. In the next few weeks we have something for everyone, whether you’re ready to hit the new year running or are after a softer approach, and from the Beauty Awards to Book Club, we’re already coming up with ways to make old favourites more engaging than ever.

Thank you for being with us on the journey – we can’t wait for the year ahead.

Happy New Year,