August Editor's Letter: Living in the Moment

We're planning, but we're also living in the moment this month - and every other month - in Beaut HQ.

August is traditionally the month when we plan to change. This time of year is the 'second new year'. It's a chance to recharge and maybe restart resolutions you didn't get 'round to making at the beginning of the year.

In January, I resolved to actually make resolutions and stick to them this time. But, unsurprisingly, I failed. There was always something stopping me from doing everything I had planned to do. Get up extra early and have a leisurely getting ready experience with a bit of yoga thrown in for good measure? I value my sleep too much. Stop letting Netflix play the next episode (and the next, and the next)? Hey, the series is just too good. And it's not so bad if it's a documentary, is it? Or Crazy Ex-Girlfriend... But I have refused to feel bad for not being good. Maybe it's because every year my life gets shorter, so the older I get, the less I care about making scary, probably unrealistic five-year-plans, and value the prospect of living in the moment instead.

We know the things we have to do to 'live our best lives'. But we also know that not all diets and exercise and skincare routines work the same way for everyone. Deprivation is never the answer; what's the point in trying to be 'good' when you just feel miserable the whole time? Yes, eating well and working out is important for our health, but not allowing yourself a glass of wine or even half a dessert is unnecessary punishment. Saving for that effing mortgage is important, too, but staying at home and watching the Late Late Show when all of your friends are getting together and having a much-needed catch-up just creates unnecessary FOMO.

This month on Beaut, we are preparing to introduce ways of living healthily into our lives. But we're also living in the moment. With the help of our team of experts, we are going to make achievable changes, while still enjoying the nicer things in life.

Our Beauty Experts Sarah Jane Lanagan and Rebecca Todd are not only writers, they are makeup artists, too. Sarah is a regular at European Fashion Weeks, working with the likes of Pat McGrath, and Rebecca runs her own beauty business, MUA. Our Beauty Editor Aisling Powell has been voted the Brow Queen of Ireland. They all know what they are talking about.

Now let me introduce you to the newest members of the team. Caroline Foran, Wellness Expert, is an author and speaker on the subjects of anxiety and mental health. Nutrition and Health Expert Eva Burg writes about the best foods for certain experiences and the benefits of exercise. Our Wellbeing Expert Niamh Deans is a yoga teacher who also runs outdoor Yoga Beats events in Dublin's Bernard Shaw pub. We will be introducing you to the rest of our Expert Team in the coming month. Please get in touch and comment under their posts. Living in the moment is a great idea in theory; let's get together and put it into practice.