A Christmas Tale

Another year done and dusted, somehow both fast and full. As Christmas rolls around, I wanted to pause for a moment and share a few thoughts from the year that’s been.

In skincare, one thing has been very clear: simplicity is winning. Routines are getting smarter, not longer, and brands are doing more with less. What’s excited me most is the number of brilliant grassroots Australian brands stepping confidently into the mainstream. Many of them are founder-led, regionally based, and deeply product-focused which I love. There’s plenty of room for everyone, and it’s refreshing to see smaller brands challenging big players with better price points and better priorities. I’ve loved chatting with so many of these founders, and I’m a big believer in backing regional businesses and giving them a louder, more universal platform.

Outside of skincare, the world has felt… busy. Politics, news cycles and global events have all had their moments this year. But beneath the noise, I’ve also felt a quiet optimism building for creators, for business, and for people simply trying to build good lives. Yes, the housing market continues to test patience and budgets, but I’ve also seen families and communities stepping up to help the next generation find their footing. Home doesn’t look the same for everyone, and that’s okay.

On a personal note, this year has been about being a little more still and a little less reactive. With more years comes more perspective and thankfully, a thicker skin. I still care deeply, but I don’t carry everything quite so dramatically. Experience has a way of clarifying what matters: the health and safety of the people you love, strong friendships and knowing you’re supported when life throws something genuinely hard your way. That’s the energy I’m taking into 2026.

If there’s one takeaway I’d offer, it’s this: you don’t have to be one thing. You can have multiple interests, careers and curiosities as they don’t cancel each other out. Life works best when you let different parts of yourself exist at the same time.

So this Christmas: follow your nose. Toward what interests you, challenges you and brings you joy. Keep good people around you, stay curious and trust that the path will make sense as you walk it.

Wishing you a calm, happy Christmas and a bright start to the year ahead.

Cat Ardi Brennan xx