ESSENCE Best Of 2023: The Year In Lifestyle

2023 was one for the books regarding relationships, breakups, and reunions. The world was watching our favorite couples (Ashanti and Nelly, Teyana and Iman Shumpert, and Lori Harvey and Idris Damson) go through the ebbs and flows of love and heartbreak.

Aside from the love department, we also witnessed a beautiful year in wellness. Black women, nationally and globally, took to social media to document their holistic wellness routines. They inspired us to take a wellness sabbatical, bed-rot, or even try Ozempic for weight loss. While wellness was a prominent theme for 2023, indulging in travel for self-care was also. From celebrity baecations to wellness sabbaticals, our favorite stars and social influencers decided to take whimsical vacations across the pond to Europe, Greece, Italy, and Ghana to partake in Detty Decemba.

Although 2023 wasn’t the easiest year, it taught us some invaluable lessons, like believing in the power of love, placing firm boundaries (or standing on business), and enjoying life for what it is now and not taking it for granted. As we enter a new year, ESSENCE looks at the memorable moments in 2023, from our favorite Y2K couple spinning the block to gentle parenting – and everything in between.

2024, we’re ready for you after experiencing this year!