Hi, I’m Kat. Welcome to BeautyEditor.com.au!
So first, a bit of background on me: I’ve been a beauty writer for over ten years (eek, felt a new wrinkle form as I said that). So yep, I’ve tested a lot of products in my life. And dished out a lot of advice. Every day I seem to be talking beauty buys or tips with someone. Which is why I decided to start this site. The aim: your one-stop for beauty advice.
So here’s the deal … Every day I update the Beauty Diary and answer one of your questions (Beauty Q&A). Every week I review a new product (Beauty Spot), run a how-to (Beauty School), and share a nifty little trick of the trade (Beauty Tips). And every month, I also post an extended Beauty Feature as well as Beauty Expert, which is a Q&A with a skin, makeup or hair guru. Because a girl can never have enough beauty tips.
If you subscribe (just at right of screen here), you’ll receive the weekly newsletter alerting you to all the latest beauty goodness on offer, as well as exclusive BeautyEditor.com.au competitions. You can also use the site as a resource for practically any beauty question or dilemma you have. Scan through the archives and see if what you want to know has already been covered in, say, Beauty School or Beauty Q&A. If not, you can ask your own question - which I will do my best to answer as quickly as possible.
So that’s pretty much it … If you have any other suggestions, or any feedback at all, I am all ears - email me here.
PS - FAQs …
Q: How do you know all of this info?
A: Most of it is crammed in my head after ten-plus years of writing about beauty full-time. I still constantly research and read anything and everything beauty-related, and my main job – as a magazine freelancer – sees me introduced to all the latest trends and technology, as well as interviewing top beauty experts from around the world. Most of what I write here draws on knowledge I already have. Of course, I don’t know everything and if I ever need to check up on something, I’ll interview and credit a relevant expert. Similarly, I don’t have a degree in dermatology or hair chemistry, so if a question is ever beyond me, I’ll let you know.
Q: How do I become a beauty writer?
A: If you’re aiming for a traditional beauty editor role - in charge of the beauty section of a women’s magazine - you need to be based in Sydney or be prepared to move there. Unfortunately (or not, depending on your viewpoint), the Australian magazine publishing industry is centralised in Sydney, leaving little option for non-Sydneysiders but to relocate.
In an ideal world, you want to start off assisting a beauty editor, who can serve as a safety net as well as a mentor and trainer. This stint also allows you to take the time to build your own contacts base - developing a network of experts whom you trust, as well as great relationships with public relations companies and managers. PRs are the people responsible for getting beauty industry news and messages across to the press, as well as organising previews of soon-to-be-released products. Writing beauty requires a road-tested knowledge of a large percentage of the products out there. Unless you’re a zillionaire (in which case, you may not actually want a not-super-highly-paid beauty writer gig in the first place), you need to be on the PRs’ radar in order to receive these samples free of charge. As well as attend all the various product launches and seminars (on average, a beauty writer may do two appointments per day, anything from a one-on-one deskside to a breakfast meeting to a cocktail party).
However, there is a limited number of magazine beauty writer or editor jobs going at any one time. You should be prepared to start off on the front desk or in another department - and work your way up or across. How to get your foot even in the door? Call your favourite magazines and enquire about work experience, intern or assistant positions. Badger and charm until you get a look-in (don’t be embarrassed - just remember, that’s what everyone else has done before you). When you do finally land a full-time or regular job, find the right time to let your editor know you’re interested in a beauty position in the future, and bide your time, in the meantime offering to help the beauty editor with anything from researching to road-testing to filing. It may take a year, maybe three, maybe more. Use this time to learn any skills you feel may make you a better beauty writer.
Q: What are your favourite products?
A: Ooh such a big question. Because I literally have hundreds of them. And I rotate all the time because I’m always road-testing all the newies. But there are some classics I always go back to. They include: Cetaphil Skin Cleanser (buy it for practically free at pharmacies); a vitamin C serum, particularly the Ultraceuticals one ($80 from Adore Beauty); Invisible Zinc Tinted Daywear SPF30+ ($29.95 from Adore Beauty); Stila Eyeshadow in Kitten ($34 from Mecca Cosmetica); and Palmer’s Natural Bronze tanning moisturiser ($6.95 from pharmacies).
Q: What breed is your dog Daisy?
A: She’s a Maltese Shih Tzu and heaven in a scruff-ball. And, in case you’re wondering, her favourite beauty product is a gorgeously scented French dry shampoo that we picked up at For Dogs’ Sake.
