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There are many different career paths and areas of interest in the beauty industry. The seventh module of Yellowbrick’s Beauty Industry Essentials online course takes a deep dive into beauty media. During the course, students will learn about the challenges faced by beauty media professionals, learn about the skills and knowledge needed to write for print and online publications, explore the impact of social media on the beauty industry, and get an overview of the career opportunities available.
Be a Journalist First
Danielle Pergament, a contributing editor and former executive editor at Allure breaks down what students can expect to take away from the course. Pergament is well-versed in all things beauty writing. However, there’s more to the beauty business than it may appear. Thorough beauty education and journalistic research skills are critical to accurately writing and reporting on beauty developments.
“When people hear that I work at Allure, their first or second question is always about beauty,” says Pergament. “What comes up a lot is beauty as journalism and how that’s not a contradiction in terms. This is something Allure has pioneered for 25 years, the idea that you can report on an eye cream, that certain products are more efficient and effective than others, that there is real journalism to be had in there.”
Skepticism is Necessary in Beauty Media
As a beauty media writer, you have to dig deeper — you can never trust a press release at face value. “I tell our reporters and writers to believe that everything is a lie. Believe every press release you get is completely untrue,” says Pergament.
She suggests going to an impartial third-party source, getting double-blind studies, and digging deeper into online beauty education. “You have to find the story and why it matters to people in beauty,” she advises. Why should somebody spend $30 on a product? Why should somebody get a cosmetic procedure? If they’re going to spend this money, it’s your job to deliver that information and make your reader a satisfied consumer.
Pergament states, “it’s an exciting time because we’ve moved on to a place where there are no beauty rules. Now, having blue hair is not shocking, nor is it men experimenting with makeup.” As beauty media members and journalists, it’s your job to report on trends factually and truthfully, not judge them, and share what readers need to know.
Are you interested in the aspects of beauty writing and the careers surrounding beauty and media? Check out Beauty Industry Essentials online course, or download The Ultimate Beauty Career Guide.
