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Are you familiar with the beauty department in print and digital media? If not, you might not be alone. The beauty department, sometimes called the “lifestyle department,” is a subsection of a magazine responsible for covering topics (like makeup tips or fashion) connected to women’s lifestyles. Since it deals with weighty subjects like cosmetics and beauty trends, the people working there are usually presentable and outgoing. Learn about the different levels and careers in a beauty media department.
Beauty Director
A typical beauty department is structured with the beauty director at the top. The beauty director is responsible for ensuring everything within the department runs smoothly.
Beauty Editor
Under the beauty director is the beauty editor. There can be multiple beauty editors for a given department. They’re in charge of individual sections of the magazine. For instance, at Allure magazine, one beauty editor is in charge of the reporter section, the “News” section, containing all the newest products and industry news.
Associate Beauty Editor
Below the beauty editor is the associate beauty editor. Like the beauty editor’s role, they also do a little writing and editing. In addition to writing and editing duties, they coordinate market work. Attending multiple events in a single day isn’t uncommon. Some days, there may be ten events for the associate beauty editor to attend, which means they’ll need to know how to prioritize and decline events at times.
Beauty Assistants and Beauty Interns
Next are the beauty assistants. They’re mostly in charge of the administrative stuff. Interns also work on the administrative level. In addition, interns organize productions. For example, if there’s a story about sunscreen, the intern has to email every major company to gather information on the newest sunscreens.
Getting Started in Beauty Media:
The vast majority of people in the beauty industry begin as assistants, including the top-of-the-class Harvard graduates. It’s a common misconception that a great college education and writing courses will land you an editorial job fresh out of college. You can’t become a beauty editor without putting in your dues and working your way up the ladder. You’ll file, go through press releases, go to events, answer the phone, and do the scheduling. If you do the tasks you’re presented with really well at the administrative level; eventually, you can pitch story ideas. If your ideas get picked up, you can write the article. It’s all part of the process.
The right attitude along the way can help you rise to the top faster. Remember, there’s always room to grow. So don’t get discouraged by starting at the bottom. It’s just the nature of the beast, and nearly every editor started there, too.
Are you interested in pursuing a career in beauty media or related beauty careers? Download The Ultimate Beauty Career Guide to match your perfect dream job and learn how you can take your next steps.
