A beauty editor, also known as a beauty writer, is someone who writes and edits articles and columns about beauty industry trends and how to be fashionable and attractive for women and men. She could work for a newspaper, magazine, or online publication. In smaller publications, a beauty editor may be required to also work as a fashion or style editor, or to incorporate these topics into her beauty writing.
In most cases, beauty can be achieved in a variety of ways. A beauty editor’s topics usually include health, exercise, and attitude, all of which affect a person’s attractiveness in some way. Her writing typically provides information for various age groups of men and women in order to appeal to a broad audience.
A beauty editor’s job entails a significant amount of research. Press releases, word of mouth, and general news publications are all ways she learns about new industry trends or products. She researches a topic on the Internet before deciding to write about it, using sites she trusts for timely and accurate information.
A beauty editor typically changes the style and topics of her articles to keep her readers interested. Factual reporting is usually mixed in with opinion pieces from beauty industry experts and consumers. Self-administered quizzes and questionnaires are common among readers of beauty-related publications. In articles written by beauty editors, product recalls or consumer concerns about beauty products and items are frequently discussed.
A beauty editor is typically expected to attend community events such as fundraisers and galas to represent the publication for which she writes, in addition to writing and editing duties. She is frequently required to attend trade shows and conventions. At these events, she frequently makes contacts who provide her with insights and ideas for new beauty and fashion articles and stories.
Meeting with industry sales representatives is a common benefit of being a beauty editor. These contacts usually send her new product samples and brochures describing their cosmetics in the hopes that the editor will mention them favorably in her publication. These representatives frequently provide fashion editors with insider contacts through which they can obtain information for more in-depth articles.
For this position, there are no educational requirements. Some publications may prefer job applicants with a journalism or creative writing degree. Those aspiring to this position should bring examples of published articles on beauty-related topics. Internships at a fashion or beauty magazine, whether paid or unpaid, are considered assets for beauty editor job seekers.