Beauty Is As Beauty Does
Last week I went to NYC to pitch Cibu to beauty editors. Our Manhattan based PR agency scheduled two days of desk side appointments with over a dozen fashion, beauty and lifestyle magazines including SELF, Real Simple, People Style Watch, Bazaar, Teen Vogue, US Weekly and InStyle. My job was to introduce the glossies to Cibu and explain features and benefits of our top 5 products in 20 minutes or less. No pressure.
While I didn't lose a wink of sleep worrying about my Cibu delivery, I dedicated hours of thought to outfit selection and grooming strategy. On impulse I ventured into a very crowded Banana Republic to purchase a new outfit for the trip. Forty-five minutes later, standing in a line 20 people deep, stroller loaded with what I rationalized would be my entire Fall 2015 capsule collection, all at 40% off, I abandoned my purchases in deference to two very annoyed toddlers. Oh well. I'd have to wear something I already owned.
The next day my husband was nice enough to watch the kids for an hour so I could get a pedicure and eyebrow wax. I went back and forth on whether to get a shellac manicure, too. Would the beauty editors look down and judge my bare nails? After wasting half an hour thinking about it, I ran out of time to get them done. Oh well. My expertly angled eyebrows would have to speak to my beauty chops.
Outfits planned, nails sorted, I woke up on the first day of interviews with only accessory selection left to chance. Stuck between a pair of 14K gold hoops and one substantial coral BCBG ear cuff, I weighed my earring options: Gold hoops are classic and these are big enough to be on-trend. Plus they are real. Real is good. Real reads established, mature. The ear cuff is hyper trendy. Too trendy? Are ear cuffs even cool? Ear cuffs definitely aren't mature. Will the beauty editors think I'm trying too hard? Overcompensating for my lack of shellac? Didn't I make fun of someone wearing an ear cuff once?
Six interviews later I laughed at myself for thinking so hard about the day. With the exception of an epic Anna Wintour sighting in the Freedom Tower, the magazine industry is run by a gaggle of 23- year-old girls (bless their hearts). I pitched Cibu to 13 entry level beauty editors who don't bother to get pedicures, or brush their hair or presumably use any of the beauty products they write about. Trust me - no one was thinking about my nails.
But they all loved the ear cuff.
Outfit details: BCBG asymmetrical tank (2014); J.Crew Minnie pants (2012); Gorgana lariat necklace (2015); Marc by Marc Jacobs Metrooptical crossbody (2015); Elie Tahari blue flats (2013); Georgio Armani sunglasses; BCBG epic ear cuff (2015); fake Hermes cuff from Party City (2014); Loeffler Randall Open Work Tote (2015); Hermes