Editor's Note: Content Is King
We are lucky to be living in these times when the pursuit of looking and feeling good are no longer taboo. “The name of the game is taking care of yourself because you’re going to live long enough to wish you had,” the late Grace Mirabella, former Vogue editor, said decades ago. And it timelessly rings true.
Today’s incomprehensibly massive, multi-billion-dollar beauty industry is more relevant than ever, having destigmatized what was once regarded as shallow and superficial. Much of this shift was thanks to publishing, which had investigative beat writers and lifestyle journalists cover beauty events and stories in the early days—whether it’s from The New York Times, Vogue, or Allure magazine, ultimately legitimizing what we now call beauty journalism. It examined products beyond how they looked when worn, went beyond describing trends and delved into true beauty reporting that scrutinized ingredients, science, controversies, and the cultural narrative that beauty both reflects and creates. It also ultimately served readers first, difficult as that may be with advertising constraints.
The rise/dominance of social media has changed the way consumers obtain information, and it’s also changed the game for many beauty journalists and editors. Influencer marketing is another billion-dollar industry, with KOL or key opinion leader budgets taking up a chunk in the advertising pie. But that doesn’t mean journalists and influencers can’t harmoniously co-exist in the beauty world, especially since both are in the business of telling stories. Influencers are not journalists, and we shouldn’t expect them to be simply because that’s not their job (many of them don’t pretend to be anyway). It’s the journalist’s job, however, to be analytical and discerning–even critical when necessary–when it comes to writing about products, ingredients, technologies, people, and even brands. Influencers with this journalistic background, will always know where to draw the line–both a beauty and burden.
We are honored to have some of the industry’s most trusted editors and beauty journalists–Agoo Bengzon, Rorie Carlos Manzano, Vince Uy, Regina Belmonte, Belle Rodolfo, Justin Convento, and Nicole Arcano–pen some of the reviews in Volume 8 of The Beauty Edit Box featuring luxury face products. Many of them have left publishing in pursuit of greater things, but reading their stories proves one thing we already know–the journalistic voice never leaves a magazine editor.
We hope you’ll enjoy this edit.
Nicole
