Working in public relations, I regularly put forward our clients for features in the press and get a real sense of satisfaction when they appear. However, this month, there was a slight turn of events, and I found myself in the national media…
On a whim, I had sent an email to enter to become a beauty tester for the glossy women’s weekly, Look magazine, and did not expect to hear anything more about it. However to my delight, I was actually chosen!
I am a huge beauty buff, particularly when it comes to my nails. My nail polish collection literally spans the entire colour spectrum so when I learned that I would be reviewing nail polishes, I was absolutely thrilled!
Subsequently, I received an exciting package in the post containing my four nail polishes to review. They were all pastel shades; a jade green, a peach, a canary yellow and a lavender purple. I soon got to work, by using all of the colours to create a very cheerful looking manicure and drafted up a review for each product based on the results.
My reviews featured in the February 15th issue so I skipped along to buy a copy on my lunch break and it was a real buzz to see my reviews (and my face) staring back at me in print. I was surprised to receive a flurry of texts over the next few days from friends who had spotted me in the magazine!
It was a great experience overall. What a brilliant way to get readers involved and generate trust and accountability in the magazine – I do often wonder if the products are actually tested and that the feature isn’t just a result of a press release. Also, I got to keep the products which was an added bonus, further adding to my ridiculously expansive polish collection!
It’s a well known fact that fashion and beauty editors get sent endless amounts of incredible freebies on a daily basis (which I experienced first hand whilst interning at Conde Nast), so I think it’s very commendable of Look that they share this benefit with their audience!
