Spoiler Alert: The completely fascinating people that hold some of our dream jobs are actual human beings, that drink tea, get brunch and take vacations to the beach. In a quest to dig deeper and get to know some of the talented babes from Instagram, magazines and popular blogs, I ask the big questions and the silly questions. This week (previously it was Jane Aldridge of Sea of Shoes) it's time to chat with the Senior Digital Editor at Allure Magazine, Lauren Caruso. Be prepared to fall in love with her Instagram account; she's the queen of white backdrops, dainty jewels & oversized pants.
- Name and Occupation: Lauren Caruso, senior digital editor
- Where are you based and why do you love it? I live in the West Village of NYC, and it's like a small town within a huge city. My favorite coffee shop, Chalait, is right on the corner, and there are tons of stores and restaurants within walking distance. It's almost dangerous.
- What's the best thing about your job? Because I have my hand in everything from top-level digital strategy to the daily content lineup, no two days are ever the same! Sometimes, I'll spend all day on a photo or video shoot, and other days I'm meeting with other editors to collaborate on a big project, and others I'm just writing and editing all day.
- What's the hardest thing about your job? Figuring out what the internet wants, and delivering it consistently, in the Allure voice. It's an everyday challenge, but I love it.
- How did you get your start in the beauty industry? I was always very into fashion, and beauty was kind of my side-hustle. When I started at Refinery29 as a market writer in 2012, one of the beauty editors left, and they were in a bind for some additional beauty stories. I volunteered, and it just grew from there. Then, when I was promoted to Contributor Network Editor in 2013, I took on a lot of beauty-centric contributors like Renee Rouleau and Kyle White, so my move to Allure just made sense.
- What do you consider your 'big break' when it comes to your career? I'm not sure if I've had one yet!
- What's your signature drink? An old fashioned.
- It's Saturday morning. Where can we find you? Probably grabbing brunch with my best friend Alyssa (@alyssainthecity)
- What are your favorite Instagram accounts? It's forever iterating, but right now I'm obsessed with @articlegoods, @thearrivalsnyc, @ohkworld, @cuyana, @shopundone, @3x1, and all of the Aussie brands, like @cmeocollective, @thefifthlabel, @tylr_aus, and @keepsakethelabel.
- How would you describe your personal style? Minimalistic, for sure.
- Heels or flats? Flats, always! More specifically: sneakers.
- Favorite brand? Don't think I could ever name just one, but I'm very into everything The Arrivals is doing right now. I love Tictail for discovering new brands, and I'll never get sick of 3x1 for denim, Duo NYC for jeans, or Frankie Shop for everything.
- Which luxury item will you always splurge on? Coats!
- Before bed beauty routine? Oh goodness, this one's a doozy. My night time skincare routine takes a solid 20-30 minutes (even the short version takes 15), but before I even start that, I throw on some hot water for a cup of tea. Then, after I take my makeup off with Simple Micellar Water, I throw on a mask for 10-15 minutes, catch up on a couple articles I've had bookmarked, and then finish up once the mask is off. I always like to finish up my night by looking at a book or magazine, rather than a screen.
- Favorite piece of advice you've ever received? Never, ever say—or even think—the words, "That's not in my job description." It's up to you to be forever expanding your job description, especially if you're in a creative industry. Everyone in NYC is overworked and underpaid, and if that's your excuse for staying inside your allotted creative box, then you're setting yourself up to fail.
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