I WANT THAT JOB: BEAUTY EDITOR, GLAM.COM

india and i strike a pose at my surprise going away party. (more pics from that this weekend.). do check out her daily blog glamblush!

this section used to called career chronicles. but forget that! i'm changing it to "i want that job," because that's more to the point, right blaynista's? so without furter ado, let's focus on india jewel jackson - the fabulous india jewel jackson - howard university graduate, international stylenista, and beauty editor of glam.com. let's get in!

your name

India-Jewel Jackson

your age (optional)

27

your location

New York, New York

your title

Beauty Editor

your company

Glam.com / Glam Media

are you passionate about your career?

Yes! What girl doesn’t love beauty products?

what inspired you to pick this?

Actually I kind of fell into this position. While in college, I was an aspiring fashion editor. But during my last semester in college, I came up to NYC to interview at a leading women’s fitness magazine for a highly coveted summer fashion intern position, and unfortunately I didn’t get it. As luck would have it, I also had a chance to sit down with the beauty editors of the magazine while I waited for my real interview to begin, and they actually hired me a few days later! Three years, three more internships, and two editorial assistant positions later, here I am.

did you go to college or trade school for it?

I actually went to college for Fashion Merchandising, and I minored in Media (radio/TV/film/journalism). I knew I wanted to be in some aspect of the fashion industry, and this combination of my education seemed like the perfect fit into fashion journalism, so I fused them together and pursued it. It must’ve been fate.

what does it take to get where you are and stay there?

Dedication, determination, and TIME. And an uncanny knack to give unprecedented beauty advice.

what do you love most about what you do?

It’s simple: I haven’t paid for a beauty item since 2004. Toothpaste, deodorant, perfume, eyeshadow, lip gloss – I get it all for free! Plus, if a beauty company is launching a new product – I get to see it several months before the general public does. It happens to me all the time – I’m walking down the street, and someone stops me and asks what perfume I’m wearing. I tell them the name, and I politely inform them that they can smell just like me – in about four months time.

what makes your job a challenge?

This career is your LIFE. When working in publishing and living in NYC, there’s always an event to attend, long hours in the office (especially on closing days), cocktails with a publicist, constant research by scouring the competition… it feels like my work day never ends. I rarely have time to squeeze in an hour at the gym. Plus I’m not very organized, so my desk and beauty closet looks like Sephora threw up all over it. I have unopened bottles of perfume that have fallen off of my desk onto the pile of lipstick that fell the day before onto the makeup remover that fell last week…

would you recommend your career path to others?

The beauty (publishing) industry isn’t for the faint of heart, honey. If you love all things beauty, you’ll be fine. But you should know that it’s a mini-sorority, so if you aren’t ready for the cattiness, and to be picked apart by someone higher on the editorial totem pole, you either need to toughen your skin, or look into an alternative career.

finally - because we live for compliments here at theblayreport.com - what do you love about this blog?

Zandile Blay is the author – what other reason do I need to read this fab blog? ;) Plus, I feel it shares fashion news that is pertinent to me (someone who lives and breathes this industry), but also the average girl-next-door can enjoy and prosper from reading the Blay Report as well. Plus with you heading overseas – I’m even more excited. An American in London – you’re definitely about to change the fashion blogging game.

oh! and since this is a fashion blog, we have to ask you a fashionable question: describe an outfit that completely captures your style and personality? ( for the summer, mine was a pair of too-short denim cut-offs, a vintage, see-through victorian blouse, some metallic flats, kimora lee simmons lip gloss and smile.)

For this fall, my signature outfit will be a pair of two-tone 4-inch Oxford booties, dark denim wide-leg jeans and a baby tee shirt, short cut-out leather racing gloves, a pashmina, a cup of Starbucks, dark red matte lipstick, my silver hoop earrings and the ubiquitous NY scowl. LOL!