Let's face it, the beauty beat can get pretty repetitive. Where does a beauty writer and editor find inspiration? Lori Bergamotto [InStyle] was on vacation in Italy, but we interrupted her to find out. We're annoying like that, so definitely don't tell us how to reach you when you go away.

Lori's partial list, in no particular order:

Traveling, and not just the glam spots. "Omaha, Atlanta, St. Louis, Portland -- getting a sense of different types of women in different parts of the country informs my writing like nothing else."

Italian and British magazines. "Trends in beauty and fashion seem to hit first in Europe."

Baseball. "I'd rather watch a Yankees game than a Marc Jacobs runway show."

Romantic poet John Keats. 'His writing on beauty has influenced my thinking about aesthetics."

Upcoming courses with Lori Bergamotto:

• Beauty Writing 101 - May 31 (Los Angeles)
• Beauty Writing 101 - June 11 (New York)
• Beauty Writing and Editing - starts June 12 (Online)