Freebies: Part I

Fashion writing always seems like it’s the gig most swimming in swag, most flush with freebies. You’re not actually trying to get into it because you feel that strongly about wide-legged pants, are you? Mary Lisa Gavenas, our expert, has worked as a beauty editor at Glamour, Mirabella, and InStyle and now will be teaching the class on getting a gig in beauty writing THIS MONDAY (so get in on the action.) She provides us with the dos and don’ts of fashion freebies. Of course, the follow-up post to this will be about how otherwise, freebies are wrong so enjoy this post while you can.
OK, you’ve heard all about the freebies that go with being a beauty editor and you’re already imagining your thin-thighed, shiny-haired, great smelling, flawlessly complected self lounging at a spa somewhere.
But, to get there, you have to know the etiquette of entitlement.
Scoring Freebies
&#8226Yes, you do have to experience this stuff to write about it. And, no, most magazines are not willing to pay for you to have that privilege. Best way around this: If you need to sniff, wear-test, smudge, or otherwise try out a beauty product, ask for a lab sample. That way the company doesn’t get the idea that you’re ripping them off – and neither does your editor. (The payoff for this politesse: Most of the time, you’ll end up with the real thing anyway.)
&#8226Free products, free services, and other promotional presents go with being a beauty editor. And, while your editor may not want them for herself, dispensing them is one of the major perks of her job. Therefore, if you’re a freelancer, always check with her before you accept anything. Beauty and fashion magazines are a small, gossipy world and she’ll find out about it anyway.
&#8226Be honest with the PR person-up to a point. Often, she’s sent a sample to the magazine and somebody else has already nabbed it. (Chanel cosmetics, for example, are notorious for getting lost in transit.) So, if you need to sip, sniff, or stroke the actual product, practice diplomatic phrasing like “they’re so busy over there . . . can I borrow a lab sample and then return it to you as soon as I write my story?” Then, when you’re done, call her back so you can make good on your offer.

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