Confessions of a Beauty Editor: Ruby Buddemeyer, FCLC ’18, of Cosmo
The beauty editor of any fashion or women’s magazine is bound to be the personification of upscale and lavish style, the epitome of intimidation and sophistication, the real-life version of Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada. Right?
Wrong.
English major Ruby Buddemeyer, FCLC’18, proves the stereotype far-fetched. As the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan Magazine, she excels in her impressive position, despite her youth, simplicity, and honest manner, all of which I had the pleasure of experiencing recently as we sipped Earl Grey tea in a Cosmo conference room.
In the conference room, however, simplicity was in short supply as we sat, surrounded by cheetah print pillows atop a velvet mustard couch. Bubblegum pink chairs seemed to float like clouds of cotton candy against the marbled wallpaper, and a plethora of coasters, candles, and pearlescent vases were strategically placed throughout the room. The space was everything I had pictured it to be; a glass-encased scene from an Anthropologie catalogue, I’d been dreaming of walking into Cosmopolitan’s office for years (as an employee, of course, but nonetheless)! And yet, the room’s décor was the only thing that made it to reality from my Cosmopolitan fantasy.
For makeup, Buddemeyer wears only a light pink gloss, has her hair pulled back in a simple ponytail, but as a writer, she covers it all, demonstrating the easiest ways to style dirty hair, or revealing the top ten reasons to pierce your nose (though, hers remained untouched). She believes that “everyone has a beauty story,” and aims to turn her love for writing, dating as far back as her childhood, into a way for beauty gurus and amateurs alike to indulge in their stylistic passions.
While reflecting on her professional quest to land a position at a high-end magazine, she recalls that as a child, the title of “Beauty Editor” was not even on her radar.
“I knew I wanted to be a writer. But I didn’t think I wanted to be a beauty editor. There are a couple girls on my team that have known since birth that beauty was their thing. But I mean, I don’t even really wear makeup!”
If you’re anything like me, and your clumpy and old mascara is the only makeup product in your cosmetic bag, and maybe a cheap chapstick, your confidence in becoming the next beauty editor of a magazine will suddenly skyrocket.
Buddemeyer further explained that she had no official plan that would guarantee her a spot on the Cosmopolitan team she describes as “fun and quirky.” She did, however, have an experience-filled resume, with positions ranging from features editor at Fordham Lincoln Center’s publication The Observer to editorial fellow at Marie Claire. Buddemeyer also attributes much of her success to FCLC’s English department. “I knew at the end of the day, I wanted to practice my writing skills and get really good at writing. I also wanted to read a lot. And that’s what I got [as an English major] for sure,” she says.
She especially valued the flexibility of her professors, recalling how she was once allowed to write an essay focused on beauty and fashion within the realm of Shakespeare, creating an extensive portfolio of unique and well-written pieces.
“The professors want you to get what you want out of their class. So, I felt like I could tailor my degree to what I liked, which was helpful.”
As for how she landed her position at Cosmopolitan, she says, “I really just fell into it. I knew I wanted to work in a magazine once I moved to New York. I first wanted to be in fashion, and I’ve had a few fashion internships. But that industry didn’t feel very fulfilling to me. I felt like I couldn’t relate to the fashion aspect as much,” she admits.
While interning in the editorial department at StyleCaster, the brand’s beauty editor “took [Buddemeyer] under her wing,” revealing the multitude of content that can be covered in the beauty industry. “You know, fashion can be very cutthroat and expensive,” she explains. “But in beauty, you can go out to the drugstore and buy a $2 lipstick that works just as well as name brand products. There's something for everyone.”
In addition to the accessibility and versatility of the industry, Buddemeyer also appreciates the thorough scientific research that accompanies every article that is published.
“We interview experts, dermatologists, and doctors so that we don’t publish [a story] just because we think it’d make a cute story. It’s never like that. It’s very well thought out.”
The careful concentration put into the production of each issue is what increased Buddemeyer’s love for All Things Beauty. And of course, being the beauty editor of a popular women’s magazine has its perks. Countless makeup supplies and skincare products flood the beauty department daily, and Buddemeyer confesses to having tried a new product almost every day during her first few weeks at Cosmo. “Honestly, [at that time] my skin never looked worse,” she admits. “I have tried the most expensive products out there. I have it all, and I keep it out because it looks pretty,” she jokes, “but it doesn’t work too well on my skin. I’m really just obsessed with simple formulas.” And with that, she disclosed her favorite skincare line: Cerave, which can be purchased at any drugstore or pharmacy, almost all their products under $20.
Sampling and reviewing beauty products is only one of the many tasks in the job description of beauty editor, and Buddemeyer is determined to prove that throughout her daily routine at Cosmo, one of the few brands at Hearst where print and digital are fully integrated. Buddemeyer spends much of her day working in both, writing daily stories for the Cosmo website and one to two articles for each monthly print issue. Her favorite, though sometimes most tedious, projects to work on include the feature stories that are printed in every issue.
To most employees, juggling a blended workload would seem overwhelming, but Buddemeyer appreciates the challenge and even enjoys “not being bored all the time.” Having had a number of digital-based internships, her experiences with the tech world have been plentiful, leaving her feeling comfortable and experienced in at least one realm of her job. Working in print, however, took some getting used to.
“Print gives you a tiny little box to write your whole story, and you have to be super voicy, but also very, very concise. Whereas in digital, you can make it as long as you want, make it very funny, have a big, long intro and make it personal. You have a fraction of the space for print, which for me is way harder. But it’s cool to be in a job where I still feel like I have a lot to learn.”
And with all the learning she’s done, she’s become quite the beauty guru herself. “My friends always come to me and ask me to give them a skincare routine,” Buddemeyer laughed. “It’s funny, but I actually know so much about skincare, and I know their skin types, so it’s kind of cool and fun.” And though she excels in writing a variety of beauty stories, “skincare feels like my interest and my passion.”
At only 24 years old, Buddemeyer has accomplished her dream of becoming a writer, while also developing an unexpected expertise within the beauty industry. Her passion and ferocity aid her in relaying a key message in each of her articles: that beauty is inclusive. And whether you relate to haircare, makeup, tattoos or accessories, Buddemeyer believes “everyone has their own beat in beauty.” As my conversation with her came to a close and we sipped our last drops of tea, I admired her for her confidence and simplicity. Ruby Buddemeyer has definitely found her beat.
Written for English Connect by Cameron Price, FCRH ‘20