First Weeks as a Teen Vogue Intern

In the Teen Vogue lobby!

I just finished my first month as an intern at Teen Vogue, and I finally have a chance to sit down and write a little about it! Similar to my experience at NBC, it is difficult to talk details because we work so far ahead and the stories are confidential, but I can explain the generalities of what I do for anyone interested.

I am technically a beauty/health AND web intern because I had scheduled interviews with both departments. It worked out because a lot of the beauty department’s work is online so I am basically like a beauty focused web intern. My first couple weeks were all about learning the ropes. That included learning how to use the online blogging system Teen Vogue uses to create their website, blogs, articles, and slideshows. Also, I have been learning how to use Photoshop to resize images, as well as the technicalities of Macs. (I have never really had to use one before.) Now that I have figured everything out, for the most part, I have started working on the stuff that really helps the editors. Creating slideshows (finding the image or getting it from the PR companies, resizing, putting into the web system, crediting, etc), writing text to go along with slideshows, transcribing interviews, writing titles and captions for the magazine pages, and writing credits for products used in the magazine and online.

One more part of my job includes something others would perhaps become bored with, but not me! And that is organizing and maintaining the beauty closet. This small room has shelves lining the walls, and those shelves are PACKED with every beauty product (and random things) you can think of. From makeup and hair products, to candles and train cases, this is basically like a dream land for someone like me. Every day, the three beauty editors get lots of packages containing brand new, often unreleased, products. They go through the ones they get to decide what they think would be a good fit for the magazine. Some they put aside for a story, others they take home to test for themselves, and the rest, they put in a bag to get filed into the closet. At the end of the day, my job is to take those bags and organize them into the shelves in the closet. Because there is only so much room to put these products, and also because my editors are super nice, they allow me to take absolutely anything home to try! When they first told me I could take anything I wanted, I had to make sure I understood correctly. Anything?! Yes. I am in heaven. Besides the MAC lipsticks and Clarins foundation, I would have to say the most exciting thing about all of this is the extensive collection of unreleased perfume that I am building up. My favorite is this Jo Malone fragrance, but I can’t complain about the YSL or unreleased Miss Dior perfume. 

My hair after using the Beachwaver!

In addition to these things, I sometimes get to go to beauty events that showcase new, soon-to-be-released products. My first one was presenting celebrity hair stylist Sarah Potempa’s “Beachwaver” curling iron. Let me tell you…WOW it was so amazing. If you know me, you know my hair is never curly because even if I do curl it, it falls flat in an hour’s time. This was different from anything I have ever seen or used. All you have to do is put a piece of your hair in the clamp, click one of two buttons specifying left or right (side you are working on) and then click a button that winds it up for you. It takes all the guess work out of rolling the tool away from your hair and you don’t pull any muscles like I usually would! When I got back to the office, everyone was amazed by my hair. The social media editor even tweeted out a picture of it on Instagram! It got 5,000 “likes” so that is kind of crazy. Usually at the events you go to, they will give you the product to take home and back to the office. Unfortunately they didn’t have any to give out, so I am hoping they send some to the office for me to use. I am only allowed to tell you about this product because it has just been released on QVC.

We also do something called “desk sides.” This is an appointment you have with a representative from a new product that is held in our office lobby. It is similar to what you would experience at an event, but since they come to you and for you only, it is oftentimes more specialized and geared towards our audience. Last week, I had a desk side where Red Carpet Manicure came to give me a gel manicure. I am spoiled.

Other than that, the cafeteria is pretty cool for a magazine buff because I recognize a lot of editors. I saw Anna Wintour speaking with Amy Astley the other day, and unless I was dreaming, I am pretty sure we made eye contact and she gave me the once over. My fellow intern rode the elevator with Grace Coddington on her first day. Amy Astley’s office is kind of like my dream apartment. The fashion closet is like my dream closet. Basically, I could live on the ninth floor of the Conde Nast building and be pretty happy with it. Everyone is truly SO nice and pleasant to be around. From editors to assistants to interns, everyone adds something so unique to the experience and I am so honored to be a part of it. 

I now have a few articles and slideshows posted on TeenVogue.com! If you type my name into the Teen Vogue search engine, things actually come up! I can’t believe I can say my work has been published on TeenVogue.com! Soon, there will be an “Intern Blogger” post up, introducing myself on the website. For the past year, I have read every single post up there on the Intern Blog, trying to figure out how I could be in their place, and here I am! It all sounds like fun and games, but it is hard work too. I have worked really hard over the past couple years to get to this place, and I feel like it is finally starting to pay off. I will keep you updated as interesting things happen, but in the meantime, follow me on Twitter @KristieDash to get an inside look at some things I do on a daily basis.

Sneak peak at my Fashion Week experience. Here is a great pic from Rebecca Minkoff!

Stay tuned for a post on my Fashion Week adventures! It was AMAZING! Also, a lot of people have been asking me about what products I have discovered that are my new faves. I have a lot of them so I will do a post on those as well. If there is anything else you want me to write about, let me know in the comments!