In defence of beauty editors...

Magazine beauty editors come in for a bit of stick in the blogosphere, but spare a thought for the much-maligned beauty ed. There's more to the job than copious free products. Part guinea-pig, part biologist, part beauty therapist, part ambassador, she must represent her magazine at events that happen virtually all day, every day, as well as art-directing shoots with primadonna photographers and too-skinny models who won't smize, and deliver punchy, coverline-worthy copy. She treads a fine line between writing what she's passionate about and the constraints of writing for titles that are increasingly reliant for their revenue on a handful of all-powerful beauty companies. So no, you probably won't read a scathing review of a brand new big-budget supercream, often it's more a case of criticism by omission. Rivalry with competitive titles exists, but there's none of the blatant blanking treatment fashion eds dish out. In fact, a certain camararderie develops when you're on the third Eurostar trip of the week to go and listen to a simultaneous translation of a French scientist droning on about adipocytes and cellulite... plus it's hard to give someone the cold-shoulder when you've shared a hot-tub on a spa trip. And of course everyone pulls together when it's for a great cause, like this Thursday's Look Good Feel Better Beauty Editor's Day at Selfridges.

Love 'em or not, for a £20 booking fee that goes straight to the cancer-sufferers charity, you can get up close and personal with a beauty editor and quiz them on whatever you want to know. If that's not enough of a draw, there'll be goody bags and makeovers too. There are still slots available, so book on 0800 138 8140. Personally, I'm in the 'love em!' camp, but then, I used to be one!