Beauty is in the eye of the job holder

ALL the free beauty samples you can manage, generous staff discounts, a chance to try free treatments: this beauty business PA lark sounds great.

But there's nothing leisurely or Ab Fab about it now. The business is fast-moving and tiny teams run competitive and successful firms.

If you enjoy a pacey worklife, it's rewarding and fun. PA and self- confessed "beauty junkie" Vicky Manchett is very candid: "Where else could I find something where reading every women's magazine is vital to the job?"

Manchett, 22, is a press secretary at Kilpatrick PR, an agency specialising in top beauty names: Laura Mercier, Barefoot Doctor and Australian Bodycare are clients.

"I have to go through the magazines and take press cuttings," says Manchett.

"Clients need reports on their press coverage. In the mornings there is often a brainstorming session, when we produce new ideas for promotion.

I also manage the office diary and arrange lunches at venues such as Soho House and The Roof Garden."

Dealing with beauty journalists is part of her job. "I did a college hospitality course, which is a good bridge to secretarial PR work," she says, and she is starting to write some press releases herself.

"I am slowly becoming more confident at writing, and I'd eventually like to be an account director."

Experience as a salesgirl on a Clarins counter gave Ruth Sara Burson, 27, the edge she needed for a top PA position at the Clarins head office.

"I began as a Sunday girl at Allders in Croydon, then worked fulltime for Clarins for three years, in-store.

Before that I was in banking," she says. "When a vacancy came up at head office, I applied and was thrilled to get it. Now I meet and greet beauty editors, take PR calls and deal with magazine reader offers.

"Currently we have Clarins's Look Good, Feel Better campaign for women who are recovering from, or being treated for cancer. It's my job to co-ordinate 100 beauty volunteers who work in hospitals throughout the country, using Clarins products.

"I love the products," says Burson, "and wear them from head to toe. My office is above the Clarins training school.

Sadly, I'm always too busy to visit it, much as I would relish the treatments."

She says the most important quality in her role is to be "customer- facing", adding: "I take a lot of calls from customers.

You also need to be able to juggle a lot of projects at once."

Burson's other tasks include

organising and booking all meetings and travel for managers, dealing with petty cash and maintaining the vital database of PR contacts.

An understanding of ingredients listing helped Marielle Alix, 33, to her job as PA to the founders of REN ("clean" in Swedish). In one year the new company has opened in 10 outlets, including Boots Pure Beauty and Selfridges.

"I had done some network marketing and knew about listing. All our labels give a lot of specific information about the ingredients including where they come from. Since i knew a little about sourcing from a previous job, this was very helpful to me."

Alix also speaks French, Spanish and German. "Most days I ring our chemist who's French. On Monday mornings we have a brainstorming session.

We each get a small project to do, in addition to our main tasks, which in my case include doing the accounts using Excel, handling the customer database, talking to customers on the phone and sending out samples.

"To really succeed, you must

be willing to raise your hand for any project."

Josie Last, 25, PA to Jo Malone and her husband, Gary, arranges hospitality film screenings as part of her job.

"I also helped with the recent opening of the Jo Malone store in Brook Street."

Last assisted on project management for the new store, down to small details like sourcing chrome fire hydrants to fit the store's image.

Last explains: "The Jo Malone brand is now in the UK, Ireland, Canada, US and Saudi Arabia, so I need to know my way around international time zones when dealing with our overseas outlets.

I am also involved in Jo Malone Express, a worldwide mail-order service."

Often Last will enjoy a working lunch at Malone's London home to discuss progress in addition to sorting out Malone's diary and personal admin.

According to beauty careers author Loulou Brown, PA jobs in the sector are increasing.

"Flexible, PAs, especially those who can speak Spanish as companies expand into South America, will be in demand."

Beauty pointers _ Beauty PAs are often involved in PR work.You need to be confident in Spanish or French _ Excel is a must, in addition to excellent admin and internet research skills _ Belief in the product is vital: only apply to companies whose cosmetics you like.

_ Brainstorming is common in the beauty world: can you deliver sparkling ideas?

_ Pay and perks are good, but hours can be long and you'll be expected to take on extra projects _ Hospitality skills are a bonus: there is a fair amount of entertaining _ Exemplary grooming is expected, but not heaps of makeup. Beauty companies prefer a clean, stylish look Useful book Careers in Hairdressing, Beauty and Fitness Industries by Loulou Brown (Kogan Page, pounds 8.99)

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