There’s a new phrase doing the rounds online: Women in SPAM. Social media, PR, advertising and marketing. Basically, the jobs that look insanely fun from the outside. The press trips, the product launches, the airport outfits, the influencer dinners, the beauty bags, the hotel room selfies, the “technically working” camera roll that could pass for a very well-curated holiday dump.
It is also the career fantasy television has had a lot of fun with. The Emily in Paris version of the girl in marketing, where every workday comes with a great outfit, a campaign idea pulled out of thin air, a scenic backdrop and a slightly chaotic story to tell over dinner.
The real beauty PR girl, though, has her own version of the fantasy. There are still flights, launches, glam kits, packed itineraries, pinch-me work trips and products worth making extra suitcase space for. But there are also early call times, outfit changes in hotel rooms, ten minutes to get ready, a phone full of group chats and the very specific skill of making a busy work trip look effortless from the outside.
For Molly Grey, Senior PR and Influencer Marketing Manager at Huda Beauty, the beauty PR travel diary comes with a little bit of everything. In Setting The Pace, she talks airport looks, work trips, 10-minute glam and what it is really like to live somewhere between the Emily in Paris fantasy and the realities of the job.
Is the Emily in Paris fantasy of beauty and lifestyle PR reality or myth? What does your job actually look like on the ground?
When it comes to portraying a job in PR or marketing, Emily in Paris is a mix of both reality and myth. The series shows the glamorous, fun side of PR: the events, the PR trips, or work travel, the experiences, etc. It also highlights the creative side of PR strategy, ideating ways to break through the noise on social media in the ever-crowded space of consumer attention.
However, the show does not show the long days, the often sleepless nights and weeks, nor the amount of prep that goes into bringing PR experiences to life.
I’m talking about the less glamorous behind-the-scenes work that makes the end result look flawless: hello, 100s of cardboard boxes, dusty build-out sites, factories in remote areas, etc. It’s kind of like how PR girls show our lives on social media, showing only the end result: the curated edit of beautiful pictures. But trust me, behind the glamour, and the under-eye Faux Filter Concealer, is a lot of passion, hard work and dedication that brings it all to life.
What are the five pieces you build an airport look around every time?
1. I always travel in an athleisure set from Oysho or Reiss. They are soft like butter.
2. I always pack an oversized blazer, typically one from Anine Bing, to quickly elevate any look if we have to go straight to meetings after we land.
3. My Veja sneakers.
4. My Alo Suit Up Trousers: they look more like professional pants but are as comfortable as wearing track pants. They don’t wrinkle and are easy to just throw on.
5. Jewellery: I love to stack bracelets and necklaces. It always makes me feel more elevated, even if my look is more casual. I recently stocked up on great basics from Astrid & Miyu.
What are your carry-on beauty essentials when you’re bouncing between talent, press and events?
I cannot travel without Huda Beauty Faux Filler Jelly Lip Oil. Ask any of my colleagues and they will say I am travelling with 5+ lip products in my purse, most of which are lip oils.
I also use an antibacterial facial spray, which helps block bacteria and pollutants from the air on the plane. I notice a difference with my skin and breakouts if I use it before travel, especially for longer flights.
If you just landed in a new city and were going straight to an event, what would your 10-minute beauty routine be?
My makeup routine is always very fast, especially when we are running around for events. I wish I was as talented as our creators with their glam looks.
When I have 10 minutes, I apply Huda Beauty Color Corrector in Peach Light, a skin tint or buildable foundation, liquid blush, mascara, pressed powder, and finish with Huda Beauty Lip Contour Stain. Of course, I always end with setting spray to lock it in.
What does your Notes app look like during a big work trip?
When I travel, my WhatsApp becomes my diary. I send to-dos to myself, things I need to remember, or notes I need to get back to my hotel.
Before I travel, I type up my daily plan with my outfits to make packing easier and pin the message so I can always refer back, since we are constantly on the go and juggling these trips.
I also always carve out 30 minutes a day to connect with my family and have “me” time, allowing me to recenter and decompress.
What is your go-to order when it’s late, you’re tired and it’s still technically work?
The typical girl dinner: Caesar salad, sweet potato fries, and a large sparkling water with ice and lemon. I also love to have time to myself to unwind.
What is the best city for a work trip that actually feels fun after hours?
Mumbai is by far my favourite city out of the markets I travel to. The food, the people, the culture; I absolutely love visiting, and I am always discovering something new.
If we aren’t eating at Indian Accent or Aer Lounge, my team and I are trying out a new restaurant, usually in Bandra. Mumbai is the one city that we always go explore together as a team. With all of the travel we do together, my colleagues are not just my work friends, but truly have become my family.
What has travelling for work taught you about connecting with different communities?
Growing up travelling with my family, I have been fortunate to discover cultures around the world. I fell in love with travel thanks to my Dad.
This love for discovering new cultures and communities has continued into adulthood, both with personal and professional travel. It allows you to connect with people from all walks of life, from all different backgrounds. I am inspired by what new cultures can teach me. In my industry, that also means having the opportunity to connect with a variety of creator communities from all parts of the world.
I think this gives us a unique perspective, especially in a role that encompasses different markets globally.
This article appears in Soigné Middle East Issue 003, Setting The Pace.
