Maddie Davies
Current Employer/Organisation Name
Feelunique
What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?
Upon graduating from Exeter in July 2018, I went on to travel around Sri Lanka for a month and returned home to begin job hunting. In August and September, I started an internship with London Evening Standard supporting the fashion and beauty team in the run-up and duration of London Fashion Week. During this fulfilling (unpaid) experience, I began applying for jobs that centralises around writing in the beauty industry, which is now one of the biggest industries in the UK. One day I applied for the role as a Beauty Writer for Feelunique; the next day, I was being asked to attend an interview the following week. A month later, I started my first job as a graduate at Feelunique based in Covent Garden. Though many think I was very lucky to get a job within 4 months of graduating; however, in my three years at Exeter, I was working as an unpaid intern through the summers that has totalled to 26 weeks unpaid work.
Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?
My part-time job throughout university was working as a make-up artist for brands such as Benefit Cosmetics and MAC. As an English student, it only made sense to combine my love for beauty and my enthusiasm for writing. I love that I am working for one of the largest industries in the UK, a industry that is creative and constantly evolving. It is the first major industry to take a positive step forward in animal cruelty and the reduction of plastic. It’s also an industry that welcomes all ages and genders. We are also capturing a new generation – one that is actually interested in what goes into their products, what it does for their skin and how it impacts the wider environment. I am constantly learning in this industry and I am forever excited by what’s to come.
What did you enjoy most about studying here?
I loved the campus – it felt like a little student bubble plonked right on top of the hill that couldn’t be burst. I loved that I could do my work somewhere different everyday and not get bored of it (even if 60% of my dissertation was written in Queen’s Café drinking flat whites and eating pastries).
Why did you choose to study at Exeter?
I choose to study at Exeter because of it’s tremendous reputation for teaching, particularly for English. The syllabus excited me from the moment I saw it on the first open day in June 2016 – I just knew that I was going to study there. With my home being South Wales, the hills and greenery of Exeter didn’t feel too far away from what I was used to. So, I think the idea of a home-away-from-home had a bit of a part to play in my decision making, too.
What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?
I have learned how to interact with PR’s and how that industry works so well with the world of beauty. I have had the experience of interviewing major leaders in this field, such as Charlotte Tilbury, Huda Kattan and Trinny Woodall. Throughout my time as an intern I was fortunate enough to be published in Cosmopolitan, Red Magazine, and London Evening Standard Online.
What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?
To get as much experience on your CV as possible; this industry seeks grafters, if they see you’ve been working unpaid, that shows them how much you want to succeed.
What are your plans for the future?
I hope to go on to be a senior beauty writer and from there I’d be excited to see where the industry takes me.
