For any beauty lover in Australia, there's a very good chance of having read an article written by Eleanor Pendleton, the Sydney based journalist, editor and entrepreneur. After cutting her teeth in the world of print magazines, she went out on her own, founding digital magazine Gritty Pretty, one of the first of its kind in Australia; focusing specifically on the world of beauty.
Image courtesy of: @eleanorpendleton
These days glance through current and past editions of the Gritty Pretty Magazine and you'll discover stories and covers featuring a multitude of well-known women including Miranda Kerr, Zoë Foster Blake and Hailey Bieber, and the magazine is only continuing to grow in popularity.
We caught up recently with Eleanor to talk all things beauty, media and Gritty Pretty. You can read our full conversation below:
Nude by Nature (NbN): We’d love to hear more about your professional background, and about the beginnings of your online magazine, Gritty Pretty.
Eleanor: After graduating high school, I was accepted into two universities — but I decided to fast-track my career to study a two-year journalism degree at Macleay College, Sydney. It was my dream to work at a publication, so I routinely emailed my favourite magazines seeking internship opportunities. I got my break at Cosmopolitan magazine where I was mentored by Zoë Foster Blake, who opened my eyes to the world of beauty editorial. From there, I was made the youngest-ever beauty editor in Australia at FAMOUS, and my final job in print was Beauty Editor at InStyle. I had started up a blog during this time which lay dormant for a few years—however once I was working as a freelance beauty writer, I saw the potential in blogs and digital, so I decided to take a massive gamble by throwing everything I earned as a freelancer into building Gritty Pretty. When I first created the site it was one of the first beauty blogs in Australia, and when we relaunched we were the first digital magazine in the country dedicated solely to beauty. Since then, I’m extremely proud that Gritty Pretty has grown from strength to strength thanks to my incredibly dedicated team.
Image courtesy of: @eleanorpendleton
NbN: What are your thoughts about online publishing versus traditional print, and their future?
Eleanor: I think that there is a place for both digital and print publishing in our current media landscape. Coming from the world of magazines, I’ve always had a soft spot for traditional print—there’s something really special about turning the pages of a glossy magazine. However, there are so many affordances that digital publishing allows that print cannot—it allows us to be fast-moving, adaptive and flexible. It also means that we can be more accessible to our readers and reach a wider, beauty-obsessed audience. There’s a level of interactivity that Gritty Pretty Magazine can create that traditional print can’t create—video, gifs and the like that allow a fresh, engaging experience with beauty every time they turn the virtual page.
NbN: What beauty products do you think every woman should own, and why?
Eleanor: I love skincare, and think that every woman should have a good skin regimen in place—it’s the perfect way to take some time for yourself and ensure that your skin is getting what it needs. My skin loves ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil and rosehip oil; and an SPF is an everyday essential.
When it comes to make-up, you can’t beat a great base that you can rely on to give even, radiant coverage all day long. I’m all about a dewy, glowing base, so an illuminator or highlighter is also a must-have!
Image courtesy of: @eleanorpendleton
NbN: We’re coming into the Winter months here in Australia. It would be great to hear of any beauty hacks that you have for the cooler months.
Eleanor: Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! It’s so easy to get dry, parched skin in the winter months not only from the drop in mercury, but the near-constant exposure to indoor heating which can really take its toll on your skin. I would say to use a hyaluronic serum both day and night, and look to build in hydration in every step of your regime—from cleanser, to mists and moisturisers to your foundation. I love adding a drop of face oil into my foundation during winter to combat dry skin. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water every day.
NbN: Are you able to let us know who you love following on Instagram, and what you love about their content.
Eleanor: For me, Instagram is a great source of inspiration so I follow a number of stylists, bloggers and make-up artists whose work I love: @tylynnnguyen, @mathildegoehler, @anoukyve, @theapricotmemoirs, @nikkideroest, @namvo, @jenatkinhair, @marisahampe, @missarahglover, @stormibree and @rosiehw.
I love being entertained by the likes of @chrissyteigen and I’m inspired by women such as @jacindaardern. Oh, and who can forget @sussexroyal.
Image courtesy of: @eleanorpendleton
NbN: It seems like you love to travel (& really, who doesn’t!). Have you got any unforgettable destinations that you have visited in the last couple of years, and also are there any that you have on your current travel bucket list?
Eleanor: Travelling is one of my favourite things to do and luckily I have had a few opportunities to do so over the last year. I went to South Africa, Iceland and had my wedding on Boracay Island in the Philippines just over a year ago, which was unforgettable in so many ways. It was such a beautiful location and will always be special to me due to all the precious memories made there. I recently came back from New Zealand for the second time, and am as in love as ever with the amazing landscape. On my bucket list at the moment is Sri Lanka, the landscape and beaches look beautiful, and I’m really keen to experience their cuisine and culture.
NbN: Do you have any big goals that you’re hoping to achieve in the next 12 months, and are you able to let us know what they are?
Eleanor: There’s a lot of exciting plans in the works that I unfortunately can’t reveal - all good things come to those who wait! The Gritty Pretty team are currently preparing to move to a larger office space later in the year, and are also organising this year’s One Night Only reader event, which is looking to be bigger and better than ever!
Image courtesy of: @eleanorpendleton
NbN: Final question! Do you have a favourite inspirational or motivational quote?
Eleanor: “Style is about knowing who you are, what you want to say and not giving a damn.” Gore Vidal
