This Is 21: Gritty Pretty’s Rose Garnett On Kindness, Going From Intern To Beauty Writer And Her Superior Time Management Skills

Ask Rose Garnett a question in the Gritty Pretty office and she’ll know the answer. She’s that person we all turn to: whether it’s to plan the team WIPs, locate the perfect image for a story, lament about the day’s Covid-19 cases, or ask what mascara we should buy—Garnett knows it all.

At 21-years-old, Garnett is one of the brightest young voices in the Australian beauty industry and has one of the most covetable jobs to boot. So I bet it’ll surprise you to read that she hasn’t even graduated university yet. Yep, those are some seriously enviable time management skills.  

Here, Garnett explains how she went from intern, to assistant, to beauty writer while studying her degree and—the best bit—all while smiling along the way.

“I am lucky enough to be surrounded by so many incredible women in my life that have all influenced my love of beauty in one way or another. I used to sit on the floor in the bathroom and watch my step mum put on her makeup when she was going out. I was fascinated by all the products and especially remember her swirling her big fluffy brush in the Guerlain Meteorites Pearl Powder! And her applying the Lancôme Juicy Tubes! She used to buy them for my sister and I when we were little and they will always be very nostalgic for me. We felt like such grown ups.”

“I always knew I wanted to be a journalist. I think from about age nine or 10 I can remember telling my mum that I wanted to be the one who “told the stories on the news with the microphone.” I didn’t even know what a journalist was but I knew I wanted to be one. I felt very lucky throughout high school because I always had that clarity in what I wanted to do which was a great motivator for me in those final years. Fashion and beauty had always been passions of mine but I hadn’t ever thought about turning my love for them into a career.”

“It was always stressed to us at university that in an industry like journalism, getting real experience was so important to landing a job. I am one of those people that likes to do everything by the rulebook so I was determined to add as many internships to my resume as possible. I sat down one afternoon and probably emailed about 50 different people and publications asking if they needed an intern. I was persistent at following up if I didn’t hear back and then Gritty Pretty answered. I interned with the team one day a week for three months and loved it. It was my favourite day of the week. I remember calling my dad after my first day and saying “Yep, this is what I want to do. This is where I want to be.”

“I have always been a very determined person by nature. I am the eldest of seven kids and it’s always been very important for me to set a good example for them and be a role model they can look up to. Making them proud is the most important thing to me. Towards the end of my internship, the position of Beauty Assistant & Editor’s PA opened up and I was asked by our then Beauty Director, Erin Cook, to interview for it. At this stage I was finishing the second year of my journalism degree and, as someone who loves a plan, this was a change I hadn’t factored in. But I am big on trusting my gut and I just knew it felt like the right thing. I got the call from Eleanor to say that I’d landed the job in December of 2019 while I was Christmas shopping. I cried in the news agency because I was so happy. To this day, I am so grateful to Eleanor for having faith in little old me.”

“I think initiative was one of the qualities that helped me succeed as an intern. Just getting in there, putting your hand up for anything and getting it done. Whether that’s the bin run or designing assets on photoshop or writing Instagram captions, you’ve just got to get stuck in. No task is too big or too small. Being kind and grateful for the opportunity will go a long way. Kindness goes a long way in anything, to be honest.

In terms of what I look for in our interns now, initiative, persistence and being personable are the top three traits. Someone who is a go-getter and determined to make a mark on the business.”

“When I am not in lockdown, I work at the Gritty Pretty headquarters three days a week and then have two days working from home. On the days I am in the office I generally like to arrive by 7:45am to get set up before the hustle and bustle starts at 8:30am. No two days are the same but if it’s a Monday or Wednesday we have our team meeting at 9:30am which generally runs for about one to one and a half hours. After that I generally have a mix of writing time, organising the beauty cupboard, podcast recordings, PR appointments, media events, shoots, organising product call ins and managing Eleanor’s schedule. Each day being different is what I love most about my job. Working in a small business, you get to dip your toes into everything and see how all aspects of the business work. It’s something I am very lucky and grateful to have experienced in my first role.”

“I have just started my final semester and final subject at university so I’m on the home stretch now. I make lists for absolutely everything. I have a university to-do list, a work to-do list, a personal admin to-do list, if I have “to do” it, I probably have it on a list somewhere. Jotting these things down just helps to get it out of your head which I also find helps with feeling less anxious and stressed. I also always let my lecturers and tutors know that I work full-time on top of my degree. Building this level of understanding and communication has always helped me feel like they’ve got my back if something urgent pops up at work or if I have to dip out of a class. One thing I’m still working on is not being so much of a perfectionist. When balancing full-time work and full-time study I’ve learnt to accept that I may not be able to nail every single assignment. It’s easier said than done but I think it’s important to be kind to yourself when balancing anything; be that work and motherhood or work and study or your relationship and friendships. My grandma has always told us that “It’s not about being the best, it’s about doing your best” and those words definitely help me when I get overwhelmed.”

Skincare product she can’t live without: CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser. “No matter how many cleansers I try, I will always come back to this one. It is the best!”

Makeup product she uses everyday: Benefit Cosmetics 24hr Brow Setter Clear Brow Gel. “I don’t really wear makeup everyday but I always apply this brow gel. It keeps my brows tamed all day long.”

Favourite self-care product: “I love a luxurious body scrub! At the moment, my favourite is the Sans [Ceuticals] Bio Active Body Exfoliant. It leaves the skin feeling so soft and nourished.”

Top time-management trick:
“Lists! I have notebooks all over my house: a work one next to my computer, a journal next to my bed and one in my handbag. Every time I think of something I need to do, I jot it down. I’m old school with pen and paper but I find that when I can see everything I need to do, I am better equipped to prioritise and get everything done.”