S3, Ep8 – In conversationwith Lauren Murdoch-Smith
21 April 2023
As a renowned editor for British Vogue, Lauren Murdoch-Smith has the final word when it comes to everything lifestyle, beauty, and wellness. Having worked at the magazine and Vogue brand since 2014, she is currently holding the title of Acting European Beauty & Wellness Director.
Highly celebrated for her work across the industry, Lauren is often writing from a personal and lifestyle approach, her impressive career background seeing her involved and responsible for a vast edit of subjects to cover, often attached to the biggest names and brands in the industry.
Here Lauren joins Dr Reena on Harley Street, and they start the conversation by rewinding back to the beginning and how everything began. Join now.
Conversation Show Notes – The Recap
Lauren joins us looking chic as ever in jeans, a white t-shirt, and a black blazer, straight from the British Vogue HQ. We begin by exploring her journey into Condé Nast, during a time when internships were the primary route into the industry. Lauren gained invaluable experience covering reception placements and supporting the beauty teams, where her true passion lay. From placements at Marie Claire and InStyle, helping with the beauty awards, she moved on to her first ‘proper’ role as Beauty Assistant at Grazia, eventually working her way up to Beauty Editor before Vogue came calling.
Giving 100% to every role at each step of her career was crucial, as was the power of building key relationships within the industry. Everyone is incredibly time-poor, so making the effort to support others, especially those you aspire to work with, can truly make an impact.
Lauren describes the beauty industry as an incredible space to be part of — always bustling with activity yet notably kind and supportive. She shares a heartwarming story of a leader she interned for years ago who still makes the effort to schedule coffee catch-ups, highlighting the importance of nurturing a network and building lasting relationships.
Dr Reena and Lauren discuss the power of social media, noting how platforms like Instagram often showcase the polished highlights of a person’s life. However, Lauren emphasises that sometimes showing the reality can be just as important, especially when balancing a career with family life.
When reflecting on her proudest moments, Lauren names landing her role at British Vogue as a career highlight — an incredible opportunity and inspiring place to work. The heritage of Vogue House itself holds immense significance, embodying timeless gloss and authority, which comes with great responsibility.
Balancing career and family life requires a strong support system to keep everything running smoothly. Lauren admits that while it may seem effortless from the outside, it actually demands key organisation and careful planning.
On the topic of sustainability, a buzzword now across the entire lifestyle industry (and beyond), Dr Reena asks Lauren how she has embraced this personally. They discuss shifts within the industry and changing reader priorities. Lauren highlights how tier-1 brands are focusing on sustainability timelines, emphasising whether products are vegan, recyclable, or refillable. Packaging remains a significant challenge, often adding costs that get passed on to consumers. Blockchain technology is emerging as a key tool, allowing brands to transparently show the origin of ingredients, making sustainability a more subconscious consumer choice.
Finally, when it comes to her must-have products, Lauren keeps the classics close at hand — lip balm, hand cream, and fragrance are never far from her desk.
Episode Key Takeaways – The Best ideas
Hard Work & Networking: Hard work pays off, but when combined with the power of networking and consistently giving 100% to every role, success truly follows.
Value Early Connections: The people you work with at the start of your career often go on to accomplish incredible things, so always circle back and nurture these relationships.
The Beauty Industry: Beauty is incredibly multi-faceted and constantly evolving, making it a hidden gem well worth being part of.
Editing & Inspiration: Everyone writes differently, so reading others’ work can be a tremendous source of inspiration.
Career Changes: It’s never too late to change careers—always pursue something you love.
Sustainability: Sustainability has become a natural, almost subconscious choice.
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