If hitting “send” on a pitch to a beauty editor makes you feel the same way talking to your high school crush did (sweaty palms, mild nausea, the “I should’ve said this instead”), you’re absolutely not alone. When you’ve poured your heart and soul into your brand and product, landing it in the inbox of someone who lives and breathes beauty trends can feel… terrifying. Even when you know your product is worth every editor’s attention.

Enter Marie‑Antoinette, Beauty & Lifestyle Editor at The Carousel, who knows exactly what it’s like to be on the receiving end of pitches — the good, the bad, and the “please don’t make me open another folder I don’t have permission to view” kind. Editors are busy, human, and just as overwhelmed by their inboxes as the rest of us.

So, what makes Marie‑Antoinette stop scrolling? Clarity, the right info up front and personality. And yes… the occasional xoxo never hurts. If pitching feels high‑stakes, she’s here to remind you: editors aren’t looking for perfection. They’re looking for products and brands that stand out from the get‑go — even from that initial subject line.

Q1. Thanks so much for chatting with us Marie-Antoinette. To kick things off, can you share a bit about your role at The Carousel and how you came to be a Beauty & Lifestyle editor?

To start, as a typical eldest ethnic daughter, I was ‘heavily encouraged’ by my parents to pursue one of the Holy Trinity of degrees — medicine, law, or engineering. So, obediently, I opted for a Bachelor of Laws combined with a Bachelor of Media at Macquarie University.

However, given that I did work experience at Dolly when I was in Year 10 and used to consume magazines with the same level of emotional dependence I now have on a 3pm chocolate hit, the odds of ending up rocking a barrister’s wig and cloak were always quite low.

Following that first foray into Park St (where, instead of normal girls my age, my adolescent crushes were journalists like Shonagh Walker), I returned for a second stint of work experience at Cleo magazine while I was at uni.

I was extremely blessed to have the amazing Paula Joye take a leap of faith on me and hire me for my first full-time job as a sub-editor for the launch of Madison magazine.

I absolutely loved my time in Mag Land and went on to work at, among others, NW, New Idea, Shop Til You Drop and Cosmo, where I was the first web editor.

Because I was an avid traveller, I opted to go freelance (shout-out to taking four months off to watch the World Cup and go backpacking in South America), so the specific timeline of my career following is a little blurry, but includes roles as a producer on The NRL Footy Show, in PR and celebrity management, and then digital — writing for websites like Primped (Zoe Foster’s pre–Go-To Bay), The Daily Mail, I Quit Sugar (ironic, as I’ve never met a carb I didn’t love), The Urban List, Concrete Playground, and more recently Australian Good Food Guide. Okay, and some less glamorous copywriting work — including a current part-time job at a law firm, because those bills aren’t going to pay themselves.

(Still keeping track? Told you it was confusing!)

It was during COVID, with work becoming as dry as my skin under a face mask, that life did a bit of a 360. I reached out to Shonagh (who was the then editor of The Carousel) and asked about some writing opportunities with her.

She was, as she always has been, extraordinarily generous and opened the door for me — where I lodged myself and haven’t since budged…

I didn’t actually meet Robyn Foyster (Editor-in-Chief) until a few years after I’d started contributing, but she has also been an incredible mentor to me. When she first asked me to write for The Carousel’s sister site — Women Love Tech — I expressed my concern about being the least techy tech journalist in Sydney (my brother still updates my phone for me).

Fortunately, Robyn had faith in me and has played a huge part in my professional development — giving me trust and creative reins to grow into the role of Beauty & Lifestyle Editor, and extending that opportunity to her new websites https://womenlovetravel.com.au/ and https://womenlove.health/ (A will plug these in!)

Q2: For a bit of fun, before we get into all things pitching — as a Beauty & Lifestyle Editor, you’ve seen your fair share of trends… What's the most surprising, bizarre, or memorable one you’ve come across?

I know there have been a lot of predictions that 2026 will be the new 2016, and honestly, I’m not mad about it. I loved the era of contour and highlighter, matte lips, and Kim Kardashian–esque spider lashes.

Q3: What will make a pitch stand out to you? (tone, length or subject line etc.)

As a woman trapped in a very dad-joke kind of body, I love a cheeky pun that makes me giggle in the subject line (used appropriately, of course — even my dark humour doesn’t extend to important health pitches!). Given that I still spend three days a week writing very serious articles about NCAT disputes at a very serious law firm, I live for an email that comes with xoxo sign-offs!

Q4: What are the must-haves in a pitch email for you? (images, product info, price, availability etc.)

Images, product info, price, availability… all the above, please! Please share links that go directly to the product and try to avoid sending images via folders that may not be directly accessible. I should also mention that I strongly prefer communication via email. As a lifelong people-pleaser, I’m still working on how to say ‘please don’t follow up your pitch with a phone call’ — but in the spirit of honesty, it’s much appreciated. I know clients want updates, but it can be a little awkward when I’m fielding a call about a brilliant new bronzer while my law-firm boss needs me to SEO a blog post about building disputes.

Q5. With so many brands vying for attention in the beauty space, what are your top tips for helping a brand cut through the noise?

I love the opportunity to trial products. With information so easily available online, the chance to actually get my hands dirty — or rose-scented, in the case of a good hand cream — is never wasted. I also love a well-presented press kit. Why fib? As someone who works in beauty, it makes absolute sense to experience beautiful things that take my breath away.

Q6. Over the course of your career in media, what major changes have you observed in the way beauty and lifestyle content is created, consumed, or pitched?

When it comes to content creation, you name it — I’ve seen it. Feel free to guess my age based on the fact that I’ve witnessed the evolution of print to digital to social — in all of its incarnations — and now, AI.

Q7. And finally, how does Flaunter support your work, whether it is sourcing content, discovering brands, or streamlining your workflow?

It’s a fab platform for content, connections, and anyone who thinks they’re cool.

Rapid fire

Favourite beauty item: Huda Beauty Faux Filter Foundation. Is it sticky, thick, and giving matte makeup 1992? Yes. But does it give me the kind of finish that looks like I’ve applied a literal filter to my face? Also yes … so it’s a keeper.

Last book you’ve read: Does the back of a protein bar count? Because nothing says 2026 like being peer pressured to hit your macros.

Morning ritual you can’t skip: I always say my prayers.

Weekend indulgence: Western Sydney acai: chocolate spreads and sugary granola > the ‘healthy’ bowl. And yes, I will die on this hill.

To connect with Marie-Antoinette, you can contact her via her Flaunter profile.

Pitching Playbook: Tips from Marie-Antoinette Issa from The Carousel