Passionate about all things “beauty”, Zipho Ntloko – creative director, beauty editor, make-up artist – is the perfect person to teach you how to master content creation…
Formerly print magazine Group Senior Beauty Editor, Zipho has taken on an exciting new role as the editor of online beauty platform Foschini Beauty – the first multi-brand digital beauty community to be launched by a South African retailer.
READ MORE: What You Need To Know About A Career In The Beauty Industry
Zipho is all about creating content that is relatable, diverse and inclusive of those who have a long history of being underrepresented in mainstream media. The beauty industry has become a gender-neutral space and she aims to continue to celebrate this. Here, she tells GH what makes great content, and how you can do it too.
How to master content creation, from someone in the biz
1/ Start by creating content for yourself.
“This way you will gradually begin to build your digital presence and beauty portfolio,” explains Zipho.
2/ Create a beauty blog to show off your writing skills.
Do some at-home make-up shoots to showcase your creative eye… and be consistent! “This is how I began in the industry,” she says.
READ MORE: An Insider’s Guide To The South African PR Industry
3/ Never be too intimidated to shoot your career “shot”.
“I know the thought of doing so is daunting for most, but it can open doors for you and lead to some incredible opportunities,” says Zipho.
While at university, working in retail as a sales assistant, she learnt that a co-worker happened to be related to the beauty assistant at a popular glossy magazine. “I asked for their contact details immediately, sent my CV for future internship posts, eventually got an interview, aced it, was offered the internship that same day, and that is how my career in beauty began,” says Zipho.
4/ Don’t be afraid to ask.
“Never let doubt and fear come between you and your aspirations — you’ve got this!”
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baby face 👽 videographer: @queenluffie for cosmo beauty haul ✨ artwork: @michelle_cory ✨
Know that freelancing comes with challenges – and learn from them
“As a freelancer, at the start of my career, I had to take on several low-earning opportunities and I experienced mistreatment and bullying as an assistant,” says Zipho. “Even though these memories still conjure frustration and take me back to moments crying in my car way too regularly… these experiences have shaped the type of editor I am today.”
Zipho is vocal about better treatment – and better pay – for assistants and juniors. “This is something I’ve grown to value during my career, so I try to provide opportunities for other aspiring beauty editors,” she adds.
It’s so important to have a mentor
Zipho found a mentor in the media and beauty industry who consistently motivated and guided her as an intern and assistant. “Her guidance played a vital role in my career and helped cement my passion for cosmetics,” she says.
Biggest life lesson learnt so far…
It will all work out in the end.
“I’m a middle child who grew up with the most intelligent siblings and spent a lot of my adolescent years worried about my future and what I would become in my adult years. It was only after my undergraduate degree that I figured out my love for beauty,” says Zipho.
“If there are any matriculants or varsity students reading this who feel lost or pressured to pick a career path, block all that noise and enjoy your youth. You are too young to be stressing about such things. I promise you will figure it out in time.”
Connect with Zipho…
Connect on Instagram: @zipho.ntloko
Email: [email protected]
