First of all, what does the role of a Beauty Buyer involve? Is it as glamorous as it sounds?

My role is to determine the ranging of products and brands within the Beauty section of Myer. There are glamorous aspects of the role like trialing products and brands before they have been launched, as well as working with world class suppliers like L’Oreal and Estee Lauder, however it is a LOT of hard work! I think people would be surprised with how much work is actually involved; from being accountable for achieving financial parameters for the business to negotiating the best trading deals managing marketing as well as day to day operations. As much as I would love to just try products all day there is a lot of work that goes into managing 35+ beauty brands!

Beauty Buyer Shaylee Caracciolo

What did you want to be when you grew up? Did you always want to be a buyer and what drove you to this career path?

Yes! I think if you asked anyone who knows me – I have been set on this career path since I was in my teenage years. Throughout all of high school I knew buying was what I wanted to do. After various roles in retail and the more I learnt about the‘head office’ side of the business the more it began to increasingly interest me. I have always been into fashion & beauty and so I knew that buying would be a well suited role.

Beauty Buyer Shaylee Caracciolo

How did you manage to land your dream role as a Buyer?

  • I remained focused on the end goal
  • Found strong female mentors and listened to their expertise and guidance
  • Took on roles that were not glamorous by any means, all just to gain more knowledge and experience in the retail world
  • Before Buying I pursued a career in Planning (which looks after the financials of the business) and while although not a exciting role this set me up to be a more well rounded Buyer

Beauty Buyer Shaylee Caracciolo

What advice would you give other people wanting to get into buying?

If you’re interested in buying and are unsure what to study at University, my best advice would be to do a Bachelor of Business – this will give you well rounded knowledge. From there I suggest landing a role in a head office environment and working your way up from there. Even if the role isn’t glamorous and doesn’t fit exactly what you are looking for- give it a go! Sometimes all you need is your foot in the door and some experience.

My next piece of advice is to never burn bridges with ANYONE you work with, whether it be the receptionist at the front desk to a person in a separate division. You never know when you will cross paths again; it is imperative that you keep good relationships.

Beauty Buyer Shaylee Caracciolo

As the skincare buyer you would get to try so many amazing products! What is your current skincare routine?

Yes I do! My current routine is:

Morning

Cleanse: Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser  is literally the best cleanser as it doesn’t leave your skin dry. I use this cleanser with the Foreo cleansing device for a good clean!

Moisturise: Estee Lauder Daywear as it hydrates perfectly and is light enough to sit under your makeup.

Night

Cleanse:  I like to use an oil based cleanser at night to really scrub all my makeup off. At the moment I’m using Cremorlab T.E.N Cremor Refreshing Cleansing Gel Oil.

Treatment: SKII Facial Treatment Essence using a cotton pad. This treatment improves skin clarity & tone

Serum: I use the iconic Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair

Moisturise: At night I like to use a heavy moisturiser and one of my favourite skincare brands is Clarins. At the moment I’m using Clarins HydraQuench Cream

Twice a week I also use Alpha H Liquid Gold, which is a resurfacing treatment. Once a week I use a mask and like to mix up the masks from all different brands. At the moment I’m using Tony Moly’s I’m Real Mask – which is launching in Myer in September.

What are some of your all time favourite beauty products?

My all time favourite top 5 that i can’t live without:

  1. MAC Prep & Prime Fix + – I spray this before I put on my makeup to hydrate my skin and after to set my makeup
  2. Benefit Hoola Bronzer
  3. Foreo
  4. Estee lauder Double Wear Foundation
  5. Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Balm

How do you like to relax and unwind out of work, and keep balance in your life?

I usually get home late and so does my husband, so we do our workouts in the morning and that’s our little time together before the day. On the weekends I will usually be relaxing with family and friends… and try not to check work emails!!

Beauty Buyer Shaylee Caracciolo

Finally, do you have a favourite quote or saying that inspires you?

When women support each other, incredible things happen

Beauty Buyer Shaylee Caracciolo

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Author

Sophie is the owner and creator of The Beautiful Existence. A Melbourne based self proclaimed nerd, gym junkie and lover of all things creative, tasty and well designed!

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