Katrina has been a beauty editor for over 15 years. Not one centimetre of skin or hair has been left untouched in her professional pursuits. Before PRIMPED, Katrina was a beauty writer and editor for a number of top magazines, including Cleo, Shop Til You Drop, Harper's Bazaar and Madison and spent 18 months working as a freelancer in New York.
Katrina lives in Sydney with her interior / architectural designer husband Andy Cliffe and and two boys, Noah (3) and Otto (6 months).
Katrina Lawrence is the editor of Australia's leading online beauty go-to, Primped.com.au.
C4K: How did you end up working in digital media and what do you love most about the world you work in?
KL: I'd been working in magazines most of my career, although had dabbled in the digital world with my own beauty site and writing for some other online publications. I was really loving my freelance-writing life (going to yoga whenever I wanted, taking my laptop to cafes, etc) but when the opportunity came up to edit PRIMPED, there was no hesitation that it was the right move. It's not only a great brand, with a dynamic team and exciting vision, but I knew the job would teach me all the new skills I'll need to stay on top of where the media industry is going. I love that I learn something new every day. I'm so excited every morning at the prospect of where the day will take me, and where we're taking PRIMPED.
C4K: You've got two very little ones with a busy job, how do you juggle the demands of both?
KL: We have a full-time nanny who is the bee's knees. She minds Otto (our 6 month old) every day, and she also has Noah (who's 3) on two of those days – the other three, he's at daycare. My husband has an office at home, so if I have to leave early or come home a little late, he can pick up some slack. However, I try to be really strict about getting home at 6, so I can oversee bottles and bathing and books at bedtime. It has meant missing out on some glamorous dinners and parties, but honestly, I'd rather be home in my trackies with my boys.
C4K: What sort of child care do you use and how does it work for you?
KL: We chose daycare for Noah, for three days a week, because we wanted him to have some socialisation. He's a little introverted so it's proving to be really beneficial. The one drawback is that the centre is only open from 8.30 – 5.30, which means on those three days I'm a little late for work, and Andy must finish up early. It's not ideal but it's our only option for now as the waiting list situation around here (Bondi) is horrendous. As for our nanny, she's worth every cent (we don't feel comfortable at the thought of putting Otto in full-time daycare at such a young age – not that we could have got him in anywhere, despite my putting his name down on three waiting lists when I was two months pregnant!). I imagine she'll be with us for at least a couple of years, then we'll look at how the mix is all going. In terms of other support, my parents are in Sydney about a week or two every month, in which time they're super-hands-on, or we'll hire a babysitter for a date night here or there.
C4K: You only took 3 months maternity leave this time. Was that a personal choice or a work directive?
KL: It was two months actually! Crazy, I know. And I worked up until the day before the birth. But I was offered the job when 7 months pregnant, and I just knew it was meant to be. The company put me on a two-month contract, hired an acting editor for my mat leave, then I started full-time work when Otto was 8 weeks. I wouldn't have done it if he was my first baby, but we just felt that we could pull together and make it work. The secret was making Otto a routine baby! We got strict with his sleep patterns from about 5 weeks, and he was pretty much sleeping through by 3 months, which made life that much easier.
C4K: Back to work must have come around very quickly – were you prepared for it and how did you manage with such a young baby at home?
KL: I was actually really ready for it, because I was so excited about the job. The way I dealt with the juggle was ‘compartmentalising' everything. When at work, I focused on that 100% (except when I had to run off to pump!); at home, I tried to just be about family, although when you work online, it's hard to resist the temptation to moderate comments, or scour through sites like Getty Images to get inspiration for your next blogs.
C4K: Did you suffer from motherguilt with either child when you returned to work? Is it worse or better with a shorter time at home?
KL: I went back to freelancing when Noah was 4 months, so it was a perfect balance for me, him being number one and me needing time with him in which to learn about parenting. I do think it is easier the second time around to take less mat leave and throw yourself back into full-time work if need be. But really, I think you have to tell yourself you simply won't feel the guilt. I'm working this hard right now because it's the right thing not just for me at this stage of my career, but for our future family. My husband has his own business in the building industry, which is always up and down, so I think it's important that I have a stable job, complete with the peace-of-mind that salary and superannuation bring.
C4K: You work in the beauty industry and go to lots of events. How do you manage to be perfectly turned out with two small children and sleepless nights?!
KL: Haha, believe me, there are days when I don't look the part of a beauty editor at all! I try to limit my events, because our pace is so hectic that we need to be at our desks as much as possible. On these office days, I just let my hair air-dry and often can be found quickly making up while the traffic lights are red (morning light is better for makeup than bathroom lights anyway!) My other secret is to do as much the night before that you can: shave, wash hair, fake tan, etc…
C4K: What three things could you not do without as a working mum?
KL: My nanny and my mum. A managing director who is understanding of the importance of family. Post-it notes (I have to-do lists everywhere!). Oh, can I add another: My morning soy chai.
Primped is the go-to in beauty how-to, so get more of Katrina's tips at primped.com.au.
For Andy's interior and architectural design services go to theworldisround.com.au.
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