10 influential beauty press to connect and pitch to in 2026
The beauty desk is one of the most competitive spaces in UK media. If you run or work for a beauty brand, you probably have a dream hit list of publications you'd love to be featured in — but pitching blind rarely works.
Knowing who sits behind each section, what they cover and what they're genuinely interested in is what separates a pitch that gets opened from one that gets ignored. The editors and journalists shaping beauty coverage at the UK's biggest titles — from Glamour and ELLE to Cosmopolitan and Grazia — need products and expert suggestions landing in their inboxes to produce their features. That's where you come in.
Here are 10 beauty editors and journalists worth knowing in 2026 and the editorial content they're shaping right now.
1. Keeks Reid - Cosmopolitan UK
Akesha Reid, better known as Keeks Reid, is Beauty Director at one of the UK's most widely read women's titles. In her role at Cosmopolitan, she oversees all beauty and hair coverage for a young, trend-led audience with a real appetite for new brands and products. A self-confessed hair fanatic, Keeks also has a strong Instagram presence with over 10k followers, where she regularly shares beauty content and behind-the-scenes glimpses into her work.
2. Medina Azaldin - ELLEUK & Harper’s Bazaar UK
Medina Azaldin is Beauty Editor across both ELLE and Harper's Bazaar UK, covering print and digital features. From tried-and-tested product roundups and beauty and wellness news to hair and nail trends, Medina has her finger firmly on the pulse of what's resonating with readers right now. Recent pieces span everything from bob haircuts for fine hair to SPF edits for oily and acne-prone skin — a good indicator of the practical, solution-led content she gravitates towards.
3. Shani Cohen - Glamour UK
Shani Cohen came on board at Glamour UK as Commerce Writer in 2025, where her work sits at the intersection of beauty expertise and smart shopping. She covers skincare, makeup and haircare across product reviews and buying guides, with a clear editorial focus on helping readers make confident purchasing decisions. Recent pieces on vitamin C eye creams and top mascaras of 2026. If you've got a beauty product worth shouting about, she's well worth pitching.
4. Fiona Embleton - Glamour UK
Fiona Embleton brings over 15 years of award-winning beauty journalism to her role as Associate Beauty Director at Glamour UK. Having held senior positions at Marie Claire, Stylist and Cosmopolitan, and with bylines spanning Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Grazia and Vogue Scandinavia, it’s safe to say she's one of the most experienced beauty editors working in the UK today. At Glamour she steers the beauty and wellness agenda, from in-depth skincare and makeup features to celebrity beauty interviews. Have a read here.
5. Rachael Martin - Grazia
Rachael Martin is Beauty Director at Grazia UK, covering beauty, health and wellbeing across the title. Having started her career interning at Stylist and Harper's Bazaar, she found her way into beauty journalism where she’s making her mark. Her editorial interests span fragrance and skincare innovations, making her a strong contact for brands operating across any of those sectors.
6. Katy Young - Harper's Bazaar
With a remit spanning Good Housekeeping, ELLE UK, Harper's Bazaar UK, Red, Prima and Cosmopolitan, Katy Young is Group Luxury Beauty Director at Hearst. She covers everything from skincare and eye creams to ethical beauty brands and wellness trends. If you're pitching a luxury or premium beauty product, Katy is one contact who can open doors across multiple titles at once.
7. Lucy Smith - The Independent
Credit: Lucy Smith/The Independent
A senior shopping writer at The Independent's IndyBest section, Lucy Smith covers beauty and lifestyle with a strong commerce angle — think best mascara roundups, product comparisons and need-to-know launch coverage. She stays closely connected to dermatologists, makeup artists and trichologists, so
expert-led pitches and ingredient stories are likely to land well with her.
8. Shannon Lawlor - Marie Claire
A strong voice in UK beauty journalism, Shannon Lawlor heads up the beauty desk at Who What Wear UK. With stints at Marie Claire UK, Glamour UK, Stylist and Refinery29 under her belt, she brings a no-nonsense, accessible approach to everything she covers — from fragrance and skincare to foolproof makeup. She's well connected with industry experts and regularly weaves their insight into her features, so a strong product with a credible voice behind it is always going to be a good fit.
9.Aaliyah Harry - H! Fashion
Credit: https:/www.hellomagazine.com/
Based at H! Fashion as Digital Beauty Writer, Aaliyah Harry covers beauty, health and wellness across the title. With early experience at The Voice and the Hearst Magazines digital team, it was there she found her passion for beauty — testing the latest products, busting myths and getting under the skin of new trends. If you've got a new product dropping, Aaliyah is well worth pitching to.
10.Hanna Ibraheem - Stylist
Credit: https://www.stylist.co.uk
With over a decade in beauty journalism, Hanna Ibraheem brings a broad and curious editorial eye to her role as Beauty Director at Stylist, where she shapes beauty content across the magazine and online. She's known for going beyond straightforward product coverage, often exploring the industry through fresh and unexpected angles. If your brand has a point of view, Hanna is one to know.
A note on pitching to the UK beauty journalists
Knowing the name and having the email address is only half the job.
The pitches that land are the ones that feel personal — that show you've read their work, understood their interests and have a clear reason why your product is relevant right now.
Lead with a strong hook and tie your product to a seasonal moment, a newsworthy topic or an angle that will resonate with their readers.
Before you hit send, take five minutes to read back through their recent coverage. It makes more difference than you'd think.
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