The Job Files: Gemma Dimond, beauty writer and founder of Glow Journal
Introducing our first guest!
I first encountered Gemma Dimond on TikTok a few years ago when I was watching one of her GRWMs (‘get ready with me’ for those of us who aren’t chronically online). I was instantly enamoured. Gemma has a very engaging demeanour and a knack for creating witty, entertaining content that immediately hooks you in. However, social media only offers a small insight into her incredibly impressive career.
When it comes to her job, Gemma wears a lot of different hats. She is one of those people you would talk to and go, “Wow, you’re job seems so cool” and that’s because, well, it is. In 2016, she founded Glow Journal (the blog), which eventually evolved into a podcast that has seen her interview some of the best beauty owners in the biz. In addition, Gemma works as an MC, beauty writer and content creator. In a world rapidly becoming digital, Gemma is well and truly evolving with the times… I’ll let her dive in.
Introduce yourself…
I’m Gemma Dimond, I’m 32 years old and living in Melbourne (always have!), and if we’ve just met I’ll tell you I’m a beauty writer (to save you the time).
Describe your current role…
… but if you pushed me on it, my work is a pretty even split across MCing (namely for beauty brands), paid partnerships across my Instagram and TikTok profiles (“influencing”), hosting and producing the Glow Journal podcast (in its 7th year, a podcast focusing on the business side of beauty), and running my copywriting business (also for beauty brands—so “beauty writer,” while simplified, is still a pretty apt umbrella term).
How would you describe the nature of your work in three words?
The. Best. Ever. (I really do feel so lucky!)
Growing up, what career did you envision for yourself?
This is oddly specific for a 5-year-old, but I always knew I wanted a career in media, although I wasn’t sure what that would look like. Writing has always been my first love, I’ve always loved public speaking, presenting, and an audience (figures), and I’ve always loved fashion and beauty. My godmother has always worked in television, so I spent a lot of time at the old GTV 9 studios on Bendigo Street as a kid. I had an understanding from early on that “media” encompassed so much more than the finished product, and I remember being really excited by that.
Did you study at University?
I did! By my final years of secondary school I knew I wanted to write, but I didn’t feel I could really hone my writing skills and work out specifically what kind of writer I wanted to be in a lecture theatre—that’s just not my learning style.
I studied Professional Writing & Editing at RMIT Tafe straight out of school, which was the best decision ever for so, so many reasons:
I was the baby of the course, so I was surrounded by adults (!) who had been working for years as news writers, book editors, screenwriters, children’s book authors… you name it. They encouraged me to start pitching stories to publications I wanted to write for early, which landed me my first role as a fashion writer (and later, editor) when I was still 18.
Learning how to write and edit in a smaller classroom environment has helped me to write better scripts when I’m MCing, it’s allowed me to research my podcast guests more thoroughly… it gave me so many skills that I couldn’t have foreseen myself needing at the time.
It allowed me to move really seamlessly over to my second course at RMIT University with a bunch of credits under my belt, so I was able to study part-time and continue working as an editor while I finished my degree.
After that, I studied a Bachelor of Communications (Professional Communication, majoring in Journalism) at RMIT University.
What was your first professional job?
I landed a role as a Contributing Fashion Writer for a Melbourne-based fashion, beauty, and lifestyle website when I was 18 (unpaid, but it secured invitations to events at which I met people I still work with to this very day, so it was invaluable). They promoted me to Fashion Editor by the time I was 20, and from there I was headhunted by L’Oréal Paris to write beauty content for their Australian advertorial platform.
You launched Glow Journal in 2016. What was the progression from your first job to launching your own business?
I spent 2015 balancing the final year of my journalism degree, working as Beauty Editor of L’Oréal Paris Australia’s advertorial platform (but my primary contacts were working in Paris, so I was working overnight), as well as Fashion Editor at a website here in Melbourne—oh, to have the stamina I had a decade ago!
At the end of 2015, I had the opportunity to move into my fashion role full-time, but the business changed quickly and dramatically in 2016, and it was making me miserable. I realised mid-year that I missed beauty writing, so I started to build up some freelance beauty copywriting clients in my spare time. By October of that year, everything reached a head, and I started my own copywriting business at the ripe old age of 23!
How has Glow Journal evolved since 2016?
In 2016, I met with a web designer to put together a website to serve as nothing more than a portfolio for my copywriting work. She noted that it felt remiss not to add some sort of blog functionality- and the rest is history.
Glow Journal, the blog, served as a standalone editorial platform until 2018, which is when I launched the Glow Journal podcast. I’ve since closed the website as the podcast, my MCing and social media work, and my copywriting clients have been my priority, but watch this space…
What has been your most significant learning since launching Glow Journal? Has it been easier or more challenging than you anticipated?
This is such a basic answer, but time management. I’ve got so many balls in the air at all times, I can’t afford to not be on top of everything. Really special trips and incredible MCing jobs can pop up on very little notice, and I’d hate to turn down an incredible opportunity for a reason as menial as not being on top of admin in another part of the business.
Alongside Glow Journal, you have a strong and growing presence on social media as a content creator. Do you have a strategy for posting on social media, or does it come about organically?
A bit of both?! I’m definitely not strategic in terms of growing my platforms—it all started very organically, with people just following along because I was going to cool events and interviewing interesting people, so it’s always just more fun for me if I don’t overthink it. I’m also a great example of the numbers not mattering—in the grand scheme of things I’d still be considered a “micro” influencer, but I’ve been doing this full time for 8 years so I’m proof that an engaged audience is far more valuable than a sizable one.
Where I am strategic, however, is in how much I share. I keep my personal life to myself. I treat social media as a job—my husband doesn’t bring his work home with him, so why should I be live-streaming our dinners? I would say I’m strategic in that I know how much to share so that I’m still showing my community enough of who I am but maintaining a really firm boundary.
What does your typical 9 to 5 look like?
Has anyone in a creative field ever answered this without saying, “No two days are the same”?! The cliché exists for a reason! Today, for example, has largely been an admin day—I’ve come back into my workspace for a big morning of podcast planning (I’m changing up the structure a bit for season 7), I’m writing this over lunch, and this afternoon I’ll be writing up some notes on a new skincare launch I’ve been trialling and will be shooting content for soon, making some selects for a fashion content shoot I have coming up, and doing a little bit of bookkeeping.
What is the best part about your job?
The people! I get to meet new people almost every single day. I’m a real extrovert in that I get my energy from being around people—working for yourself can be really isolating, but I’ve designed my career in a way that feels very much the opposite.
What is the worst part about your job?
It probably comes back to that point around boundaries. Deciding what I will and won’t share can be tricky, and existing online in the way that I do can make people feel like they’re owed 24-hour access to you.
You have interviewed some pretty incredible people and worked with amazing brands. What has been your biggest career highlight or “pinch me” moment?
I truly pinch myself every day—I make a concerted effort to remind myself how stoked a younger Gem would be if she knew this would be her life, even on the bad days!
There’s been a lot of highlights, but the opportunity to travel (both locally and internationally) for work is always really special. My first overseas work trip was to Singapore with La Mer a couple of years ago—I was the only talent from Australia chosen to attend the event, so that was just beyond my wildest dreams. Last year I travelled to both Tokyo and London with Nissan and, again, was the only Aussie on the trip—I now have friends from all over the world thanks to those trips, which is just the greatest gift of all.
Do you have any career regrets?
Honestly, no! My friends, family, and husband would definitely tell you I should have started working for myself sooner, as I had a really miserable 6 or so months in there, but I think sticking it out was necessary—yes, I was miserable and treated pretty horribly, but it’s given me a really thorough understanding of what I want out of life and work, and how to be a good boss when I eventually hire. I don’t regret staying as I think that was a decision I needed to reach in my own time.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone trying to get into your field, what would it be?
Start posting on TikTok. There’s still so much potential for growth on that platform. There is truly no better way to get your name out there. Making a name for yourself will put you on the radar of big decision makers, it will get you event invitations, it will allow you to network… there’s no harm in starting now and seeing where it takes you.
Is there a quote you live by?
Not a quote, but I do have the word “enjoy” tattooed on my arm as a reminder to do just that. I fell into a dangerous routine years ago where I’d tick something major off my career bucket list, and instead of sitting in that feeling I’d be straight on the phone to my manager asking “Okay, what’s next?” Not a healthy way to live!
What do you do to feel inspired?
Get some fresh air!
In an ideal world, what do the next five years look like for you?
There’s been a lot of change in my life away from work recently, so as long as my family and I are all happy and healthy, I’ll take it.
QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS
Your five dream dinner party guests…
Estee Lauder (obsessed with the story of her smashing a bottle at Galeries Lafayette- what an icon), Paul McCartney (his carpool karaoke is my comfort watch), Steve Martin, Amy Winehouse, Virgil Abloh.
Favourite piece of clothing in your wardrobe…
The black Ellery blazer I bought myself when I started working for myself in 2016. I still wear it now!
A beauty product you can’t live without…
Sunscreen! It’s gotta be SPF50+ and it’s gotta be broad spectrum.
The best compliment you have ever received…
My husband uses the word “magnetic” to describe me and I think that’s the most beautiful thing ever.
The top of your bucket list…
Right now, I’m taking things day by day. Come back to me on this!
Good job!
Fab first edition 😍