Beauty Magazine Conventions Part 1

January 13, 2022                  

                Beauty Magazine Conventions Part 1

In my magazine I will be focusing on beauty. In the first step of the magazine process, I will be doing research and analyzing different beauty magazines and their conventions.

1. Genre of choice: Beauty Magazine

2. Genre Conventions: Content

Advertisements: Many advertisements that are in beauty magazines include makeup, fashion and health tips. Advertisement campaigns are included in magazines to create a message and to get people to buy a certain product. The ads shown in the magazines have to correlate with the message the author is trying to get across. For example, if a magazine has a page spread about the top beauty products in 2022 there might also be an advertisement for one of those certain products. These magazines may also include small samples of perfume or makeup attached to the pages if that is what they are advertising. 

Beauty magazine topics: You will be able to find many different topics in beauty magazines. Magazine publishers will likely include celebrity news and gossip to intrigue viewers. Simple beauty tips and hairstyles can attract people to buy the magazine because customers love things that are quick and don't take a lot of time to do. Fashion ideas based on celebrities should also be included to allow individuals to connect with famous icons and get inspiration on how to dress for certain occasions.

3. Genre Conventions: Production Techniques

Layout: The magazine cover analysis above shows that the layout always starts with the masthead. This is the title of the magazine and shows the name of the publisher. Next you will notice the main image, which is the shot of the model usually in the middle of the cover. The main headings included in the cover should correlate with the main image and be in a different font/ size than the other text. Sub-headings or cover lines are the supporting characters in a magazine. They break the magazine into categories and demonstrate the different topics that what will be shown inside. The date can be placed at either the top or bottom of the magazine cover and this tells readers when the magazine was published. A bar code is always shown at the bottom and allows distributers to identify the magazine and then sell it.

Colors: Color is a very important part of beauty magazines. Using bright colors can grab the readers attention. For example, in my sample #1 below the use of the color black in the masthead and the cover lines make the cover look elegant and chic. The red lettering brings the focus on the phrase "Make your look over". Choosing a specific color palette and making sure not to overload with color is a very important part of developing a beauty magazine.

4. Institutional Conventions: How is the genre marketed?

The target audience for beauty magazines are women of all ages. There is something for everyone. These magazines may mention new clothing styles, helpful makeup tips, skincare and dozens of ways to style your hair. Middle-aged women are usually the majority consumer for products, but in beauty magazines, millennial women greatly out number this statistic. They are the highest buyers of beauty magazines and products. 

Marketing techniques: Beauty magazines will add certain advertisements and brands to attract different audiences. Magazines will also recruit famous individuals to model for their cover. The fans of these celebrities will then buy the magazine which will increase its revenue. 

5. Sample #1

This example of a magazine cover falls under the beauty category perfectly. The main image is showing Khloe Kardashian, a famous American media personality. The headings and cover lines attract individuals by including words like sexy, fast and easy. These specific words are important because they will engage the reader. The red and black colors make the magazine seem sophisticated and classy. The font has a sort of girly look to it, which we can conclude that this magazine is intended for women. This is a demonstration of a medium long shot and shows Khloe's gorgeous dress, hair and makeup.

6. Sample #2

Allure is a very famous women's fashion and beauty magazine. The main image is showing Julia Roberts, a famous actress. She is also a mother which may attract middle-aged/older women to read this magazine. This is a close up shot and focuses on Julia's hair, makeup and skin. The heading that states "260 Winning..." is in a larger font and is meant to attract readers to the best beauty products at that time. 

7. Other samples

8. Representation

Beauty magazines are usually represented with beautiful women. They are most likely skinny, have smooth skin and perfect teeth. Young girls can become self conscious while looking at these magazines of flawless women and then comparing themselves to the pictures. When in reality these cover shots are tremendously edited and are not realistic. Magazines are now starting to understand the new standard of beauty and are changing up their old ways. 

Work Cited:

- https://www.amazon.com/ALLURE-MAGAZINE-MARCH-2020-REINHART/dp/B084RR5P67

- https://www.freelancewriting.com/magazine-writing/write-for-shopping-style-magazines/

- https://www.magloft.com/blog/incredible-magazine-design-tips/

- https://www.outbrain.com/blog/digital-marketing-strategies-for-beauty-businesses/

- https://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/khloe-kardashian-new-beauty-magazine-cover/

- https://www.fashiongonerogue.com/photo-shoot/julia-roberts-allure-october-2015-cover/

- https://www.fashiongonerogue.com/photo-shoot/julia-roberts-allure-october-2015-cover/