Beauty Boss: Elise Minton Tabin, Beauty Expert & Award-Winning Journalist
Elise Minton Tabin is an award-winning beauty journalist, editor, and beauty expert.
Our latest Beauty Boss is Elise Minton Tabin, an award-winning journalist, editor, and beauty expert. She was previously the Executive Beauty Editor at NewBeauty magazine for more than a decade, overseeing and reporting on all things beauty, from plastic surgery and anti-aging to health and wellness. Throughout the years, Tabin has also been a featured expert on multiple media outlets including Extra TV and WPTV.
Tabin remains on the forefront of the latest industry trends and news, and regularly publishes innovative beauty and wellness-related content on her website. She consults with beauty brands, freelances, and creates content for herself and brands on Instagram and TikTok. Tabin also played an instrumental role in the launch and ongoing growth of Hush & Hush, a line of luxury nutraceutical and healthy living products.
We chatted with Tabin, who shared her journey through the industry, secrets for success, wellness tips, favorite beauty products, and much more.
How did you get your start in the beauty industry?
I’ve had a long-standing obsession with all things beauty from a young age. In high school, I would spend hours at the local beauty supply store. I’d ask the sales girls about every new product that I’d see on the shelves and I would leave so intrigued. I was equally enamored with magazines and would read InStyle and Allure from cover to cover.
However, I didn’t know that I would go into the beauty industry. I studied journalism in college and wanted to go into broadcast, but ended up back in Miami (after graduating) and started working in public relations. My first job was at a very small Miami-based PR agency where I worked as a junior account executive.
What inspired you to become a beauty editor?
I always loved beauty and everything about it. I had handled some fashion and beauty accounts and was always drawn towards the beauty industry. The thought that a product can improve someone’s self-esteem or outlook on life was always so fascinating to me.
When an opportunity presented itself and I was able to catapult from the PR side of the business to the editorial side (which is common), I jumped on the chance and never looked back. I loved so much about being a beauty editor—learning about products before they launch, getting firsthand insight into the real causes of skin and beauty problems and the solutions available, creating relationships with industry leaders, seeking out beauty trends and reporting on them, setting the tone for the magazine, and so much more.
I also love being able to help women and men navigate this crowded space so that always makes me feel like I’m doing something good and helping. But everything good comes with some sort of downside, right? Publishing and the beauty industry come with lots of late nights, tight deadlines, big asks, and constantly thinking on your feet. But there’s nothing quite as rewarding as winning an award for your writing—it makes it all worth it.
How long were you at NewBeauty and what were your responsibilities as executive editor?
I was at NewBeauty for 13 years. I always joke that I was at that job longer than I was married to my ex-husband. Most editors don’t stay at any one magazine for that long of a time, but I loved everything the brand stands for and it’s such a great publication.
When I was the Executive Beauty Editor, I was responsible for creating each issue’s lineup, reporting, on-air appearances, representing the brand at trade shows, events and speaking engagements, creating and nurturing relationships with experts in all facets of the industry, and constantly seeking out the next big thing—be it a breaking piece of beauty news or the lipstick of the moment. No two days were ever the same, and you are constantly using every part of your brain.
Congrats on the launch of your new site! What type of content can we look forward to checking out on there?
Thank you so much! I’m so excited about the site, which is chock-full of beauty, anti-aging, skin, makeup, hair, and wellness content. It’s a shoppable site, too, so you don’t have to go searching for my favorites and picks. I’ll also be posting more in-depth stories that feature some of the best experts in the industry, which I’m really excited about.
What are some of your favorite beauty products at the moment?
I have so many and it changes from month to month. Right now, I’m obsessed with Babor’s Power Serum Ampoule: Retinol Serum, which contains the perfect amount of heavy-hitting retinol. I have seen a big difference in my skin’s texture since I started using these.
I’m also big on cleansers and am rotating between HoliFrog Shasta and iS CLINICAL Cleansing Complex—neither of these break me out, which is a huge plus! For sunscreen, it’s Supergoop City Sunscreen Serum and Shiseido White Lucent Day Emulsion. I prefer facial oil over moisturizer, and I’ve discovered some really good ones lately from Soco Botanicals, Adore Beauty, and MUTHA.
When it comes to my hair, I’ve been stocking up on all of the Olaplex products, which I adore because they help to strengthen my strands. VERB shampoo and conditioner, and the Drunk Elephant and Briogeo lines are also taking up prime real estate in my shower.
Future plans?
I have some ideas I’m tossing around to see if I can bring them to fruition. For now, I’ll be focusing the majority of my time on building up my site, my social platforms, and freelance writing for outlets and brands.
Tabin was previously the Executive Beauty Editor of NewBeauty magazine and instrumental in the launch of beauty supplement brand Hush & Hush.
What inspires you?
I’m inspired by my daughter who pushes me to be a strong woman and the best mom I can be. From a business perspective, I’m always inspired by my completely self-made husband. He gives me unfiltered advice and is always right!
Secret to success?
Find what you love, dive in headfirst, don’t give up, and put yourself out there.
Beauty secrets?
I am diligent with my beauty and skincare routine and practice it to a T. I wear sunscreen every single day—rain or shine, and even on days when I’m inside from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Every night I apply a retinoid or retinol (post-peel and treatment days are pretty much the only exception), which keeps my skin smooth, youthful, and free of breakouts. I also get a medical facial and chemical every 4 to 6 weeks, and I’m super stringent on making sure I do Dysport and fillers regularly. I also spend a pretty penny on in-office treatments, including lasers like Moxie and Clear + Brilliant to mitigate unwanted pigment; and Vivace, which is a fabulous radiofrequency microneedling treatment that leaves my skin so glowy.
Wellness tips?
I’m a big advocate of drinking a lot of water and finding a way to indulge in ‘me time’. Also, take care of your body, and take your vitamins and supplements because food alone is not the answer. I love Hush & Hush for supplements—they’re clean, based in science, cater to aging skin and age-related concerns, and they work!
Best advice?
You do you. Don’t try and be someone else, be yourself. It’s okay to be unapologetically authentic and stand up for what you believe in.
How do you like to relax?
A good day at the spa, which I have not had the pleasure of partaking in due to COVID, always makes me feel relaxed and recharged.
For more information, visit elisetabin.com and follow Elise on Instagram: @elisetabin
[Images courtesy of Elise Tabin]
Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk