5 Things To Know About Allure’s New Editor-in-Chief, Jessica Cruel

Last Tuesday, Allure announced Jessica Cruel as the beauty publication’s new Editor-in-Chief. The beauty brand began to consider candidates for the role after the previous Editor-in-Chief, Michelle Lee, accepted a role at Netflix. This makes Cruel the first Black Editor-in-Chief of the publication.

Since 2019, Cruel creatively elevated the Allure brand, through her previous role as Content Director. On September 8, she will officially lead the world’s most trusted voice in beauty initiatives. 

At Allure, The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for providing leadership to the editorial staff and creating and editing content ensuring the brand voice and messaging. In addition, they must also possess knowledge across several content platforms, including digital, print, and social, as well as be a thought-leader in shaping culture. 

Jessica Cruel embodies all this and more! Let’s get familiar with some of her accomplishments: 

She obtained degrees in Multimedia Journalism and Sociology. In college, she interned overseas at the Bolivian Express in Bolivia and Essence Communications Inc. where she learned about Healthy Living, Relationships, and Production in magazines.

Cruel debuted  “The Melanin Edit” on Instagram describing it as “ a platform in which Allure explores every facet of a Melanin rich life – from the most innovative treatments for hyperpigmentation to the social and emotional realness – all while spreading Black pride.” After launching in April, the platform has shared stories from Black editors, significantly increasing the amount of diverse content told by Allure.

She put in the work! I poked around the Internet a bit (okay a lot) and found plenty of beauty features written by Jessica. Her writing has been published by major beauty publication brands such as Refinery29, Pop Sugar, Self Magazine and of course Allure.

Jessica Cruel has led conversations in beauty from the Black women’s perspective on several panels. In 2019, she spoke on The RealSelf House of Modern Beauty’s panel at SXSW and earlier this year she moderator the Glow Getters: Making it in the Beauty Biz, a panel created by Revolve. 

Aside from beauty, Jessica is passionate about home renovations and personal finance. On her Instagram highlights, she shares lessons she learned as a landlord and details about renovating homes. Recently, she finished a duplex renovation!

Jessica has received warm welcomes from friends and fellow leading fashion ladies such as Anna Wintour,  global editorial director of Vogue, and chief content officer Condé Nast, who expressed her admiration for Jessica, “ I am so thrilled that Jessica is Allure’s new editor-in-chief,” said Wintour. “It is no small feat to follow in Michelle Lee’s footsteps, but I have no doubt that Jessica can do just that — she is a natural leader and a brilliant journalist, and she exudes a positive energy that is felt by all those lucky enough to work with her.”

Her Agenda celebrates Jessica’s new journey and wishes her nothing but success in this new chapter!