Meet April Franzino, Beauty Director at Hearst Magazines

April Franzino is the Beauty Director of Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day, and Prevention magazines at Hearst Magazines. She produces and oversees each book's beauty editorial content, including pitching, reporting, writing, editing, and market work, culminating with yearly Beauty Awards specials, and also oversees beauty content on Goodhousekeeping.com. April represents the brands on television, radio, industry panels, and online, appearing on The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS Mornings, The View, CNBC, NBC New York Live, The Dr. Oz Show, PIX11 News, and Today.com. She is also a host of the podcast Beauty Is Your Business.

Q: What role does legacy media (e.g., Hearst) play in the beauty industry today? How has it evolved, especially post the social media revolution?

A: I think the role of established media brands like Hearst is stronger than ever as readers and viewers look toward trusted sources of high-quality information and inspiration to cut through the onslaught of clutter, especially online and on social media. Our coverage has grown from print to digital, including all the major social media touch points, videos, and more. 

Q: As consumers, we're listening to and trusting scientists and experts more than ever. Does this impact the content you create/oversee at Good Housekeeping or any other publications you manage?

A: Yes, for sure. For 137 years, Good Housekeeping has been one of the leading media brands in the country known for its trusted expertise, backed by scientific research and product testing in the Good Housekeeping Institute. This legacy of science-driven reporting and consumer activism is more important now than ever as consumers try to navigate the over-saturated market, so we put it at the forefront of our content. In print and online, you'll see Good Housekeeping Institute Lab experts used as sources and Lab-tested and GH Seal-backed products featured prominently in stories. They include in-depth testing data, behind-the-scenes photos, and videos from Lab evaluations to drive home the GH Institute's best-in-class standards.

Q: You've interviewed many renowned experts in the beauty industry as one of the hosts of the Beauty is Your Business Podcast. Is there a collaboration that sticks out as the most memorable/enjoyable? And why?

A: Yes! Our interview with Kate Somerville, founder of the eponymous skin clinics and skincare line, was one the most impactful I've done. Her story of overcoming a difficult upbringing to launch a hugely successful career as a celebrity aesthetician, her clinics, and a prestige skincare brand is inspiring. As someone who has surmounted such challenges, she brings that authentic human touch to everything she does and proves that you don't have to have an easy, privileged path to succeed.

Q: How does the Good Housekeeping Institute test cosmetic products? Is there a recent study you can highlight that your readers enjoyed?

A: Depending on the product category, beauty products are tested both in the Lab using technical instruments applicable to that category and by consumer testers, who use them in their daily routine and report back on all aspects of the product usage experience and results. GH Beauty Lab scientists also evaluate products for safety; they collate sets of data to determine overall product performance and their recommendations. Two of our most popular testing categories are hair tools (e.g., blow dryers, flat irons, curling irons) and skincare products (e.g., eye creams, night creams, serums). Readers are very invested in finding out which ones work and are worth their money.

Q: What is the consensus among your readers regarding cosmetic skincare product performance – all hype or truly makes a difference?

A: Our readers are savvy to the hype surrounding skincare products, and that's where Good Housekeeping's Beauty Lab comes in to explain what products can and can't do according to quantifiable testing measurements. As GH Beauty Lab scientists always say, quality and proven skincare products can produce measurable results, but they generally can't rival those you get via professional cosmetic procedures. That said, using a skincare regimen tailored to your complexion consistently can make a difference in its appearance over time. 

Q: There are a lot of buzzwords around beauty and wellness (e.g., conscious beauty). What do you see as the big new trend emerging in the industry?

A: After all the buzz about "clean" beauty in the past few years, I think there is a trend toward marrying conscious ingredients, production, and packaging with scientific innovation. The two categories aren't in opposition; in fact, harnessing the power of both can create the best products.

Q: What beauty products are you loving right now and why?

A: I'm all about a multi-use tint that you can use on lips, cheeks, and even eyelids that streamlines your routine and makes it easy to look polished in a few seconds. A few favorites of the moment are Jones Road Beauty Miracle Balm in Dusty Rose or Tawny, YSL Lip & Cheek Balmy Tint in Nu Chills, and Rose Inc. Lip & Cheek Color in Heliotrope. I have dry skin, so I gravitate toward cream makeup that gives a dewy look, like almost all RMS Beauty products. The "Un" Cover-Up Concealer, Peach Luminizer, and Cream Eye Shadow in Solar are longtime go-tos for the evening and brightening my skin and eyes. For hair, the only product I've used consistently almost every day for years is Fekkai Brilliant Gloss Multi-Tasker Perfecting Creme – it's so lightweight yet nourishing. I use it on dry hair to smooth and make it look healthy between washing or as a leave-in conditioner. As for tools, I can't live without The Beachwaver Rotating Curling Iron, which makes achieving salon-style beach waves at home almost effortless. I can do all my hair in less than five minutes with it. If I could only wear one fragrance for the rest of my life, it would be Escentric Molecules Molecule 02 – a single-note scent that smells like pure, warm skin. I love so many more products; this barely scratches the surface! 

Q: What is the one piece of beauty advice you would like to give to our readers?

A: As cliche as it sounds, no amount of physical beauty can come close to the beauty that radiates from living as your authentic self and with a kind, loving heart.