Visual Merchandising Intern - Maybelline + Essie Review

My internship has had its ups and downs. I think starting a new job is always difficult but once I had settled into my role it has been very enjoyable.

At L'Oreal you are really tested and you have to prove yourself. I managed to gain trust and understanding from colleagues and I was valued for my skills and abilities

Help is always there if you need it and the HR team are always very approachable if you have any issues

Very busy - the whole building is bustling! But I like being busy and I enjoy a fast paced environment!

Lots of responsibility. It was more a role than an internship, which is great! The experience is invaluable.

I started my internship as a student and I have finished a professional women ready for any professional environment.

They have great team spirit and when something good happens (e.g we receive good results on sales or someone has done something great) the whole office floor has a chance to celebrate with cookies/cake and a glass of prossecco. We have a team hero which changes every month and brand show and tells which also take place every month. The company has free drinks on the last Thursday of every month and the office atmosphere is usually positive.

Very organised. L'Oreal is a massive company and the structure of the internship is great. You have a one week hand over for your job, some say this isn't ideal as they would prefer to have longer to learn their job. However, I think this was great as it really made me think on my feet and get stuck in.

You have reviews twice a year where you can ask for extra help on developing skills and they assess you against the L'Oreal competencies. They create goals and targets and you can also create your own personal goals in the form. This is a good way of assessing progress and getting feedback on the way you work. My team took on my feedback and I was able to shape my internship to how I wanted.

I am hoping to get onto the Graduate Management Trainee Scheme so I can continue to work for L'Oreal. The opportunities at L'Oreal are fantastic. In my role I have been able to get involved in London Fashion Week and Conferences which have helped me gain exposure, confidence and new skills!

They have a internship committee who organise events and socials amongst interns. You can apply to be part of the committee when you start your internship and the committee is voted in by the interns as a whole. Team socials also happen regularly and usually involve good drinks, good music and lots of laughter.

The placement is in London so you cant expect this to be cheap. Drinks and food are a little more than other areas. The wage you receive every month is high enough to still afford a good social life. In terms of living in London, they have group chats set up over social media where you can arrange house shares with other people working at loreal.

London has the best nightlife! Having a tube system that works into the night and night buses means that you can stay out late and get home safe. The clubs can be expensive but our internship committee were able to get good deals with clubs and bars to get free entry and free drinks all night.

Once again, living in London means that you can get involved in so many things. Internally, the interns have running clubs, trampolining clubs, games clubs and other various sports (hockey, football) and also the company offers free yoga and plenty of socials throughout the year. You are never short of anything to do.