Chapter Six: Jessy Marshall on Euro Summers, Running a PR Agency from Overseas, and Why a Reliable Routine Will Always Beat a Perfect One
If you have ever wondered what it looks like to run a boutique PR agency, build brands, raise two kids, and do it all from overseas during Euro summer, Jessy Marshall is your answer. Jessy is the founder of Hive HQ, a Sydney based boutique PR and events agency working with some of Australia's most loved beauty and fashion brands. She is sharp, obsessed with building things, and completely honest about the chaos that comes with doing as much as she does.
We are so glad she said yes to this one because her chapter is exactly the kind of real, practical, no-nonsense content this series was made for. And the fact that she is a CBH Blushin Saturday fan did not hurt either.
Life right now looks like...
Chaotic. Beautiful. And currently somewhere in Europe.
"I'm Jessy, a founder, mum of two, all-round chaotic human, and completely obsessed with building brands. I'm currently overseas, hello Euro summer, building two brands behind the scenes, leading a team of five, and attempting to take some time off. Easy, right?"
Most days she is at her desk from 9am to 4pm before switching into evening mode with her two kids, Leo and Frankie. And even in the middle of what is technically a holiday, the work does not stop. That is just the reality of being a founder and Jessy is not pretending otherwise.
"There have been so many special moments, even if selfishly I know this trip is probably more for us than them as they won't remember it."
Honest, self aware, and genuinely funny. We love her already.
Her actual quick get ready routine
Mornings start at 6am with a beach walk, a swim, and an iced latte. Always an iced latte. Then home to get ready and out the door as fast as possible.
"I keep it quick: BB cream with SPF, blush — I'm obsessed with my Blushin Saturday, a little across my cheeks and nose — then mascara, brows, lip liner, and gloss. Boom, we're out the door."
We could not have written a better routine ourselves. BB cream, Blushin Saturday on the cheeks and nose for that effortless flush of colour, mascara, brows, lip liner and gloss. It is fast, it is intentional, and it works every single time. The fact that she reaches for Blushin Saturday specifically tells us everything we need to know about how good that product is in a pinch.
How working in PR has shaped her approach to beauty
When you spend your days working with some of the best beauty brands in the country, your relationship with products changes. Jessy has a background in beauty therapy and a genuine obsession with ingredients and how products actually work. But rather than making her routine more complicated, all of that knowledge has pushed her in the opposite direction.
"Over the years I've become obsessed with simplicity. Less is more, but everything in my routine needs to work."
She is also someone who gets to trial products before they launch, which is as exciting as it sounds. But even with that level of access, her edit stays tight. If it does not work, it does not stay. And there is one more thing she considers non-negotiable on top of all of it.
"Having your hair done is key to feeling put-together."
A simple truth that we think gets underestimated all the time. A good blowout or a slicked bun can carry an entire look and Jessy knows it.
How she decides what earns a permanent spot in her routine
The answer is simple and she will not overcomplicate it.
"It has to work, simple as that."
She uses the example of Bouf Haircare's Grease Lightening Dry Shampoo, which she trialled before launch and immediately replaced her previous product with because it genuinely delivered. That is the whole criteria. Does it work? Does it earn its spot? If yes, it stays. If not, it goes.
There is no sentimentality here, no loyalty to a product just because of the packaging or the brand. Performance first, always.
What she always keeps close by
"Blush, lip liner, and gloss. You'll find multiples in my handbag, car, and blazer pockets. The kids are always pulling them out of my bag and handing them to me because they know how often I reach for them."
This is the kind of detail that tells you everything about a person. When your kids know exactly which products you reach for most, those are your non-negotiables. Blush, lip liner, gloss. Three things, kept everywhere, used constantly. Simple and completely effective.
Brows, her way
Fluffy. Beautifully shaped. And non-negotiable.
"Brows are everything, they frame your face. Give me a fluffy, beautifully shaped brow every time."
Here is the detail we love most. Jessy's brows are tattooed but she still pencils them in every single morning to make sure the shape frames her face perfectly. She is not relying on the tattoo to do all the work. She is treating her brows like the feature they are and taking the extra minute to get them exactly right. That is the kind of attention to detail that separates a polished look from a great one.
The one thing women overcomplicate
"Beauty in general. Find products that work, use them, and repeat. You don't need a complicated routine, just a few key products that deliver hydration and protection."
And then she adds the one thing she thinks every single woman should be doing without exception.
"Wear SPF. It's the one anti-ageing product you absolutely need."
Coming from someone with a beauty therapy background and years of working with skin focused brands, this is not a throwaway comment. It is the most informed, consistent piece of advice in the entire beauty industry and Jessy says it like it is because it is true.
Her advice for the busy girl
This is the one we have been waiting for and she absolutely delivered.
"You don't need a perfect routine, you need a reliable one. Build a small collection of products that work together, keep it simple, and if something isn't working, ditch it and find something that does."
And then she takes it further, connecting beauty to the bigger picture of how she approaches everything in her life.
"Looking put-together should support your life, not take it over. I apply that mindset to beauty and life: if something isn't working or delivering results, find another way and keep moving forward."
A reliable routine over a perfect one. Products that support your life rather than taking it over. If something is not working, move on. We could not think of a better note to end on.
Jessy Marshall is the founder and director of Hive HQ, a boutique PR and events agency based in Sydney specialising in beauty, fashion and lifestyle. Find her at @jessymarshall and discover Hive HQ at @hq.hive
CBH Blushin Saturday, Jessy's go-to blush for a quick flush of colour on the cheeks and nose, is available at completebeautyhaus.com
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