Chatting with Eddie Malter, Makeup Artist for L'Oréal Paris Canada

Several weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Eddie Malter, official makeup artist with L'Oréal Paris Canada, at the beautiful Hotel Georgia for a one-on-one chat. From L'Oréal's new product launches to fall/winter trends and makeup tips for Asians, we had a blast talking about all things beauty. Here are some of the highlights.

New products: So many! The next time you're in the drugstore, keep your eyes peeled for Infallible Lacquer Liner 24H (a long-lasting gel liner that dries to a shiny finish), Magic Lumi concealer pen (think of it as a budget-friendly version of YSL's Touche Eclat), Magic Smooth Soufflé blush (light-as-air, creamy texture that blends into skin for a natural-looking flush), and Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream (available in four shades, contains self-adjusting colour pigments for a flawless finish). Fans of L'Oréal Voluminous mascara will be pleased to see two new formulas join the Voluminous family: Power 24H, a longlasting formulation with collagen spheres and a huge brush for even thicker lashes; and False Fiber Lashes, which uses a smaller brush to coat lashes with fine fibres (ideal for Asian lashes!). Meanwhile, the product launch I'm most excited about is Colour Caresse by Colour Riche, a series of moisturizing lipstick/balm hybrids in twelve gorgeous, wearable colours.

Fall/winter beauty trends: Classic looks like the smoky eye, the red lip, and dewy, flawless skin aren't going anywhere, according to Malter. The smoky eye gets a fresh update though: Instead of using multiple shadows and products, try using one product to line your eyes, then smudge the line outward. And for the ladies who haven't taken the plunge and tried red lipstick yet, Malter swears by Colour Riche Intense in Red Passion, which he declares a universally flattering shade.

Flattering shades for Asian skin tones: To find colours that flatter his clients, Malter first decides whether the client is "cool" (i.e. looks best in blues, purples, and greens) or "warm" (i.e. looks better in reds, corals, and oranges). In his experience, East Asians are the hardest to classify because even though most of us have dark hair and dark eyes, we can be either warm or cool. So, which one am I? After a few minutes of intense deliberation, Malter decided I was cool and advised me to try fuchsia lipstick and red shades with a touch of blue in them.

Malter's favourite cosmetic for women: Mascara, hands down. A few swipes do wonders to wake up a tired face. To get extra mileage out of your mascara, do what Malter does and gently bend the brush against the mascara tube's opening to create an angled applicator. This lets you coat every lash from every angle.