Q&A with Beauty Editor of ELLE Canada

If you’re anything like me, working as a Beauty Editor at an iconic publication is what career dreams are made out of. Victoria DiPlacido, associate beauty editor at ELLE Canada, gets to do just that out of the Toronto-based head office. 

I got the chance to chat with Victoria about her most memorable celebrity encounters, lessons learned on the job and even shares a few tips on landing an internship at the magazine.

BNTF: Your IG gives us a peek backstage at fashion shows, celebrity selfies, and exclusive media events. We know it’s not glam all the time but what are some other perks of being Elle Canada’s Associate Beauty Editor?

VD: It’s true we get to meet celebrities and models and model/celebrities, but I’m also a huge product innovation nerd and meeting with scientists and visionary hair and makeup artists are probably my favourite part of my job. I interviewed Cara Delevingne recently for a story about Rimmel’s Scandaleyes mascara (she was their spokesperson). She was cool and that experience was amazing, but I also got to grill their VP of Product Innovation on exactly what makes one mascara different from the next—it’s all about how the brush and the formula work together, you can read about it here—and I could have talked to him for hours.

BNTF: What has been your biggest lesson learned in your third year in this position?

VD: Well, work/life balance is always impressed upon me as being important. I still haven’t mastered it, and I don’t think keeping them entirely distinct is feasible when my work and life are so intertwined, but I’m trying to do better about disconnecting when I can.

BNTF: This industry can be competitive, what are your top five tips for hopefuls wanting to land an internship?

VD: Hmmm I think you really need to take the time to know the magazine or website you are applying for. How ELLECanada.com handles a story about, say, Urban Decay partnering with Basquiat’s estate for a new collection, is different than how another outlet would — and it’s also different from how we would handle it in print. You need to really think about what the title would look like, what references you would bring in, the types of images you would use and how it would be promoted on social media. That is to say, you have to be a strong writer and editor, first and foremost.

But don’t worry too much if you aren’t 100% there yet. Just showing you are willing to work hard and learn means a lot. I think back about what I did and didn’t know when I was an intern and laugh/cringe. Also, know that the job is a significant time commitment. If I’m sitting with Guido Palau in the lobby of Georges V talking about why so many women are afraid to take major hair risks or out at any daytime event (and especially in beauty, there are a lot of them), then I need to make up that time working later in the day. You really always need to be on.

BNTF: In terms of beauty, who is the “ELLE Girl”. If she was a celebrity or fictional character, who would she be and why?

VD: All our cover stars and women we feature in the magazine are ELLE women in one way or another. For beauty, that means so many things: someone with an interest in skincare and makeup beyond basic tutorials, a playful approach to their look, strength, smarts, and good humour. It could be so many people, but for this exercise, I’ll just say, Rihanna.

BNTF: Lastly, we need to know: what are the 2017 beauty trends you’ll actually be trying this year?

VD: Colour! Everyone needs to fill the contour palette-sized holes in their lives with blush. I’ve been doing a day-to-day appropriate version of draping, which is this crazy ‘80s trend that was all over the spring/summer 2017 runways where you aggressively sweep blush up over your cheekbones and temples. I’ll just put a little bit high up on my cheek (stay away from the center of your face, no one needs any more redness there) or wear it as an eyeshadow, which is a trick I stole from one of M.A.C’s senior makeup artists at their trend presentation last year.

This post was redacted from my article for BeautyNineToFive.com “Q&A with Victoria DiPlacido, ELLE Canada” posted on March 20, 2017.