Sephora’s Newest Campaign Celebrates All Types of (Canadian!) Beauty

In recent years, Sephora Canada has launched a series of campaigns in the hopes of expanding their reach across the country. This summer brings the newest addition and it’s a pretty special one. The campaign will feature a mixture of models (16 in total), and all of them are local collaborators from Toronto and Montreal. Both cities will start to see images roll out this summer.

The campaign, titled #WithSephora, was created to empower people to appreciate their individual beauty and celebrate what makes them unique. At the same time, it wants to encourage self-expression through the use of the many makeup products found in their stores and online.

Banners, which will be on display around the two Canadian cities, will each carry one of four phrases: We Dare, We Inspire, We Slay or We Explore. Each of the 16 models will be attached to one of these categories based on their personal stories.

The collaborators include a wide array of people. From Judith Maria Bradley, the fashionable woman who began her modelling career at 69 years old, to TiKA, a black, queer-identifying, plus-sized woman breaking down barriers in the music industry. These models are all unapologetically themselves and represent people from all walks of life and all different backgrounds.

Adi Lando, a Sephora Pro Lead Artist, was part of the team who worked on the makeup looks for the newest campaign. The makeup artist has been working with the company for fourteen years, building his way up to the position he holds today. He describes Sephora as the “ultimate beauty playground” and praises the company for “building a culture in which everyone feels empowered to be the leaders of their own beauty journeys.”

We got a chance to chat with Lando about the makeup looks and what it was like to have a role in such a groundbreaking and inclusive campaign.

What do you love most about this new campaign?

I’m very passionate about this campaign because it’s all about celebrating beauty in all its forms. As a makeup artist, I spend every day listening to my clients’ stories and bringing them to life through the art of makeup. Makeup is a form of self-expression and I love that Sephora developed this campaign to empower people to have the confidence to express themselves and feel beautiful.

Can you describe the process of creating individual looks for all these different participants?

The makeup team did not develop face charts or plan specific makeup looks ahead of time on this campaign. Instead, we sat down with the collaborators and listened to their stories to understand their brand and visions of beauty. We took the time to talk about their favourite looks and made sure they would feel 100% comfortable, beautiful and authentic in their makeup. In addition to expressing their personalities through the looks, we also used products that they felt good about and liked using. For example, one of the collaborators was vegan so we made sure we had a variety of vegan products for her to pick from and feel great about. We really wanted the makeup to be an extension of their personalities and personal preferences.

How did you match the look to each of their personal brands?
The process was less about matching a specific look to each collaborator but more about developing a makeup look that was an expression of their stories and journeys. For example, when we met TiKA, she was vibrant and extremely confident in her own skin. The look that Kevin Truong, PRO Lead Artist, did on her was a bright shimmering blue eye look to bring out her vibrant personality with glowing skin and glossy nude lips to enhance her natural beauty.

Do you have a favourite look from the campaign?
It’s so hard to choose one favourite look! They’re all so different and the team and I had a really amazing time creating them and working with the collaborators. From using bold colours, glossy finishes to creating natural no-makeup makeup looks, I enjoyed every minute of the process. All of the makeup looks were so unique to each of the collaborators and I truly believe that their own personalities brought the makeup to life. One collaborator I really enjoyed doing the makeup for was Judith [Bradley]. She was incredible, funny and full of energy, we clicked right away and became very close friends.

What’s your biggest piece of beauty advice?
My biggest beauty advice is to not be afraid to explore something new. This goes for both makeup and everyday-life habits. So often we get caught up in one routine because it feels comfortable to achieve. But a good way to discover your inner beauty and bring out the confidence to show off what really makes you unique is to step out of the comfort zone and allow yourself to try something new. Everyone is beautiful and it is up to you to determine how you want to express it!

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