Today, Estée Lauder announced the second iteration of its celebrated Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup Campaign, named #ShadesOfCanada. This year, the brand is shining the spotlight on eight competing and non-competing Canadian athletes – all different ages and ethnicities – to demonstrate how Estée Lauder’s best-selling Double Wear foundation, known for its  24-hour staying power, its second-skin coverage, and impressive 56-shade range, champions strength, resilience and above all, confidence.

Among the athletes are Natalie Spooner, champion ice hockey player; track and field and bobsleigh athlete Phylicia George; Paralympic snowboarder Michelle Salt; Olympic qualifier in climbing Alannah Yip; Five-time Canadian women’s kata champion Rita Ngo’; Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame water polo player & Mohawk, Waneek Horn-Miller; ICC world qualifier and international women’s cricketer Achini Perera, and Eric Radford, a two-time Canadian world champion ice skater. Ahead, we spoke with Horn-Miller, Spooner, and Salt to learn more about the new campaign.

What inspires you most about the #ShadesOfCanada campaign? 

Natalie Spooner: Having the opportunity to work alongside some amazing athletes who have excelled at their own respective sport. In doing so, I was able to get a glimpse at what puts them at the top of their own game. The Shades of Canada campaign celebrates our differences and being uniquely yourself. As competitors, we all have a common goal of striving for excellence, but every athlete brings their own unique intangible qualities and that’s what makes teams and, sport in general, so special.

Michelle Salt: I love that it not only showcases badass athletes and their talents, but also shows this beautiful side of us that is often hidden behind goggles and helmets.

Waneek Horn-Miller: I’m inspired by the inclusivity of the campaign. Gorgeous strong women and men of all shades are included, expanding what is viewed as beautiful. The impact this messaging can have on the youth who see themselves within this [wider] understanding of beauty makes me feel hopeful.

How has your relationship with beauty evolved with your career?

Natalie Spooner: My relationship with beauty has grown throughout my career and my love for makeup has grown alongside it! For people who know me, they know that I love to sing and dance; I enjoy being animated. Makeup is another avenue for me to be able to express myself and to explore different looks. When it comes to hockey, my pregame routine always involves doing my makeup. I operate under the motto, “look good, feel good, play good”. When I put my makeup on, I feel like I’m the most unstoppable version of myself on the ice!

What helps you stay resilient?

Waneek Horn-Miller: I’m lucky to be surrounded by strong resilient women. My mother, a model and native rights activist in the ’60s, was an incredible role model for someone who had endured so much and never let it destroy her internal sense of beauty and strength. My sisters inspire and encourage me every day. We work as a team in all that we do. Finally, my children: I know that I am their anchor stone. I need to reflect back to them that they are strong, beautiful  and never alone in this wild journey. I will always be there for them no matter what. I am resilient because I refuse to be any other way.

What does finding the perfect foundation match mean to you?

Michelle Salt: Everything! My skin shade isn’t easy to match so having a lot of options to find my perfect shade means I don’t need to worry about mixing two different colours or having to blend it in with powder anymore.

What do you love best about Estée Lauder Double Wear’s performance?

Natalie Spooner: Double-Wear doesn’t rub off onto my clothes or my hockey jersey. Whether it’s representing my country or club team, the team jersey is a source of pride and you want to keep it looking crisp, and not worry about your makeup rubbing off.

What’s something about wearing makeup and competing as an athlete that most people don’t consider?

Waneek Horn-Miller: Athletes are like any other women. We are strong and can perform, but we do like to look beautiful and put together. This helps our confidence. There’s a business side to being an athlete, and more often than not, when we’re not training and performing, we’re speaking and presenting. We need to present ourselves in a way that we feel confident, and for many of us, makeup helps us do that.

Best makeup application tip before a high-intensity activity?

Michelle Salt: With makeup, especially Double Wear, there’s no need to go heavy when applying. A light layer is all I ever need to feel confident out there!

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