Ines Lalouad spent 48 hours in LA with MILK Makeup and the Sephora Squad Canada. The brand, the 2026 Squad and why brand trips work for brands.
Forty-eight hours, one city, one brand that built its name on creativity. This week, Ines Lalouad shared her trip to Los Angeles with MILK Makeup as part of the Sephora Squad Canada, first on Instagram, then on TikTok. Behind the pretty pictures sits one of the smartest tools in beauty marketing right now: the brand trip.
- Ines Lalouad spent 48 hours in Los Angeles with MILK Makeup and Sephora
- The content went live on Instagram, then on TikTok, under #SephoraSquadCanada
- MILK Makeup is a 100% vegan, cruelty-free brand born in New York in 2016
- Ines is one of the creators selected for the Sephora Squad Canada 2026
- Brand trips turn a product into a story told by several trusted voices at once
MILK Makeup, in a nutshell
MILK Makeup was founded in February 2016 in New York by Mazdack Rassi, Zanna Roberts Rassi, Georgie Greville and Dianna Ruth, out of Milk Studios, a creative hub in downtown Manhattan. Ten years later, the brand still develops its products in-house and sells them at Sephora, on its own site and at a handful of select retailers. Since 2022, it has been part of Waldencast.
"Our mission is to unlock your creativity, no matter who you are, what you do, or where you live."
MILK Makeup, brand mission
The brand's promise holds in three words: vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free. Its signature look is just as clear: stick formats you can apply in seconds, cooling textures and campaigns built around self-expression rather than a single beauty standard.
| Cult product | Why people love it |
|---|---|
| Hydro Grip Primer | A gripping, hydrating primer, winner of an Allure Best of Beauty award in 2019. |
| Hydro Grip Set + Refresh Spray | The setting spray that pairs with the primer to keep makeup in place. |
| KUSH Mascara | A volumizing mascara infused with hemp-derived oil, one of the brand's best-known launches. |
| RISE Mascara | A lifting mascara, winner of a Glamour Beauty Award in 2022. |
| Bionic Blush | A sheer, buildable blush recognized by Essence's Best in Black Beauty awards in 2022. |
Behind the scenes vs. the final shot
Ines followed up with a reel that compares behind-the-scenes footage to the final pictures, captioned with a simple "Pinch me???". It is the kind of content that works so well on her account: polished enough to feel premium, honest enough to feel real.
Who's in the Sephora Squad Canada 2026
The Sephora Squad is Sephora's long-term creator program. Rather than a one-off campaign, it is designed to build lasting relationships between the retailer and a group of voices it trusts. Here are the creators announced for the 2026 Canadian cohort, as listed by Le Regard.
| Creator | Handle | Base | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ines Lalouad | @ineslalouad | Montreal | Lifestyle, wellness, beauty |
| Virginie Vandelac | @virginievandelac | Quebec | Makeup artist, 25+ years of career |
| Tyler Marz | @tymarz | Ontario | Fashion, beauty and everyday life |
| Sabrina Ho | @sabsaysalot | Not listed | Creative makeup |
| Eman Osman | @emanosmann | Vancouver | YouTube and Instagram creator |
| Abeena Meera | @abeena.meera | Toronto | Beauty and lifestyle |
| Azzuro Sage | @azzurosage | Not listed | Fashion, art and self-care |
| Jasmine Alisha | @jasmine.alishaa | Toronto | Lifestyle and social reflection |
| Gina Cicero | @official_lady_venom | Not listed | Pro makeup artist and entrepreneur |
| Keisha Tahirih | @keishatahirih | Not listed | Self-care and natural hair |
.jpg)
Ines's Squad year has already been busy, with a French-language launch for Moroccanoil and the KAYALI YUM Body & Lip Collection, on top of her Marshalls campaign in Montreal.
Why brand trips work, for brands
A brand trip invites a group of creators to experience a brand firsthand, often in a destination that matches its universe. The return comes in three forms.
| Benefit | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| A multiplier effect | Several creators publish within the same window, so the brand appears in many feeds at once. Sprout Social cites Knix's 2024 Cabo trip: more than 150 social posts and close to US$1 million in earned media value. |
| Deeper relationships | Time spent together builds partnerships that an email or a gifted box cannot. |
| Better content | Creators come back with real moments, behind-the-scenes footage and stories they actually want to tell. |
The format has its pitfalls: a trip that looks too lavish, a guest list that does not reflect the brand's real audience, or a script so tight it kills authenticity. The best trips set a clear goal, pick creators for their audience fit rather than their follower count, and leave room for creative freedom, according to Sprout Social.
Planning a launch, a trip or a creator program? One Way builds influencer campaigns with Quebec's most trusted voices, Ines included.
Work with Ines →What's next for Ines
Between the Sephora Squad, her fall campaigns and a community that follows her every move, Ines has rarely been busier. Her full profile, collaborations and contact form are on her One Way talent page, and you can read more about her fragrance and beauty journey in our earlier feature.
Want the next news from Ines and the Sephora Squad Canada? Get it first, every Friday, straight to your inbox.
Sign me up →Frequently asked questions
What did Ines Lalouad do with MILK Makeup?+
Ines spent 48 hours in Los Angeles with MILK Makeup and Sephora as part of the Sephora Squad Canada, and shared the trip on Instagram and TikTok.
What is MILK Makeup?+
A beauty brand founded in New York in 2016, born out of Milk Studios. Its products are 100% vegan, cruelty-free and paraben-free, and it is sold at Sephora.
What are MILK Makeup's best-known products?+
Hydro Grip Primer, the Hydro Grip Set + Refresh Spray, KUSH Mascara, RISE Mascara and Bionic Blush are among its most recognized products.
What is the Sephora Squad?+
Sephora's long-term creator program, built to create lasting relationships between the retailer and a selected group of creators.
Who is in the Sephora Squad Canada 2026?+
Creators announced include Ines Lalouad, Virginie Vandelac, Tyler Marz, Sabrina Ho, Eman Osman, Abeena Meera, Azzuro Sage, Jasmine Alisha, Gina Cicero and Keisha Tahirih.
Why do brands organize brand trips?+
To get several trusted creators talking about them at once, to build deeper relationships with those creators and to generate more authentic content than a gifted product alone.
Forty-eight hours in LA, a few frames and a lot of reach. That is the power of the right creator, in the right place, with the right brand.
