Category: Get the Look

Sir John shares the exact products he used to create the Lion King star’s cat eye.

Even before The Lion King debuts on July 18, Beyoncé is making jaws drop. The mega-star has had two major outings to promote the movie, each equally fierce. And for her second red carpet, in which the star shined in a pleated marigold gown, her makeup artist Sir John spoke exclusively to PEOPLE about how he created her coordinating bronzy beauty look using products from his limited-edition The Lion King makeup collection made in partnership with Luminess.

With Queen Bey’s gown and hairstyle picked out, Sir John decided on a golden with a 3-D-like quality eye to complete the look.

“I love playing with textures,” explains the pro, who blended a matte shade from his palette on her lid and accented that with a shimmery one on the center of the lids.

“I really wanted to create a nice daytime smoky eye using browns, an antique, champagne gold color like Nala, and a warm gold like Simba,” he reveals. “It’s all about strategically placing these colors so that no matter where my client turns, their look is never too shimmery.”

He also gave the voice of Nala a feline flick with coffee brown eye liner. A winged look “just lifts the eye,” he says.

After tapping on foundation with a Beautyblender, Sir John used his sculpting palette “to give the face a subtle architectural structure.”

To avoid a costume-y look, he advises “slowly building up a shadow” in areas like “underneath the cheekbone, underneath the jawline, and temples.” He adds, “this isn’t blending stripes. It’s a little more editorial and polished.”

On her lips, he applied a brown lip liner, his Pounce lipstick and a cinnamon-tinted lip gloss.

The pro also used a touch of body makeup on Beyoncé collarbones.

For Sir John, seeing his longtime client on the carpet in his very own makeup was picture-perfect.

“I literally have never worked so hard on one project in my life. But it’s been a labor of love,” says the pro, who created an array of earthy shades that could be work to the office, or a night on the town.

“I really tried to look out for women, like my mom, who just doesn’t have time to put on eye shadow,” he says.

And so far, the pro hasn’t disappointed. “Beyoncé was happy, my mom is happy, and if my grandmother were still here, she’d be proud,” he says.

Still, his recent win has not set in. “I’m always next, next, next, because my goal is to keep it moving,” he admits. “But I’m never not grateful, my mama won’t let that happen! I am still just a guy from Harlem.”

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When Disney announced its voice cast for The Lion King, the whole world zoomed in on one word: Beyonce. Beyonce will be the voice of Nala, Simba’s childhood playmate, and eventual wife.

Beyonce has long been famous for her inspired outfits, and stunning makeup and hair. For many years, she’s worked with one makeup artist: Sir John. Sir John worked with her on her Lemonade tour, her many Met Gala looks, her music videos, and her Instagram reveals.

Recently, Sir John announced a creative partnership with Luminess and Disney to create a Lion King inspired makeup palette, Beyonce’s (or Beyonce-adjacent) first foray into makeup.

So, when Sir John announced he was doing a lion king – inspired palette, people got super excited.

The line itself looks amazing.

It’s a blend of neutrals and brights, in strong pigments. The packaging is sexy and on brand. The possibilities are endless.

That bright red is stunning. Finding red lipstick is like finding the holy grail. This lipstick is featured on a variety of skin tones on the Luminess page and it looks bright without being too orange on everyone.

Sir John said he was inspired by his trip to Africa.

He wanted to bring the colors found in African nature to his Lion King collaboration. Exotic neutrals tend to work on everyone — natural colors suit almost every skin tone.

All of this build-up to the Lion King premiere means basically one thing: Incredible outfit and face looks from Beyonce and hopefully a new song or two to celebrate!

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The Lion King remake is generating a lot of buzz and not just for its all-star cast (Beyoncé, Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor…). On the heels of Beyoncé rocking a fierce lion look to the Wearable Art Gala comes the news that her longtime makeup artist Sir John is launching a new collection with Luminess.

The collection features highly pigmented formulas inspired by the African landscape. It’s composed of eight pieces: Kingdom Sculpting Palette, Can’t Wait to Be Queen Eyeshadow Palette, Circle of Life Highlighter, Legacy Tinted Lip Balm, Be Brave Matte Lipstick Pounce, Be Brave Matte Lipstick Lion Mane, Be Prepared Liquid Lipstick Romantic Atmosphere and Be Prepared Liquid Lipstick Trouble. And the packaging is super collectable boasting etchings of iconic characters and scenes straight from the film. If you’re already obsessed, you can even score a limited-edition vault with all eight pieces.

Sir John x Luminess The Lion King Collection will be available on Luminess’ website on June 15 and via Disney.com the following day. Ulta Beauty will also sell the collection online on June 16 and in stores July 1, leaving you plenty of time to pick up all the pieces before checking out The Lion King in theaters July 19.

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If you’ve been waiting with bated breath for The Lion King makeup collection by Luminess Cosmetics and Beyoncé’s makeup artist, Sir John, to finally be available for sale — then Hakuna Matata, babes. There are literally no worries because the collection is now up on the Luminess Cosmetics website, and the swatches are out and about!

Sir John and Luminess Cosmetics didn’t come to play in the wild — they came to slay. Per the swatches and the makeup looks that we’re seeing, this collection is as dope as the cast of the new live-action film! Ahead, you’ll find every single swatch from The Lion King makeup collection, plus a gorgeous LEWK from makeup extraordinaire, Patrick Starrr!

Can’t Wait To Be Queen ($42, Luminess Cosmetics)

The Lion King eye shadow palette is certainly the star of the collection and for good reason, as it captures the overall essence of the film! The palette has all of the neutrals that represent the lands shown in The Lion King. Still, it takes note of the gorgeous animals and jungles shown in the film with its jewel tones. The palette features 12 high-pigment eye shadows in a mix of satin, matte, and shimmer finishes.

Circle Of Life Highlighter ($40, Luminess Cosmetics)

This highlighter was inspired by the iconic sunset of the Lion King film, and it totally nails the feel, as it is an accurate depiction of the sunny, glowy look of the overall movie! “It’s the circle of life and it moves us all,” the brand quoted the film on Instagram. “Our Circle of Life Highlighter enhances and brightens on every skin tone.” This highlighter can be used on the face and body!

Legacy Tinted Lip Balm ($24, Luminess Cosmetics)

This lip balm is meant to be a “universally flattering nude sheer color,” and the brand boasts that it’s expertly selected by Sir John himself. Still, it would be in error to not note that it’s a little light to be a true nude for anyone with a dark skin tone. Luckily, it’s a lip balm, so it’s still safe to wear underneath your true nude lipstick or gloss. This nude shade is adorably called Hakuna Matata.

Kingdom Sculpting Palette ($42, Luminess Cosmetics)

This sculpting palette features six cool tones inspired by the scenes of the African Sahara in the animated film. They have a matte finish, are buildable, and meant to be easy to blend. These shades can be used to define and sculpt facial features. As you may know, these aren’t the best for bronzing due to their cool tones.

Be Prepared Liquid Lipstick ($24, Luminess Cosmetics)

Luminess and Sir John have a liquid lipstick that’s meant to actually feel comfortable and be long-wearing. The lipstick has a matte finish, is created to be weightless, and is meant for all-day wear. There are two shades available: Trouble (rich warm brown) and Romantic Atmosphere (a true red). These lip colors are great for everyday wear, which means you get to take your love for The Lion King with you anywhere you go.

Be Brave Matte Lipstick ($24, Luminess Cosmetics)

The matte lovers are getting all the love with this collection! These lipsticks have a matte, velvety finish. The lipstick is smudge-proof and meant to be long-wearing. Once again, these are everyday colors you can wear anytime you want. The shades are Pounce (cool-toned pinky nude) and Lion’s Mane (a red-orange).

Starrr transformed into one fabulous animal-print-wearing queen using the entire Luminess Collection! He obsessed over not only the pigments of the eye shadow palette but also how lightweight it is and how FABULOUS the mirror is. He ultimately went with a neutral eye (using smokey browns topped with champagne and gold shimmers) and gave it an extra dose of glam with glitter-topped eyeliner. The end result was absolutely gorgeous.

Check out Patrick Starrr’s complete tutorial ahead.

Will you be scooping up the Lion King makeup collection from Luminess Cosmetics?! It’s available right now, but as you know, there’s a catch. This collection is limited edition, so you’ve got a limited amount of time to scoop it up and try it out. Grab your must-haves while you still can.

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Calling all The Lion King lovers who happen to be makeup enthusiasts: Disney’s classic film was reborn in makeup form.World-renowned makeup artist Sir John worked with Luminess Cosmetics to create a limited edition 8-piece capsule collection, and it’s essentially what my makeup dreams are made of. The collaboration makes a lot of sense: Beyoncé is the voice of Nala in the forthcoming remake (in theaters July 17), and Sir John has been the mastermind behind her makeup for years.

From the packaging’s intricate illustrations to the intentional shade ranges, each product pays homage to Africa. “There are no humans in the Lion King movie, so I was inspired by the landscape of Africa,” Sir John told me in an interview. “In Johannesburg, I went on safaris and got to see what real soil looks like. And it doesn’t look brown, it’s so rich and red, which created these color stories in each of the products.” From daytime neutrals to dense jewel tones, the tones span the spectrum and work for all women.

The man himself stopped by the Marie Claire offices and showcased what a full face of his collection looks like on me. Keep scrolling for a 10-minute makeup tutorial for women who consider time a luxury (*raises hand*).

Step 1: Sculpt Your Skin to Define and Accentuate Your Face

Sir John began by sculpting my forehead, cheekbones, and jawline with a fluffy brush using his Sculpting Palette ($42). The powder-based palette comes with six cool-toned shades inspired by the Sahara. I’m obsessed with how this palette accentuated my features, and made my entire face look three-dimensionally snatched.

“Sculpting is different from contouring,” Sir John explained. “All of these colors have a cooler undertone, which gives your skin that depth of feel and allows your cheekbones and eye sockets to receive it. These shades are all super super-matte, void of any shimmer, so they really do sculpt. Using a brush when your skin is slightly wet from foundation is the best way to apply this.”

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1. Luminess x Disney The Lion King Collection by Sir John, legendary makeup artist to the stars (including Beyoncé and Celine Dion, NBD!) is finally here and it’s SO good! With colors inspired by The Lion King‘s characters and landscape, this collection is vibrant, glowy, and wears so beautifully.

Sir John did some of our faces up (including mine!) with the collection before it officially launched and said that it’s an “elevated take for all the millennials who grew up on the original film.” Loveeeee. Check out the entire post for all of the looks to replicate at home!

Get the collection from Ulta: Matte Lipstick, Liquid Lipstick, and Lip Balm for $24 each, Highlighter Palette for $40, and Can’t Wait To Be Queen Eyeshadow Palette and Sculpting Palette for $42.

Luminess x Disney The Lion King Collection by Sir John

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Who doesn’t love a good designer collab? On the fashion front, it’s a more affordable way to own a piece of a designer’s artistry. And on the pop culture front, it’s a way to celebrate and show off the TV shows or movies you love.

From Baby Phat and Giambattista Valli to Stranger Things and The Lion King, brand collabs are killin’ it this year. See what other collections have making a splash this summer—and snag some goodies for yourself!

SIR JOHN X LUMINESS COSMETICS LION KING COLLECTION

Disney’s The Lion King was one of the first movies I ever saw in a theater, so I’ve been counting down the days until the live-action remake hits theaters next month. But, while I just can’t wait to revisit some of my favorite childhood characters, when Beyoncé’s makeup artist Sir John announced that he teamed up with Luminess Cosmetics to create a limited-edition collection inspired by the film, I immediately was more excited about all of my potential summer makeup looks. (Side note: In case you somehow missed the casting announcement, Bey is voice of Nayla in the remake.)

The products in the collection include a sculpting palette, an eyeshadow palette, a highlighter, liquid lipsticks, traditional lipstick bullets, and a lip balm. Prices range from $24 for the lip products to $42 for the eyeshadow and sculpting palette. The complete collection can be purchased in a vault for $250.

What immediately stands out about the collection is that if you were to look at the all of the shimmery and matte shades without seeing the packaging, they still capture essence of the film and its African setting. So, I reached out to Sir John on the phone to find out what went into creating the collection.

“I spent a lot of time South Africa, and I’ve been there five times this year,” Sir John tells me. “I went on a safari and got so inspired seeing the colors of the clay and the soil because it’s so red, rich, and warm there. I took tons of pictures and videos of what I saw on my phone and brought it back home. Then, I made a mood board of the photos and started swatching colors.”

Sir John didn’t just travel far to create the collection, he also says that he and Luminess has a tight timeline, doing a years-worth of work in approximately six months. “When I got the phone call from Disney, it didn’t hit me that it was really happening,” he says. “The next thing I had to do was figure out who I was going to partner with to manufacture the collection to make sure it had the right pigment, color payoff, and packaging. Luminess is a company I met and worked with around Coachella time, and I was looking for an opportunity to work with them again.”

Now that the collection is out in the wild, Sir John has been teaming up with everyone’s favorite beauty bloggers to put the collection in action, including Shayla. He filmed this killer emerald smoky eye look using one of the collection’s few vibrant shades.

You can check it out below:

In the video, Sir John gives a ton of application tips, talks about how he got his start as a makeup artist, and what it’s like working with Bey.

Since it’s officially summer, the unofficial season of glowy skin, and the Lion King collection includes The Circle of Life Highlighter, a universally flattering shade for a lit-from-within glow, I got him to spill his secret for keeping your highlighter from melting off during the summer.

He tells me to use two highlighters, using a liquid one as a base… and then going over it with the powder formula. “It’s still luminous and gives you that glowing complexion, but it won’t melt off — it will stay there,” he says. “Even if it does melt off because we are going into summer, you’ll still traces of a beautiful, gleaming complexion.”

Considering one of his clients performs in stadiums, dancing for the majority of her show, I’m going to take Sir John’s advice and start layering my highlighter this summer.

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