Makeup artist extraordinaire Sir John teamed up with Disney and Luminess to create the limited edition Lion King makeup collection, and we got to try it out before it launches on June 15!
If you’re a makeup enthusiast then you know Sir John glams the faces for the likes of Celine Dion, Khloe Kardashian and Beyoncé. Now, he’s teamed up with cosmetics company Luminess to create Disney’s official, limited edition Lion King makeup collection to celebrate the live-action remake, in which Beyoncé is the voice of Nala btw. *Feel free to fan out right now!*
The eight piece-collection includes the Kingdom Sculpting Palette, Can’t Wait to be Queen Eyeshadow Palette, Be Brave Matte Lipstick in two shades, Be Prepared Liquid Lipstick in two shades, Legacy Tinted Lip Balm and Circle of Life Highlighter. The products will be available on Luminess on June 15 and makeup retailers on June 16, ranging from $24 to $42.
He actually came by our office to show us the collection and we got to try it out first hand. We were immediately blown away by how elevated the packaging was, and by the finished looks.
Taylor Miller / BuzzFeed
The makeup artist extraordinaire told BuzzFeed that this collection was an elevated take for all the millennials who grew up on the original film. We’re all grown up now and this collection is the perfect mix of childhood nostalgia and adult presentation. Everything from the sleek, metallic packaging to the super-rich and intense pigment proves that this is not a drill, people. THIS IS THE REAL DEAL!
Sir John gave Sabrina a shimmering monochromatic look, perfect for a fancy affair. If lions had weddings, Nala would’ve totally rocked this beat!
He enhanced Sabrina’s bone structure with shades Dusk and Cub from the Kingdom Sculpting Palette. For the lips and blush, he actually used the Be Brave Matte Lipstick in Pounce, which he calls a “convertible piece” because you can use it more than one way!
Can we have a moment of silence out of respect for this speck of gold in her tear ducts?! It’s all in the details, dahlings.
Here’s a cheat sheet of everything you’ll need to recreate this moment.
Sabrina’s Final Thoughts: “In all seriousness, Sir John made me feel like a Disney princess after I saw my finished look! If you’re anything like me, navigating how to properly apply makeup is nothing short of intimidating, especially when trying a new color that’s out of your comfort zone. I was pleasantly surprised at how bold, yet natural the shimmery golds were against my skin tone.
I absolutely love how Sir John balanced the use of warm colors on my face overall and especially appreciated how the combination of his technique and the collection made my eyes pop. The beautiful thing about Luminess and Sir John’s Lion King collection is that there is an array of colors perfect for every person, no matter what their skin tone is. I have never felt more confident wearing makeup than when Sir John applied this collection to my face!”
For Sarah, Sir John proved that you can bring the drama without doing the most. Her blue-red lip and soft, subtle eye make for a stunning juxtaposition.
To sculpt, he applied Cub and Marula, and finished off with the Circle of Life Highlighter. Who knew looking so good could be so easy and so quick?! Sir John knew, that’s who!
Nala would DEF rock this look for girls’ night out in the jungle. So sexy, so chic, so editorial!
He kept the focus on her lips with Be Prepared Liquid Lipstick in Romantic Atmosphere. Sir John left the eyes more neutral, applying Safari Khaki to her entire lid and punching up the ball just a tad with the shade Landscape.
Here’s everything you need for this quick and easy slay.
Sarah’s Final Thoughts: “I’m obsessed with the golden eye look Sir John created for me — it reminds of the beautiful sunset scene in Lion King where Mufasa famously says, ‘Look, Simba. Everything the light touches is our kingdom.’ And not only that, but I feel like it’s a look I could actually recreate myself pretty quickly (knock on wood!), yet the finished result looks so elegant and ~radiant~.
I’m obsessed with my blue-based reds and Romantic Atmosphere did NOT disappoint, and I think Sir John’s slight overlining of the lips really made the red pop, balanced the bold brows, and centered the whole look. Sir John and Luminess nailed it, and I can’t wait to redo this look and play with all of the other gorgeous eyeshadow shades! 😍”
And for Essence, Sir John showed us a much brighter look, punctuating the eyes and muting out the rest of her face. We can see Nala slaying this fun, care-free look at the Pride Rock Music Festival!
(Hey! I’m Essence, Essence is me. Writing about myself in third person is weird.)
He contoured with Pumbaa, applying it to the jawline, forehead and cheekbones. On the lips he applied the Be Prepared Liquid Lipstick in Trouble, and dabbed a little to her cheeks as well.
We have five words: Your favorite peacock could NEVER!
Now the eyes were the focal point so he really packed on the pigment and played with some of the more vibrant shades from the Can’t Wait To Be King Eyeshadow Palette. The shade Meadows sweeps the entire lid and the shade Zazu sits in the tear duct. He applied Pride Rock and African Clay to the crease and Wisdom to the brow bone to blend out the look.
Wanna get the look?! Here are the deets.
Essence’s Final Thoughts: “So this collection is sooooo incredibly special. I immediately fell in love with the packaging. It has this metallic thing going on that changes in the light when you hold it at certain angles, and then to follow that up with such a great product that actually performs was just amazing! The makeup itself is just as elevated as the packaging.
Now as for my look, not to sound full of myself or anything but I look GOOOOOOOD! This pigment is without any primer or enhancement in photo editing. What you see is literally what it looked like in real life. The colors work well together and I like it because even though the makeup is elevated, it’s not hard or intimidating to use. Sir John just keeps on leveling up and this collection is brilliant. It made me that much more excited for the movie!”