I Tried Sir John's New Lion King Collection

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 (opens in new tab) 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 (opens in new tab) ($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."

Step 2: Highlight for a Lit-From-Within Glow

A smooth, finely-milled highlighter (opens in new tab) ($40) wins me over every time. This velvety formula is buildable, with a golden finish inspired by that unforgettable sunset scene in The Lion King. "I wanted to be sure the highlighter translated well on all skin tones," Sir John told me. "It doesn’t matter how fair or deep you are in complexion, there’s a spot on your cheekbones that this will work for. It’s so finely-milled, so there aren't any large particles that will create that chunky highlighter look, which is never the goal."

Step 3: Apply the Most Perfect Nude Lipstick

The perfect nude for deep skin tones does exist—you're looking at it right now. Many women of color share the same struggle when it comes to finding neutrals to complement deep complexions. This liquid lipstick "Trouble" ($24) (opens in new tab) paints my lips in a gorgeous wash of neutral, and dries down in seconds without sucking the life out of my lips. It's my match-made-in-heaven and has already traveled the world with me. (opens in new tab) “This is a ‘90s matte brown," Sir John described. "It's the perfect nude and looks so different on everyone. There’s lots of vitamin E and humectants in the formula so it’s hydrating."

Step 4: Apply the Same Lipstick On Your Cheeks and Eyes for a Monochromatic Moment

I'm never not in the back of an Uber doing my makeup. And when there's two minutes left until I reach my destination the last thing I want to do is search for blush and eyeshadow. Life hack: Use this lipstick as blush and eyeshadow. It creates uniformity and only requires your fingers—a win-win. Sir John applied this lipstick on my cheeks in tapping motions and swiped it onto my lids in literally one minute. The shades instantly enriched my skin with a warm glow. "These are all convertible colors," he explained. " You can also use the highlighters as eyeshadows, the sculpting palette as a daytime eyeshadow, and of course this lipstick as cream blush." This is what I call magic, baby.

To complete the collection Sir John created a blue-based red lipstick "Romantic Atmosphere" (opens in new tab) ($24) that'll make your pearly whites pop, an orange-based red lipstick "Lion's Mane" (opens in new tab) ($24) that'll make your skin look super-healthy, a creamy matte nude lipstick "Pounce" (opens in new tab) ($24) that works on all skin tones, a tinted balm "Hakuna Matata" (opens in new tab) ($24) to enhance your natural lip color, and a do-it-all eyeshadow palette "Can't Wait to Be Queen" (opens in new tab) ($42).

The Finished Look:

Touched by an angel.

Shop Sir John's The Lion King Collection

You can shop the entire collection today on LuminessBeauty.com (opens in new tab) and Ulta.com (opens in new tab).

For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.

subscribe here (opens in new tab)