Holographic eyes are a must-try beauty trend for fall. Who better to teach us about this intergalactic look than celebrity makeup artist Sir John? After all, the beauty guru is responsible for transforming the faces of everyone from Viola Davis to Joan Smalls and of course, Beyoncé. This week, he stopped by our offices to share an easy tutorial for oil-slick eyelids and also gave us exclusive details about his upcoming New York Fashion Week event.
There’s a lot to take in when one of Hollywood’s most in demand makeup master transforms your face, but here are the three biggest takeaways. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how easy these tips are:
1. The fuller the brows, the better: According to Sir John, one of the biggest mistakes women make is over- tweezing. “I rather have more hair than not enough to work with,” he dished. Instead, stimulate hair growth by using warm castor oil or Rogaine foam from the drugstore. In 2-3 weeks, you’ll start to see a difference.
Applying concealer around the eyebrows is also child’s play or “training wheels,” as Sir would quip. Remember that your brows are supposed to be sisters, not twins. You don’t have to make them identical as long as they’re going to the same party.
2. Your hands are more useful than you think: As Sir John applied shadow to my eyes, he emphasized the many benefits to using your hands instead of brushes. Body heat actually makes applying gel liners, concealers and other cream products more seamless.
“The ring finger is the weakest finger you have, so it’ll pick up the least amount of product,” he also added. “Anything that is creamier in nature or an emollient (water-based) is easier to blend with your finger.”
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Speaking of concealer, he recommends keeping two on hand: one that matches your skin tone and a slightly lighter one that will bring faux lighting to the face. Go for warmer undertones like peach and gold, as opposed to cooler yellows.
3. Embrace your natural features: It’s time to move on from baking and over-contouring. Instead, shift your focus to sculpting or “working with what your mama gave you, but in a less aggressive way.”
One of the ways Sir John encourages King Bey and other clients to do this is by using matte colors to chisel their cheekbones. This is his ultimate go-to trick.
“Never contour with bronzer,” he emphasizes. “Cooler, matte colors recede and make things fade to the back.” So if you want cheekbones with depth, apply just under the apple of your cheek with a blush brush. You can also achieve more duality by using a cream base and setting with a powder.
Watch our Facebook Live below for more insanely easy makeup hacks and the 411 on Sir John’s upcoming event.