Queen B kicks off her highly anticipated Formation World Tour tonight at Marlins Park, marking a 40-stadium journey around the globe. As Miamians eagerly wait for her to grace the stage, we can only imagine how fierce she'll look, which is why die-hard Beyhive members need to look the part too. That's where Sir John Barnett comes in.
He's Beyoncé's right-hand man, responsible for the glow, glimmer, and sparkle that makes her look like the effortless goddess the world has come to love. As she jumps from state to state (and a few stops in Canada), Sir John will be by her side, responsible for everything from lip liners to shimmers and powders.
Outside of Bey's entourage, he has worked with some of the world’s top models, including Karlie Kloss, Joan Smalls, Chrissy Teigen, and Naomi Campbell. More recently, he was named a celebrity makeup artist and brand ambassador for L'Oréal Paris. He travels the world, styles celebs, and has a hand in creating new products for the company.
He says his work, especially with L'Oréal and Beyoncé, has given him a global platform to reach more women. "It's really great to inspire different groups of women of all walks of life through the faces of my clients," he says.
New Times spoke with Sir John as he prepares for Formation's first show. Channel your inner Bey by using his five go-to beauty tips that are a sure-fire way to make you get all of those empowering, fierce, and bad-ass feels that the superstar inspires.
5. Be transformed by makeup.
"Pushing possibilities with the transformative power that it provides. You're in your own lane, and you can really expand that creativity," Sir John says.
4. Natural is always in.
"Everyone loves the no-makeup makeup look. But I like aspirational beauty and levels of aspiration. Reoccurring beauty staples like the red matte lip, winged eye, or effective seamless contour are always beautiful to look at."
3. Blending is a major key.
"Blend, blend, blend," the makeup artist says. "Invest in a great foundation, and great brushes are a must. Study art through classes and museums too, and personalize any trend you see on the red carpet or runway."
2. Get creative with your eyes.
"They're the mirror to the soul and a great vehicle to convey emotions like anger, happiness, or any seductive qualities a women may have."
1. Be passionate about your own beauty
"It's great working with supermodels, celebrities, and brands. But what’s most impactful to me is when I see or meet someone out there that I inspired who recently overcame a rough ordeal with health," he says, "like someone I showed how to line her eyes or bring back some of her happiness through beauty. Whenever you can impact the everyday woman in such a major way, it's a blessing. It continues to be an emotional lure, and I’m extremely humble to have a gift that can be delivered to so many women."
Beyoncé's Formation World Tour
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 27, at Marlins Park. Visit ticketmaster.com.