A Top Celebrity Makeup Artist Shares His Must-Have Products

Between doing the makeup for one of the most buzzed-about surprise visual albums of the year and traveling around the globe to work on Hollywood's top A-listers, Sir John is always on the go. The go-to makeup artist for the one and only Queen Bey—and brand ambassador and celebrity makeup artist for L’Oréal Paris—he has to be ready to pack his bags without a moment's notice, while still towing along all of his beauty and skin care must haves. Want to know what a celebrity makeup artist—and self-proclaimed “skin care freak”—never leaves home without? Keep reading.

Must-Pack Item #1: Eye Cream

Out of the gate the first product Sir John mentioned when asked about his must-haves was eye cream. Long tours, hectic schedules, early call-times…these lifestyle factors are a recipe for dark circles.  “One thing that’s cool about girls is that, if you have dark circles you can cover it. I have to own it. I have to own it and just pretend it’s not there.”

Try: L’Oreal Paris RevitaLift Miracle Blur Eye. Not only is this eye treatment in a travel-friendly tube, it features light-diffusing pigments that help to reduce the visible appearance of aging and fatigue—read: crow’s feet, puffiness, and dark circles.

Must-Pack Item #2: SPF with Moisturizer

Sir John never leaves home without a moisturizer. In the colder months—and in colder climates—he turns to formulas that he says “are really emollient and heavier…because they’re so comforting and hydrating.” In warmer weather he reaches for water-based moisturizers. An ingredient he loves no matter the time of year? Hyaluronic acid, which he says is intensely moisturizing. When he’s on the go, he pulls doubly duty and packs moisturizers with SPF to protect his skin.

Try: L’Oreal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Day Cream. With a broad-spectrum SPF 15, this silky day cream protects your skin while it hydrates.  

Must-Pack Item #3: Facial Wash

The final must-have in Sir John’s travel skin care arsenal? A facial wash designed to fight acne to help ward off breakouts. Sir John notes that SPF can clog your pores, so he looks for face washes that contain a mild salicylic or glycolic acid in order to help unclog pores and avoid any unwanted breakouts.

Try: L’Oreal Paris Go 360° Clean Anti-Breakout Facial Cleanser. Containing 2 percent salicylic acid, this cleanser deeply cleans skin and helps to unclog pores.

When it comes to beauty items he packs along for the flawless faces he works on, Sir John always keeps tinted eyeliners in his bag. “I’m obsessed with colored eyeliner. Cobalt. Violet. All the primaries,” he says. Colored eyeliner is a great way to bring clear, glowing skin front and center. Sir John recommends wearing it along with a little mascara, a tinted moisturizer, and a lip balm.

Another surefire way to make your skin shine bright? A simple bold lip. For that, Sir John turns to L’Oréal Paris’ Infallible collection, which he started using before becoming an ambassador for the brand. “Back in the day, I tried a ton of products that claimed 8-hour, but they didn’t last 8 hours. This is the only one that would not move," he tells us. Plus, he shares the cool thing about the brand’s Pro-Matte Gloss is that it’s a moisturizing matte, so it’s not going to dry you out. Can’t wait to try it out? Check out Sir John’s DIY trick for rocking the perfect liquid matte lip, here.