Lupita Nyong'o's Metallic Green Lipstick Was Inspired by a '90s Icon

Lupita Nyong’o is a star, and she has the hairstyle to prove it. Nyong’o arrived to the NYC screening of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever premiere in a fierce deep green monochromatic look from her eyes to her toes, accented by a starburst updo. 

Nyong’o wore an emerald green outfit, featuring a lacy green slip under a knee-length metallic leather duster and thigh-high boots to match. She accessorized her look with a matching green bag, a dazzling ring, and a pair of hoops, plus a chocolate brown mani.

As show-stopping as her outfit was, her glam was on point, too. Nyong’o’s hair stylist, Vernon François, created her starry updo by first putting locs into Nyong’o’s hair, and then pulling them back into a high bun on the crown of her head. But, this isn’t any plain bun—François wrapped locs around golden bars and intertwined them into the bun, creating a star-like shape for the star’s big night. He posted a video of the loc star on Instagram with a quick reminder for everyone to “be [their] own 🌟” in his caption.

Nyong’o’s makeup artist, Nick Barose, took inspiration from the Wakanda Forever actress and her character, too. Barose tells Byrdie exclusively, "I was inspired by the green outfit she wore and wanted to give a nod to her character, Nakia, in Black Panther, who also wears a lot of green." He created a monochromatic makeup look (featuring a stunning metallic green lip) using Lancôme products. 

"The monochromatic green ensemble called for something dramatic and quirky. The look reminded me of Lil Kim in the '90s, when she wore several monochromatic outfits in her music video for Crush," Barose reveals. "One of the looks she wore was all green and included this cool, odd, and fun, green lip. This inspired me to do my own version with a metallic green for a more futuristic look."

Makeup is only as strong as its base, so Barose first prepped Nyong’o’s skin with the Lancôme Advanced Génifique Face Serum ($115) for a boost of hydration, followed by the Lancôme Advanced Génifique Eye Light Pearl ($70) to brighten her undereye area. 

Next, Barose reached for a pea-sized amount of Lancôme’s Prep + Matte Primer ($37) and added it to Nyong’o’s t-zone to diminish shine. He used the Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation in 560 ($52) with a damp sponge, and Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear All Over Concealer in 560 ($26) to even out the star’s complexion before dusting the Lancôme Dual Finish Powder Foundation in 560 ($49) all over her skin to blur the complexion and set her base makeup. Then, Barose finished Nyong’o face makeup with the Lancôme Blush Subtil in Keep Calm & Blush ($33), adding a berry flush to her cheeks. 

But, back to the green—Nyong’o wore green shades on both her lids and lips for a full-on monochromatic glam. Barose stared with the brows and opted for the Lancôme Brow Shaping Powdery Pencil in 10 ($28) to enhance Nyong’o’s thin brow shape, then grabbed the Lancôme Prime It Boost It Eyeshadow Primer to intensify her smokey eye and set the stage for a crease-proof evening. He dipped into the green shade from Lancôme Hypnôse 5-Color Eyeshadow Palette in Kaki Electrique ($50) and applied it all over the eyelid, extending the color out to a slight wing for an elongated effect. Following that, he created smokiness around the actress’s eyes by smudging the Lancôme Drama Liqui-Pencil Waterproof Eyeliner in Café Noir ($22) along her top and bottom lash lines. Finally, Barose created a wing with the Lancôme Idôle Liner ($22), and added volume and length to the lashes with the Lancôme Lash Idôle Mascara ($27) for a fanned-out appearance.

Barose proves that makeup can be used for more than just its intended purpose and created her green lippie with eye products. Says Barose, "To create the custom green lip, I used a green eyeliner pencil to line the lips and build the base color. Then I added a bit of lip balm (Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge Lipstick in Moi Moi Moi,$32) and dabbed metallic green eyeshadow on top, for a glistening effect."