There’s a lot to talk about in 2017. And celebrity makeup artist Sir John wants you to know you can say it with makeup. The L’Oréal Paris Dream Team ambassador had a busy 2016, from touring as Beyoncé’s official MUA on The Formation World Tour (for the second time) to snagging the title of Makeup Artist of the Year at the InStyle Awards for his feel-good, self-internalizing philosophy on beauty. Whether it’s with yourself or with an audience of followers and fans, “makeup is a way to emotionally connect,” says the influencer in his own right. “It makes you feel better; enter a room with confidence; suppress negative emotions.” This awards season, he’s got a message #WorthSharing during L’Oréal Paris' campaign for meaningful dialogue on the red carpet. “If you learned anything from [last] year, it’s what you don’t want and what you do want. It’s a call to action to make it a reality,” he says.

So to spread the message of empowerment on the red carpet, we revisited some of Sir John’s most memorable looks with meaning (the former painter’s process is an intellectual one, with an artistic intention or emotional trigger behind every flick, swipe and smear) — and re-created each concept according to five mantras we’d rep on the step-and-repeat. They just may change the way you wear makeup.