Issa Rae’s Emmys Skin Was Prepped With a $1,000 Moisturizer

Issa Rae knows a thing or two about balance. Case in point? Her Emmys glam kicked off with a $1,000 moisturizer and wrapped up with a $3 eyeshadow. The genius behind it all was none other than Joanna Simkin, who was intent on creating a look that embodied “beauty and strength.” 

As always, the start to any strong makeup look kicks off with skincare. And what better way to prep the skin than with an *uber* luxe moisturizer. “I used a small amount of the Lancer Skincare Legacy Youth treatment on the face, neck, and décolletage. This luxurious cream rejuvenated her skin and plumped her face to perfection,” Simkin said. With three different types of epidermal growth factor and peptides to boot, this cream is the real deal. 

While that costs a pretty penny, Rae’s makeup look is actually super affordable—every product on her face costs less than $15. Simkin prepped the skin with e.l.f.’s C-Bright Putty Primer, “which grips and brightens the skin with vitamin C,” and then applied a thin layer of the very viral Halo Glow Liquid Filter in shade Rich to up the ante on her glow. As for the eyes? To create the “power cat” wing, Simkin used Bite Size Eyeshadow in the shade truffles to create definition and the smooth, black shade to create her smoky wing. “I find using an eyeshadow over a liquid or pencil creates more of a sensual diffused look that elongates the face without it looking too harsh.” 

Of course, we couldn’t finish this breakdown without touching on the hair of it all. The copper! The bob! Hairstylist Felicia Leatherwood was responsible for the hair magic. The secret product? The Matrix Vavoom Triple Freeze Extra Dry Spray. “I just used it at the top of the hair as we still want the bottom of her hair to have movement, but control flyaways.” 

To shop the key products from Rae’s Emmys look, scroll ahead.