7 Ways to Get Issa Rae Hair (and Makeup Too)

Curly-haired ladies: A wide-tooth comb, microfiber towel and diffuser are your BFFs. But too much heat can actually change your natural curl pattern and damage already weak strands. Instead, wash hair at night and let it completely dry before getting in bed. If you must use a blow-dryer, use the cool setting with a diffuser to keep your locks shiny and bouncy.

Indigo eyeliner and hot-pink lip? Nope, it’s not the ’80s—just Issa on the red carpet. While we usually warn against both a bright lipstick and a colorful eye, this combo feels fresh and not too over-the-top (since it’s just an eyeliner and not all-over eyeshadow) and totally goes with her candy-striped outfit.

In order to make your eyes pop behind your rims, draw your top eyeliner thicker than you normally would. Then, line the bottom of your eye with a white or silver liner to make the whites of your eyes appear bigger. This way, your peepers don’t get lost behind your stylish frames.

Complement your deep chocolaty eyes with a bright blue or purple eye shadow. We’re not scientists, but we’re pretty sure it has something to do with the color wheel and the fact that blue contrasts with the warm brown flecks in your hazel-tinged iris, making your eyes appear brighter. 

If you’re going to go heavy on the dark grays and deep navys on your eyelids, keep everything else minimal. A purple or red lip adds too much drama to an otherwise balanced look. Instead, Issa pairs a nude lip with a tiny hint of gloss in order to highlight her sultry lids.

According to Essence, Issa’s makeup artist, Joanna Simkin, uses Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Treatment Mask and Facial Water to get the actress’s skin looking dewy and glowing beneath her foundation. To keep skin from becoming too oily, be sure to exfoliate regularly and apply moisturizer from the outer edges of your face in so your T-zone gets the least amount of product.

Issa’s hairstylist, Felicia Leatherwood, swears by heat-infused deep-conditioning treatments applied every two weeks, according to E! News. After applying a conditioning mask to wet tresses, cover your head with a shower cap and apply heat to the outside to let the moisture completely soak into the hair follicle. This keeps natural hair shiny and soft.