Issa Rae was a standout on the 2021 Emmys red carpet. The Insecure star wore a custom mesh Aliétte NY gown, which she paired with silver feather earrings and a sparkling diamond grill. To complete the look, Rae opted for metallic purple eyeshadow, which came from an extremely budget-friendly beauty brand.
Celebrity makeup artist Joanna Simkin created the makeup look for Rae and took inspiration from the ’70s disco era, leaning into a smoky eye. The addition of the purple eyeshadow made the look all the more interesting versus a more traditional bronze smoky eye.
To complete the look, Simkin used a combination of the E.l.f. Bite Size Eyeshadow Palette ($6) in the shade ‘Acai You’ and a little of the E.l.f. Liquid Metallic Eyeshadow ($10) in ‘SuperNova’. The eye makeup was topped off with the E.l.f. Big Mood Mascara, which we can’t get our hands on in Australia. Instead, your best bet is to opt for the Volume Plumping Mascara ($9) to achieve a similarly fluttery eyelash finish.
“The beautiful custom Aliette felt like a nod to the ’70s, Studio 54, and disco glam,” Simkin said in a press release. “I was instantly inspired to do a sparkly purple eyeshadow and fluttery lashes to accentuate Issa’s gorgeous features while playing up a bold statement eye.”
Simkin actually used E.l.f. products across Rae’s entire face, prepping her skin with the Holy Hydration! Face Cream ($28) and using the Camo CC Cream ($35) for Rae’s base makeup. Simkin used an E.l.f lipgloss to finish the look, which isn’t on the E.l.f Australia website, so best to instead try the Tinted Lip Oil ($6) in Berry Kiss for a similar mauve vibe.
We’re so going to be taking cues from this gorgeous makeup look and can’t wait to purchase a few of these affordable products to do so. We love a makeup moment that is friendly on the wallet!
