It doesn't matter if you're plugged into Gen Z culture or not, chances are you've heard Addison Rae's name. The 20-year-old internet sensation is the second-most-followed person on TikTok and the cofounder of Item Beauty, and she's about to bust on the scene in Hollywood as the star of the upcoming film He's All That—a remake of the 1999 hit She's All That, except this time it's the It girl who's giving the makeovers.
But as we Zoom on a recent afternoon, she's focused on a new kind of achievement: pastry chef. “Just call me a professional cinnamon roll icer,” she says as the timer goes off on the rolls baking in her kitchen. “I'll let them cool and ice them later.”
Rae is taking advantage of any spare time, which is still quite rare, but it won't last for long. On January 21, she launches the latest addition to Item's clean beauty line with the 20-shade, papaya- and vitamin C–infused Air Hug concealer. “I'm obsessed with concealer, and this one is like a pillowy hug for your skin,” she says. “It blends so well and really lasts.”
Even though makeup is second nature to Rae, she still picked up some tips while filming He's All That. “I learned that if you want your makeup to last, use a refreshing mist. Usually when I do my makeup for social media videos, I don't mind if it comes off a bit, but staying refreshed on a movie is important because you have to be camera-ready the entire day.” Enter her new One Hit Mist, which Rae swears by to give her a refreshed glow. “It's so hydrating and calming for my skin,” she says of the lavender and rose water spray.
From where I'm sitting, it seems to be working. Her skin is practically glowing through the computer screen (of course, it helps to be 20). So what are her other skin-care secrets? In our latest round of Big Beauty Questions, we made her answer all that and more.
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Glamour: What beauty trend are you obsessed with right now?
Addison Rae: I love fluffy eyebrows. I use my brow definer, Brow Chow, as a smudged eyeliner, and then the brush on the end is perfect to brush my brows up and have a nice, fluffy brow look. I sometimes use it to dot freckles on my nose as well, which is another trend I love. I’ll use the light brown Brow Chow by dabbing it on there with the pointy tip and then pat it out so it looks natural.
What’s one beauty rule you think is B.S.?
That you have to wear a full face of makeup. Sometimes, when I’m working out, I want to look awake but don’t want to put on a full face of makeup, so I’ll do just mascara. My formula for Item really lasts long, but isn’t damaging to take off. It’s a great workout mascara.
What’s the best beauty advice your mom ever gave you?
She was a makeup artist, so she taught me a lot of things, but the biggest was how to blend eye shadow. I used to do thick eye shadow and would never blend it, so she showed me to make it fade perfectly. She would blend for like three minutes. That's the trick—just keep blending!
Fill in the blank: I love my hair when _______.
It’s naturally beach-wavy. My hair dries really wavy and textured, so you can call me a mermaid if you want.
What city or country gives you the biggest beauty inspiration?
France. Anything European. I’ve never been to Europe, but it really does inspire me, and they’re very much ahead of the trends that we end up seeing here. The look is timeless, classic.
You have $20 and free roam of the drugstore. What do you buy?
Dried mangoes, an eyelash curler—which is essential to make me look awake—and a bottle of conditioner. I always run out of that before shampoo.
What music do you listen to when you’re getting ready?
Lately I’ve been into artists that are mainly production-focused, so Flume is my go-to.
What’s your favorite way to take a moment for yourself?
A shower followed by my skin-care routine. When I was filming He's All That, the makeup artist stressed the importance of thoroughly washing my face to get all my makeup off at the end of the day. Once I wash my face, I love to use the Georgia Louise Cryo Freeze Tools, which I just got. I ordered them because Zoey Deutch used them in her Vogue Beauty Secrets video. What's great is it leaves your skin feeling tight and gives you a nice flush.
Facial or massage?
Massage, because I get really tense and hold that in my shoulders. That definitely relieves more tension.
Let’s play Screw, Marry, Kill: Beauty Edition with mascara, lipstick, and highlighter. Go!
Marry mascara because I love it, and it’s the one thing that definitely elevates your look. Screw lipstick because I like to have color. My Lip Quip is a lip oil, so it’s hydrating and gives you a wet look and feels really good on your lips. I’d kill highlighter. I love it, but I can use so many other things to make me glow, like my One Hit Mist.
What color are you loving on your nails at the moment?
Right now I have cow print on my nails and zebra on my toes. I love deep colors, like navy or red or black. A couple weeks ago I had a French tip and each tip was a different color.
What’s your go-to perfume?
Candles influence what scent I use for perfume. I really like one by Ouai called North Bondi. It’s natural, but gives you a really good scent. And then I pair a perfume with lotion, which helps stick the smell on extra. I was a big Fantasy by Britney Spears fan my whole life. Light Blue is another good one too. I love the beach, so anytime I smell sunscreen, I love that, which is why I also use Sun Bum's coconut sunscreen lip balm.
If you could change one thing about beauty perceptions, what would it be?
The expectation that certain physical features should be this small or this big. It's important to appreciate the size and shape of whatever physical feature you have. I have small ears, so it’s important to look past what's been perceived as “better.” Let’s just appreciate the size and shape of every physical feature.
Who are the women inspiring you the most right now?
It changes every day, but I always love Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts, Beyonce, J.Lo—they have really good messages, plus they are so successful.
Jessica Radloff is the Glamour West Coast editor. You can follow her on Instagram @jessicaradloff14. This interview has been edited and condensed.
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