All the Details Behind Taraji P. Henson’s ‘The Color Purple’-Inspired Emmys Glam

Sleek, striking, and sexy are the three words that describe Taraji P. Henson's look for the 2024 Emmys. The star, who plays Shug Avery in the 2023 adaptation of The Color Purple, was a vision in the regal hue at last night’s event, wearing a vibrant eggplant-hued custom Atelier Versace gown. Naturally, she had a glamorous beauty look to match with sultry pink-and-purple makeup anchored by a dramatic long ponytail.

Makeup artist Saisha Beecham drew inspiration from Henson's dress for her harmonious makeup, which featured a plummy eyeshadow look with soft pink draped on the cheeks and painted on the lips. "I couldn’t wait to complement her eyes with some yummy berry tones," says Beecham. "I knew her hair would be back, so I did a blown-out smoky eye look! That always works for Taraji’s eye shape." Beecham used a bright raspberry color from the Viseart Grande Pro Volume 3 palette, highlighted with Pink Diamond, a discontinued Huda Beauty eyeshadow shade.

Then, she used the L'Oréal Infallible 24h Fresh Wear Blush in Confident Pink to fade the colors onto Henson's cheekbones, blending above the apples of the cheeks. "Avoiding the apples removes the sweetness and focuses on the bone structure to keep things sultry and sculpted," says Beecham. She finished off the look with the L'Oréal Colour Riche Satin Lipstick in the shade Worth It 601, which is a perfect pinky nude. "This draws more attention to the eyes, and I wanted her eyes to pierce through everyone she made eye contact with," explains Beecham.

To craft Henson's fierce ponytail, her hairstylist, Tym Wallace, first prepped her hair using a shampoo and conditioner from Henson's own line, TPH by Taraji. "With all the press stops for The Color Purple, there has been a lot of manipulation to her natural hair, so I really wanted to make sure her hair was hydrated," says Wallace. He then used the L'Oréal Paris EverPure 21-in-1 Color Caring Spray as a leave-in.

Then, Wallace went into styling. "I used the GHD Chronos flat iron, an HD motion-response styler, to silk press her hair in small sections to ensure a really smooth, not-so-high, not-so-low ponytail," says Wallace. "I wanted drama, so I created an extended braid, then wrapped it with 20-inch hair, cutting off the V Clip Extensions to add extra length. I used L'Oréal Paris’ Magic Root Cover Up to hide a few resistant grays and make sure the color of both her natural hair and the extensions were seamless. To complete the style, I used a mini brush with TPH’s Slick to smooth her edges."

For her nails, Henson wore a high-shine chrome look by nail artist Temeka Jackson. Jackson opted for a pewter polish with lots of depth to complement Henson's silver-toned jewels from Simon G. Jewelry.

Needless to say, for all the talented artists behind Henson's look, the star is a dream to work with. "She's my life-size Barbie — she's a muse," says Wallace. "She pretty much lets us create and wears our vision for her. And she wears it well."