By the time Zanna Roberts Rassi steps onto the Emmys red carpet, she’s already been working for hours. As a lead presenter, she’s constantly moving between the carpet, the broadcast desk and live interviews while the cameras (and the lighting) never really let up. For Roberts Rassi, who hosts E!’s Emmys red-carpet coverage, that means a beauty routine built for endurance, not just a single photo.
This year, Roberts Rassi teamed up with Nutrafol and her longtime hairstylist, Rikke Gash, for a behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to keep her hair polished from an early call time through a red-eye flight the next morning. Below, she walks us through the prep, the products and the mindset shift that changed her relationship with her hair.
As a lead presenter, your night looks totally different from a typical red carpet guest—you’re on your feet for hours, in and out of interviews and broadcast moments. How does that change the way you plan your look?
“When hosting Live from E!: The Emmys, I’m moving between interviewing celebrities, live television and different lighting for hours, multitasking central!! So I want to feel polished but still completely like myself. For me, that comes back to preparation, that starts months before the day of!! Whether that is how I approach my skin, my hair or my overall routine. Nutrafol is a good example of that in my routine, because it is something I take consistently, not something I suddenly think about ahead of a big event. The final look people see is really just the very end of a much longer process.”
Walk us through the actual prep timeline on Emmys night. What time do you fly in, start getting ready, etc.?
“The day starts early, 6 a.m.! I like to give myself plenty of time so nothing feels rushed, but somehow it always does!! We are juggling a lot.
I do a rapid workout to get the blood pumping, then the day becomes a mix of prep, glam, fittings and getting ready for hours of live coverage. During this time, I’m on calls with stylists and designers, getting the details on the looks we are about to see on the carpet. I’m lucky enough that they trust me early to give me the scoop! I’m moving constantly between interviews, broadcast moments and different sets. By the time you see the finished look, there have already been hours of preparation behind it.”
What’s the one thing you always tell your glam squad you want, or don’t want, for a night like this?
“I always want to still look and feel like myself. I’ve worked in beauty for so long that I know what makes me feel confident. I’ve tried all the things—big hair, curly hair, full makeup looks but today I’m much less interested in completely transforming myself for one night. I want something elevated, polished and camera-ready, but still natural and me!”
Between the red carpet, the broadcast, and live interviews, hair has to perform in a lot of different lighting and camera conditions. Is there a moment during a night like this when you’re most aware of your hair—checking it, thinking about it—and what’s your trick for not stressing about it?
“The best way for me not to stress about my hair on a night like this is knowing I’ve been taking care of it long before the event itself. I put the effort in prior so one less thing to think about on the day! Nutrafol has been part of that journey for me and has become a really consistent part of my routine. I started with Nutrafol Women and more recently transitioned to Nutrafol Women’s Balance ($88) as my needs have evolved, which I love because it is formulated to support women through the hormonal changes that can impact our hair as we age. Certainly have with mine!
That has really shaped how I think about hair health. I’m no longer looking for an overnight transformation ahead of one event. I’m much more focused on consistency, supporting my hair over time and knowing I’ve done the work before I ever step onto the carpet. That gives me the confidence to stop checking it every five minutes and just focus on doing my job.”
If you had to describe the finished Emmys look in one sentence for someone who wasn’t there, how would you sum it up, and does it capture something different than your usual red carpet style?
“My goal is polished, cool, confident and completely me, but the finished look is only one moment in a much longer journey.
That is something I think about a lot now, both in beauty and in my career. The moments people see are usually the result of years of work, pivots, risks and evolution that happened before them. We are so conditioned, particularly in beauty and entertainment, to focus on the perfect finished result, but I think there is so much value in recognizing the decision to begin and all of the progress and the growth that happens along the way.
That is why I really respect Nutrafol’s ‘Be An After’ message. It resonates with me so much. It is less about waiting for some perfect finish line and more about celebrating how far you have come.”
What do you typically do to wind down after a night like this?
“I wish I could decompress—I jump on a red-eye flight off the red carpet to NYC to host Today Show recaps and our social show the morning after. I’m literally on air/filming for 24 hours straight, and my hair and glam have to stay locked throughout! Another reason the pre-work is even more important!”
