Rachel Zoe is officially in fall mode, even if the Los Angeles weather hasn’t caught up. The stylist, who became Essie’s chief color director earlier this year, recently shared her seasonal must-haves with People, and unsurprisingly, her nails take center stage.
Her current go-to is Essie Gel Couture Liquid Diamonds in Drip Drip ($13), a sheer white shade with a satin chrome finish and pearlescent glitter (she was wearing it during the interview). Zoe told the outlet she’s always been meticulous about her manicures, which she sees as their own form of self-expression.
She’s also a big believer in layering, often topping Drip Drip with Essie’s Diamond Dust Top Coat ($13). The former art student summed up her approach simply: “I look at nail color as paint.” For fall, she hand-picked a lineup of Essie shades to match some of her favorite fashion moments, from the brand’s classic Ballet Slippers to her first-ever blue manicure in You Do Blue ($10). She also plans to wear the brand’s Pro Effects Flash Chromes collection nonstop this season.
Her beauty bag goes well beyond polish, though. For a fall-ready eye, she’s reaching for the Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes Waterproof Eyeshadow Stick in Bronzed Garnet ($32), a reddish-brown shade. For a sunless glow, she spritzes the Acqua Hydrating Self-Tanning Face Mist ($36) from NB100 brand Dolce Glow before bed so she wakes up bronzed. The formula pairs hyaluronic acid with sugarcane and macadamia oil (and the brand also took home our 2026 Beauty Award for Best Self-Tanner Mist).
She’s loyal to the Lawless Forget the Filler Lip Plumping Line Smoothing Gloss ($26), and by her count, she’s on roughly her 30th tube. As for skin care, Zoe loves Dr. Barbara Sturm The Peptide Serum ($260), a fragrance-free formula with five peptides that targets fine lines and firmness. She’s also a fan of the brand’s face cream.
