Ziwe Says a Strong Bob Makes Her "Feel Alive"

When you hear the name "Ziwe," world-class comedic interviews surely spring to mind. I'm sure I don't need to remind you about her iconic interview with George Santos that dominated the internet for days after its release. Or her absurdly genius conversations with Tom Hanks' son, Chet Hanks, which spurred just as many viral moments. The comedian and writer has a special knack for holding her subjects accountable in the funniest way possible, which she expertly demonstrated on her quarantine Instagram show Baited, and her eponymous Showtime talk show.

However, across all of these interviews—including my personal favorite with Drag Race's Katya—Ziwe is quietly just as much a expert on makeup as she is at putting people in the hot seat. Whether chatting with Julia Fox or Andrew Yang, she's always sporting a bright pop of color on her eyelids, has the most flawless complexion, and always comes to serve with gorgeous, full brows.

Thanks to her commitment to the brow, Urban Decay hand-picked the star to be featured in their social media campaign for its new Big Bush Tinted Brow Gel. A role that she says was an “organic partnership” because she has “been obsessed with Urban Decay for years."

To celebrate Ziwe’s milestone as the star of the videos, as well as her recently released book of essays, Black Friend: Essays, we caught up with her to chat about everything from her favorite products to life advice and beauty inspirations.

The One Thing That Made Her Take Brows Seriously

"I was one of those kids who watched a lot of Clueless, and I remember there was a scene where they were doing their eyebrows. So I got the nerve to do my eyebrows by partially shaving mine off—my mother was so upset with me and told me to never touch my eyebrows again. I had to live with a little nick in my eyebrows for a couple of months. 

"Since that experience, I've learned to take very good care of them. The Big Bush, honestly, is one of my favorite products. And what I love about it is that it uses castor oil. I read that ingredient, and I think 'This will make me look like Eugene Levy.'"

The One Thing That Got Her Through Writing Her Book

"Nature. I love spending time in the woods and appreciating the quietness of living in peace. That really helped me work through my book of essays. I have an essay about it. I grew up in the suburbs of Massachusetts, and upstate New York is something that really reminded me of that with its deciduous and coniferous trees as well as its streams and deer."

The One Way She Gets Her Eye Looks On Point

"Urban Decay [has] really good palettes, that's for dang sure. I like to mix a bronze or a rose gold above my eye. That's usually my go-to. Maybe I'll make it a little smoky and put a bronze on the outer edge."

The One Hair Look She’s Dying to Try

"I would love to go for a really bold color. I did red once on my former show, and I felt like Jessica Rabbit. I would love to find another animation to absolutely plagiarize their sense of style. Maybe Sailor Moon, a nice blonde with really high pigtails—my goal is to look like an anime character at every turn."

The One Beauty Product She Can’t Live Without

"I use setting powder from Urban Decay, the 24-hour setting powder; it’s really nice because sometimes I'll do my makeup in the morning, and then I'll have a full day of work where I'm writing or promoting my book, doing a live show and working on music, so I love that it lasts the entire day. 

"That's really important. Especially if you've ever been caught on Getty Images dot com, they will catch you slipping. So having Urban Decay on will always keep [you looking right]. I've learned to be prepared."

The One Place She Always Searches for Inspiration

"I would say Tumblr, but people don't really use that anymore. I'm really into TikTok, or BeautyTok rather. The Gen Z teens inspire me to step up my game. They are always introducing me to new products, new ways to do my makeup and new skill sets. If I'm not watching people on TikTok, I'm rifling through magazines and looking at old editorials, new editorials and figuring out, Okay, what's hot? What's cool? What's the hot tea right now?”

The One Makeup Look That’s Hot Right Now

"I will always love the natural 1990s supermodel look with nudes. I like a nice, strong contour and an overly lined lip with a gloss. Those are my favorites. They age very well."

The One Look That Makes Her Feel the Most Herself

"A bob. Much like Nicki Minaj, I'm known for the bob. Having a nice, short, little dilettante hairstyle—that's what makes me feel really alive. That and also a strong brow. "

The One Accessory That Completes Any Look

"I like a nice bag. I probably use the same bag, Loewe. I don't even know what style it is, but it's just cute. It's blue."

The One Thing She Relates to Most About Her Zodiac Sign

"Pisces are perfect angels from heaven who are psychic and offer so much to the earth. So, I think that perfectly aligns with my personality. Rihanna is a February Pisces as well."

The One Zodiac Sign That Isn’t Her Favorite

"I've met every zodiac sign. Geminis are the hottest, but Geminis and I, we find trouble, because as a Pisces, [we are] emotionally intelligent, aware. No disrespect to Geminis, I just don't understand the wavelength. I don't get the vibe, but I respect them."

The One Product That Never Leaves Her Purse

"A chapstick. You don't want to have an ashy lip, that's for dang sure. Literally, just one loose chapstick that I can whip out at any time. What's nice about chapstick is if you're ever in a pinch, you can use it as lotion in between the cracks of [your] fingers."

The One Beauty Tip She's Picked Up On Tour

"The nicest thing about working with a partner like Urban Decay is that I get access to all of their amazing makeup, which is so great because I'm on tour. I'm going from Los Angeles to San Francisco, Minneapolis, Houston, Dallas—so that has been the biggest tip, work with a great partner, like Urban Decay."

The One Person She Would Love to Interview

"I got to sit next to Kris Jenner at the Loewe fashion show in Paris, and she, I believe, is an icon, the greatest to ever do it. She would be a dream guest."

The One Piece of Advice That Changed Her Life

"Good lighting. That's the key to happiness. I'm obsessed with '80s and '90s supermodels. One of my favorites is Yasmine Gari. You know that she used to do her own makeup? To me, that's the most interesting fun fact. This beautiful model with all those shoots, she was doing makeup because she had a really good understanding of light. Going on tour, I've been able to work with a lot of really cool products and work on what my signature beat is—lighting is at the center of that experience."