(Celebrity)

Tracee Ellis Ross & Michelle Obama Just Ignited *Multiple* Beauty Trends In One Night

The duo you never knew you needed.

by Catherine Santino
@mollygreenwald
Tracee Ellis Ross very long braids selfie yellow earrings

When she’s not showing off her natural curls in all their fluffy glory, Tracee Ellis Ross gets quite creative with protective hairstyles. It’s not unusual to see the actor and Pattern Beauty founder wearing a sculptural updo or an intricate braided style, and every new look only seems to reaffirm her status as a beauty icon. Ross’ latest go at ultra-long box braids, however, might just take the cake — especially considering that she’s matching with the one and only Michelle Obama. Tracee Ellis Ross’ box braids ponytail served as the perfect complement to the former First Lady’s goddess braids, but certainly stands on its own as one of the star’s most gorgeous and glamorous updos yet.

Holiday gifts came early in the form of Ross and Obama gracing Instagram with a behind-the-scenes look at their recent speaking engagement together. The dynamic duo took the stage at San Francisco’s The Masonic to discuss Obama’s latest look, The Light We Carry. Both ladies looked absolutely fabulous in matching suits — Ross in a grey Gucci moment with studded details and Obama in dark green velour (and a top emblazoned with images of music legend — and Tracee’s mother — Diana Ross).

The real glamour, though, lay beyond the fashion — it’s all about their beauty looks. Ross opted for medium-sized braids pulled back into a glossy, hip-length ponytail courtesy of celebrity hairstylist Marcia Hamilton, with a natural makeup look done by Molly Greenwald. Obama wore micro goddess braids swept to one side, giving the author and activist a youthful and effortless vibe. Other noteworthy elements of Obama’s look included metallic bronze nails and rich green eyeshadow to match her suit.

Needless to say, these two icons blew everyone away with their matching ensembles and braids — but to many, their looks meant much more than just a stunning beauty moment. “It’s the braids and Black girl joy for me,” one commenter wrote on Ross’ Instagram post. “This is the epitome of Black girl magic!” said another. One fan even expects that Obama’s hairstyle will reignite a trend wave, saying, “Here come the microbraids back for their new reign.”

Only time will tell if this commenter’s prediction will come true, but given the amount of buzz around Ross and Obama’s looks, it’s safe to say they’re onto something.