Claire Danes is kind of having a moment right now.

The 31 year-old actress just scooped up an Emmy award nomination for her demanding lead role in the HBO movie Temple Grandin, as well as a shiny new contract with lash growth brand Latisse as their newest spokesmodel.

StyleList sat down for a chat with Danes at New York's swanky The London hotel, where we were so entranced by the star's fluttery Betty Boop-like lashes, that we couldn't help but stare. And apparently, we're not the only ones.

"I was jogging in the street the other day, and I bumped into a friend who stopped me to ask if I was wearing false lashes. I was like, 'Really? You'd think I'd put on fake lashes to go jogging in the middle of New York City?'" laughed Danes.

The starlet has closely chronicled her dramatic experience using Latisse, with before and after photos online, as well as television and magazine ads that are currently debuting. Danes follows leading lady Brooke Shields as a face of the brand.

Yet when asked for her best beauty advice, Danes relies on an inside-out approach first, before enhancing with product.

"I think that if you eat in a balanced way, drink water, exercise regularly and get enough sleep, you're going to look your best. It sounds easy, but it takes quite a bit of discipline and self-awareness to make sure all of those boxes are ticked! I really do think of beauty in a more holistic way. I've also discovered over time that beauty is something you can cultivate and develop and even pursue," said Danes.

But don't assume that the one-time Yale student has tossed aside the mom-ish brunette bowl style she wore to film Temple Grandin for the near bleach-blonde locks of late because she's pursuing the beautiful life; Danes actually goes blonde when she's taking time off from the filming grind.

"I assume different guises in my work, so it's nice to be able to return to something that is stable and familiar to me. I was this color blonde when I was about six years old! It''s my go-to, I'm-not-working-right-now look. I've been with my colorist Steven Amendola at John Frieda for years, and he's now a dear friend. Sometimes he does make me a bit lighter or darker, but I trust him totally," said Danes.

Hair has long been a source of creative experimentation for Danes, though her first styling idea at the tender age of eight didn't turn out so well.

"I've always had really straight hair, and you of course always want the opposite of what you've been given. So I got a perm when I was eight that burned my hair off -- it was bad. Looking back, I'm amazed that my mom allowed that to happen, but I was pretty persuasive and relentless, and I think she finally just caved. And then my hair all fell out. Ok, not quite - but I had unintentional bangs for a long time," said Danes.

"I still want curly hair, but now I'm a little less impulsive and perms aren't as popular!"
Speaking of hair, Danes' hearth throb co-star from her My So-Called Life days is known for stepping out in some pretty avante-garde styles. Jared Leto still keeps in touch with Danes, and she isn't surprised by any of the actor's often hair-raising creations.

"He's honestly not any different from when I first met him. Now he's like a full-fledged rocker, but his personality has always been eccentric. Now he just has more reason to express that eccentricity," the star replied as she smiled.

And if you think about it, Danes made off with some of the hottest love scenes from the '90's.

Between a burning love affair with Leonardo DiCaprio in Baz Luhrmann's modern adaptation of Romeo + Juliet, and those sexy against-the-lockers makeout sessions with Jordan Catalano, we wanted to know: who was the better kisser?
"Oh, you know, I can't kiss and tell!" laughed Danes.

But there's one thing the star does love to talk about; her unforgettable experience playing the autistic Temple Grandin, whose seemingly supernatural connection with cows made her a leading expert on the animal, and prompted her to create more humane slaughterhouses that a majority of cattle farms across the country use today.

"She's an extraordinary person and a pioneer in so many ways -- from animal rights, to design and engineering. The thing that I was most touched, moved and inspired by was her courage and persistence and her desire to be a decent person and incur positive change in the world. That was very striking to me," said Danes.

As for what's next? That's even more of a challenge.

"I'm just reading scripts right now. I had such a rich experience with Temple, that it's going to be hard to find something that will match it."

Interested in Latisse? Check out our real-person review.