Zendaya Used Her 'Time' Cover To Endorse This Unexpected Summer Nail Polish Color

When it comes to Instagram, Zendaya seems to abide by the “quality over quantity” principle. Her posts are somewhat infrequent and you’ll rarely get any real-time updates from the star, but when she does come onto the platform, it’s because she has something *really* special to share. Zendaya’s new Time magazine cover, in which she’s named as one of the most influential people of 2022, certainly falls under that category. Everything about the cover look screams style icon, from her mesmerizing braids to her gorgeous red nails — but then again, you probably didn’t expect anything less from Queen Z.

In a post made this morning, the Euphoria actor shared her cover as well as an image from inside the magazine, both of which feature a stunning braided hairstyle by Antoinette H. The star’s dark, medium-length hair has two braids running down along either side of her middle part, swooping around by her temples and then curving back in the other direction forming an S shape. The braids come to drape over her ears and along her jawline, tapering at the ends for a wispy effect.

Zendaya wears a voluminous caped gown by Valentino, matching both her red lipstick and red nails. Makeup artist Sheika Daley balanced the bold lip color with rosy-hued cheeks, delicate winged eyeliner, and minimal mascara, giving the star a dark yet angelic look.

It’s not clear who’s responsible for the cover star’s rust-red manicure, but it certainly gives you a lot to think about when it comes to seasonal nail shades. Most summer nail trends revolve around bright neons or subtle neutrals, but Zendaya’s darker red is undeniably glamorous regardless of the time of year.

Though, it’s not too surprising that Zendaya would choose to defy nail trends — she is, as the magazine calls her, “timeless.” “To me, @zendaya is a thousand years old,” says writer Denis Villeneuve. “She has already lived many lives before this one. And yet, she is as young as springtime. By some inextricable paradox, she also gives the impression of having been born sometime far into the future. She is timeless, and she can do it all.” No arguments here.