When it comes to her manicures, Zendaya is usually one of the more minimalist stars out there. Saving all the drama for her couture gowns and elaborate hair and makeup, she typically keeps her nails on the simpler side — but she might be turning over a new leaf. Summer is all about fun and whimsy, which the award-winning actor leaned into with her latest look. Zendaya’s flower nails combine several current trends with one seriously intricate design, which makes for the perfect end-of-summer manicure. Spotted on the star after returning from a trip to Paris to watch the 2024 Summer Olympics, it’s a significant departure from her usual style in the best possible way.
Zendaya’s go-to manicurist, Marina Dobic, actually offered a first glimpse of the nails on her Instagram grid after creating the design. Painted right onto Zendaya’s own short, natural nails, there are tiny, thin French tips, plenty of flesh-pink negative space, and colorful blooms scattered down the beds. Most eye-grabbing of all are the sweet yellow sunflowers that speckle each nail. Look closely and you’ll notice a few fingers even feature a tiny, fluttering honeybee hovering above the flowers — this is one seriously detailed nail art moment.
In that Instagram post, Dobic made it a point to mention that she and her team used hard gel on Zendaya “to keep the nails strong and healthy.” The star occasionally goes for extensions or more dramatic tips, but generally sticks to adorning her natural nails with polish — likely because they’re so cared-for and healthy on their own. Hard gel adds a touch of length and creates a strong, firm, virtually chip-resistant canvas for any design or art that follows. Even if you’re rougher with your hands, this manicure style can help polish last for over a month at a time — maybe even longer.
Interestingly, this style of freehand, realistic nail art is having a moment on its own. Instead of more cartoonish designs, celebrities like Zendaya, Kylie Jenner, Megan Thee Stallion, Hailey Bieber, and Ayo Edebiri are opting for lifelike motifs — and they go beyond just flowers, too. It’s become increasingly popular to depict fruit, insects, and nature scenes in general. Just look at Zendaya’s tiny bees.
Maybe her newfound penchant for more intricate nail moments will yield some exciting Fashion Week manicures — all those festivities are just around the corner.
