Is there anything Zendaya can't do? She acts, sings, models, and puts street style stars to shame. And, as it turns out, she can dole out some A+ beauty advice, too.
We chatted with the 19-year-old Disney star at the opening of Sephora at The Grove in Los Angeles, and she spilled about everything from her hair routine to her biracial background. Read on for nine ways to be a beauty boss, the Zendaya way.
1. Throw out your definitions.
"I guess you can say I don't have a definition for beauty," Zendaya says. "There's no person who you can tell me is the most beautiful person in the world, because that's an opinion... I've been raised to think there are a million different kinds of beauty, because everyone has it — whether they choose to see it or not." 2. Never scrimp on eyebrows.
"Obviously, I take forever on my eyebrows. I have a lady who waxes them. She's the only person I let touch my brows, and I'm very psycho about them. Her name is Kelley Baker." 3. Use Netflix to up your beauty game.
"Sometimes, I'll just use coconut oil and rub it through my hair, braid it up, let it sit for a couple episodes on Netflix, and wash it out." 4. Embrace what makes you unique.
"I think [being biracial] is definitely a great thing. Having multiple backgrounds really opens your eyes. You're able to see a lot more, and you're able to understand a lot more different types of beauty if you're raised the right way. There are a lot of young women who are mixed and aren't able to appreciate their own beauty, or only identify with one-half of themselves. I'm very lucky to be one of those people who really appreciates it. Being biracial, I am able to see the beauty of all different kinds of colors, and know that I sit kind of in the middle of that." 5. Wear lip gloss in new ways.
"What I've been really into right now is lipliners. [I'll use a] lipliner and do gloss right on top, and skip the lipstick." 6. Challenge your preconceived notions.
"I was skeptical at first [of] working with Barbie [on my own doll], because I didn't have a Barbie. That wasn't my thing when I was little. Barbie was blonde-haired and blue-eyed, and it didn't connect to me at all. Getting into working with them, and seeing how they're moving forward, I was like, 'This is gonna be awesome. I'd love to be a part of the next level.'" 7. Find products that work with your natural hair texture.
"I use Chi's argan oil line for shampoo and conditioner, and not just because I'm their brand ambassador, but because I really like it. Obviously, I have curly hair that needs a little bit more moisture, so I need the extra oils. I want to wear my hair curly as much as possible, so I use Chi's styling cream gel and scrunch it while it's wet and diffuse, and my hair is nice and curly. I usually let it dry out, and shake it out later."
8. Know when to give it a rest.
"[The best beauty advice I've ever received was to] give your hair and your face a break. Sometimes, just being you does so much good for your skin and hair. I'm all pro-makeup — I love beating my face for no reason, and that's great, but you also need to take time to let your skin breathe."
9. Master your color-mixing skills.
"If you have a good nude lipstick, you can add a pop of pink or whatever color in the middle. That's me. Sometimes, I don't want to wear bright-pink, but just a hint of pink or a hint of coral."
"I guess you can say I don't have a definition for beauty," Zendaya says. "There's no person who you can tell me is the most beautiful person in the world, because that's an opinion... I've been raised to think there are a million different kinds of beauty, because everyone has it — whether they choose to see it or not." 2. Never scrimp on eyebrows.
"Obviously, I take forever on my eyebrows. I have a lady who waxes them. She's the only person I let touch my brows, and I'm very psycho about them. Her name is Kelley Baker." 3. Use Netflix to up your beauty game.
"Sometimes, I'll just use coconut oil and rub it through my hair, braid it up, let it sit for a couple episodes on Netflix, and wash it out." 4. Embrace what makes you unique.
"I think [being biracial] is definitely a great thing. Having multiple backgrounds really opens your eyes. You're able to see a lot more, and you're able to understand a lot more different types of beauty if you're raised the right way. There are a lot of young women who are mixed and aren't able to appreciate their own beauty, or only identify with one-half of themselves. I'm very lucky to be one of those people who really appreciates it. Being biracial, I am able to see the beauty of all different kinds of colors, and know that I sit kind of in the middle of that." 5. Wear lip gloss in new ways.
"What I've been really into right now is lipliners. [I'll use a] lipliner and do gloss right on top, and skip the lipstick." 6. Challenge your preconceived notions.
"I was skeptical at first [of] working with Barbie [on my own doll], because I didn't have a Barbie. That wasn't my thing when I was little. Barbie was blonde-haired and blue-eyed, and it didn't connect to me at all. Getting into working with them, and seeing how they're moving forward, I was like, 'This is gonna be awesome. I'd love to be a part of the next level.'" 7. Find products that work with your natural hair texture.
"I use Chi's argan oil line for shampoo and conditioner, and not just because I'm their brand ambassador, but because I really like it. Obviously, I have curly hair that needs a little bit more moisture, so I need the extra oils. I want to wear my hair curly as much as possible, so I use Chi's styling cream gel and scrunch it while it's wet and diffuse, and my hair is nice and curly. I usually let it dry out, and shake it out later."
8. Know when to give it a rest.
"[The best beauty advice I've ever received was to] give your hair and your face a break. Sometimes, just being you does so much good for your skin and hair. I'm all pro-makeup — I love beating my face for no reason, and that's great, but you also need to take time to let your skin breathe."
9. Master your color-mixing skills.
"If you have a good nude lipstick, you can add a pop of pink or whatever color in the middle. That's me. Sometimes, I don't want to wear bright-pink, but just a hint of pink or a hint of coral."