Superstar Zendaya talks beauty and confidence
Singer, dancer and actor, Zendaya got her big break at age 14 when she starred as Rocky Blue in Disney Channel’s teen hit Shake It Up. It was the spark that lit her career as a triple threat. She went on to appear in other Disney Channel shows like Frenemies, Zapped and K.C. Undercover, before graduating to an appearance on Dancing With the Stars and reaching mainstream audiences in the surprise mega-hit The Greatest Showman and Marvel’s rebooted Spider-man franchise. But it was her role as Rue in Euphoria last year, which has earned Zendaya her first Emmy nomination, a turning point in her career. Apart from her acting career, she’s been hailed as one of fashion’s most influential people and is Lancôme’s youngest ever ambassador, representing a natural approach to beauty. Here she talks about her beauty musts and her transition from child model to global superstar.
How important is it to you to be a role model for younger women?
A lot of people seem to view being a role model negatively, like, they don’t want that job. But I welcome it; and it’s important to me. It’s even a little extra motivation to keep going and work harder, you know? I’m not too hard on myself, though. What I’ve learned is to just do the best I can and hopefully inspire someone else to do the best they can, too.
You don’t really have a signature look – you seem to enjoy going makeup-free as much you like getting all glammed up. How do you decide?
It’s day to day. Like most people, I don’t have time to go full beat all the time, so there are some times where I just chill. For events, my stylist, Law, and I like to create characters, and so my makeup will depend on what character I am that evening. For example, for the last Met Gala, we did a Joan of Arc reference. We added a little extra blush because we wanted the look to remind people of an old Victorian painting with the rosy cheeks. Another year, I had this giant dress, and dewy make-up and lashes, the whole bit. At the last minute, I looked up, and was like, ‘Something’s not right’ I took off the fake lashes, and I added extra gloss to my lips. But I still needed something. So I put on this bright, red-orange lipstick, and it was perfect.
What two products can you not live without?
Concealer, because if you have a good concealer you can just tap it over problem areas and you’re good. That and some kind of brow product, whether it’s a tinted brow gel or a brow pencil. I love my brows. Somehow brows change your whole face. I’ve let my eyebrows grow out, and with different brow products I can change the shape, I can change the opacity. It’s so interesting how doing that can really change your whole look.
You started out as a child model. How did that first come about?
It just happened, really. I didn’t seek it out. As a kid, I watched modelling television shows, and I was super into it, and so I wanted to try it. I was around 11 and my parents were just like, ‘Okay, cool.’
Did you always want to be an actress?
Definitely. I grew up around the theatre. My mom was a house manager at the California Shakespeare Theater, and I fell in love with Shakespeare at a young age. Acting clearly spoke to me in some way, because I would sit there through these plays that I don’t think the typical eight-year-old would care about at all, just mesmerised. Something about it felt right. I started out doing a lot of community theatre in my hometown, then went to an arts school for theatre. Modelling was my first professional step into that industry.
What do acting and fashion have in common?
Fashion, for me, is acting, in that whenever I get dressed, I take on a different character, whether it’s going to the Met Ball as Joan of Arc or just exploring a different facet of who I am to go out with friends. Both are forms of expression. It’s still me, just another side of me.
You’re Lancôme’s newest – and youngest – ambassador. How did that role come about?
They reached out and I was obviously very flattered – honestly, I was freaking out a little bit! Being the face of a luxury brand was definitely a bucket-list thing for me. And Lancôme, specifically, was such a comfortable fit. They have a great reputation: they make great stuff! It’s rare to have the opportunity to work with a brand you actually use, you know?
“Fashion, for me, is acting, in that whenever I get dressed, I take on a different character”