Taraji P. Henson Makes a Flawless Case for Matching Your Manicure to Your Jewelry — See Photos

Photo: Getty ImagesSave StorySave this storySave StorySave this story

There is something so classic about a gold manicure. Not gold chrome, not a golden cat-eye polish that you have to tilt your hand toward a window to truly appreciate. Just gold. Taraji P. Henson gets it. Even without any nail-art bells and whistles, she delivered a particular brand of maximalism at the premiere of Why Did I Get Married Again?, where her nails could be seen gleaming from clear across the red carpet.

A rich, almost antique yellow-gold, Henson’s polish is opaque and metallic, glistening without any help from glitter. The shade perfectly ties in the earrings and rings she wore, making her nails seem more like another piece of jewelry than a standard manicure.

Photo: Getty Images

Henson has been known to do her own nails with serious skill, but she has also regularly turned to nail artist Temeka Jackson, who filed this set into a sharp stiletto tip. Painted any other color, they would still be beautifully executed, but there’s something about the shape combined with this simple-yet-sumptuous shade that gives it a sense of sagacity. The woman wearing this manicure knows things.

Also contributing to Henson’s dynamic glam was hairstylist Tym Wallace, who gave her pixie cut a sleek finish with a sculpted, retro swoop up front. Makeup artist Saisha Beecham kept her complexion warm with peachy-brown hues, winged liner, and feathery lashes that complement the texture of her Rick Owens dress. Styled by Kollin Carter, the floor-length black-and-white off-the-shoulder design would have worked with any polish color, of course, but there’s something especially sophisticated about the combo with golden nails.

Photo: Getty Images

Red would have been obvious. A softer champagne gold would have blended quietly into the rest of the look. But this particular shade has a certain intensity that announces itself as both the center of attention and the adult in the room.