Tracee Ellis Ross’ Latest Manicure Is As Bold As Her Fashion Sense

Tracee Ellis Ross’ status as a beauty and style icon can at least partly be chalked up to her ability to rock pretty much everything. And I do mean everything, not anything: Because hers is a maximalist aesthetic, characterized by oversized accessories, sweeping silhouettes, and bold hair and makeup, usually worn together and always worn with effortless confidence. So, in many ways, her latest nail look — a mismatched set featuring a variety of colors and finishes — is like a manicure manifestation of her entire style ethos.

In a May 19 Instagram post, the actor shared snaps of herself smiling, sitting with her arms on a table and hands perched under her chin, nails in full view. On her fingertips, Ross dons at least six unique colors on her long, oval nails: A creamy eggshell white, a rich, opaque brown, sheer, translucent shades of tan, chartreuse, and lavender, and a metallic silver chrome.

While the entire mismatched set — the handiwork of celebrity manicurist Zola Ganzorigt — is worthy of an instant add to the mani mood board, the sheer shades, in particular, are very of the moment. Earlier this year, pro manicurists told TZR that one of spring 2026’s biggest nail trends would be layers of translucent polish.

The manicure isn’t the only notable beauty element in the post: The Pattern Beauty founder’s straight-back cornrows are also eye-catching. A standard in the protective-style playbook (including Ross’), the tidy, convenient braided look has been popping up on the likes of Chase Infiniti and Tyla. Do I sense a summer protective style trend brewing?