For her first Rolling Stone cover, celebrity nail technician Honey was tapped to create a look that complemented Lorde’s evolving beauty and raw personal revelations. Marking Honey’s own debut on the iconic publication’s glossy pages, the cover is not only a milestone for the artist behind the nails, but a visual moment of alignment between two creatives unafraid of vulnerability, growth, and softness as power.
Lorde’s record coming out June 27th, titled Virgin—her first in four years—traces a path through heartbreak, identity, recovery, and rebirth. Shot with wild curls and flushed skin, the cover reflects a newly unguarded Lorde. Hair and makeup worked in harmony to celebrate her natural essence, not hide it—and Honey’s manicure followed suit. Simple, clean, and nearly undetectable, the nails act as an extension of Lorde’s personal renaissance. Nothing added. Nothing stripped away. Just present, and entirely hers.
The collaboration is more than just a manicure—it’s a conversation between two women who understand how beauty can mirror transformation. For Honey, whose signature work blends editorial polish with emotional intuition, the cover offered a chance to contribute to Lorde’s unfolding narrative. The two formed a bond throughout the shoot—one built on trust, mutual respect, and creative alignment. As Lorde shares in the story, she’s embracing the fluidity of identity: “Some days I’m a woman. Some days I’m a man.” Honey’s minimal, genderless nail look gently reinforces that fluidity, letting the hands speak without distraction.
A moment years in the making, for both Lorde and Honey, this cover serves as a quiet triumph: raw, honest, and beautifully unadorned.
Honey is a part of Exposure NY’s manicurist division. Exposure NY is a photography/styling agency based in New York City.