There’s no red carpet that delivers as much drama as the Met Gala. Each year, we get to see the most jaw-dropping, intentionally crafted ensembles—complete with complementary beauty looks. So it’s no surprise that the nail looks are every bit as carefully curated.
But unlike the supersize gowns, you have to get a close look at the nail art to really appreciate these tiny, yet impactful additions. So, here, we’ve rounded up close-ups of 18 of the best nail looks from the 2024 Met Gala, along with tips straight from the manicurists who created them.
Gigi Hadid
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To match Gigi Hadid’s Thom Browne gown, her nail artist Mei Kawajiri made stunning matching roses atop a coffin-shaped French manicure using Nailboo’s gel products. “The hand-sculpted 3D yellow flowers add a playful touch to a classic style,” says Kawajiri. “This mix of playful and classic is just like Gigi.”
Emma Chamberlain
@thuybnguyen Instagram / Getty Images
“Emma’s nails were a special project and it was so much fun to create,” says nail artist Thuy Nguyen. “This year, I collaborated with her stylist, Jared Ellner, to get a hold of the same lace she wore to use for her final nail look. I partnered with Sally Hansen to get their Insta-Dri in Taupe Priority ($8) for the base color of her nails. I allowed ample time for the lace to set on the base color with a little bit of glue before applying their Miracle Gel Top Coat ($13).”
Zendaya
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Although simple, Zendaya’s deep chocolate-cherry nails tie together the color story of her beauty look. The nails pull tones from her makeup—a dark and dreamy plum eye shadow with matching blush and lipstick.
Sabrina Carpenter
Zola Canzorigt / Getty Images
“Sabrina has been wearing a lot of blues lately, which is a great color for her and really enhances her eyes,” says nail artist Zola Ganzorigt. “The black and blue fairy tale gown she wore is so elegant and classic. To complement the look, I used OPI It’s a Boy! with Chrome Effects in ‘Tin Man Can’ and adorned the nails with rhinestones.”
Cynthia Erivo
Rose Hackle / Getty Images
Cynthia Erivo’s red-carpet manicures are always ones to watch out for. For the Met Gala, manicurist Rose Hackle used acrylics to create an XXL stiletto shape. “Next, I applied natural earth elements directly to the nail, using dried beetles, succulents, rose petals, and gold flakes across each nail,” says Hackle. Then, she refined the nail shape with a file and buffer before applying a base coat. This served as the foundation for her to add more dimension by outlining some of the nails in OPI GelColor Midnight Snacc ($20), coating some of the nails in OPI GelColor in Bubble Bath ($20), and adding black French tips with OPI GelColor in Black Onyx ($20) to others before sealing them all in with a top coat.
Jennifer Lopez
@tombachik Instagram / Getty Images
“Like a butterfly transforming in a shimmery chrysalis, I encased Jen’s polished natural nail in a translucent pearl cocoon,” says celebrity nail artist Tom Bachik. He started by prepping the nails with the Tweezerman x Tom Bachik Ultimate Nail Care Set ($59). Then, the pro applied CND’s clear pre-shaped tips and topped them with a translucent polish and chrome powder for “a high-sheened gloss effect to match her makeup,” he says.
Demi Lovato
Natalie Minerva / Getty Images
“I wanted to replicate the beautiful embellishments on Demi’s dress, which were so mesmerizing, onto the nails,” says manicurist Natalie Minerva. “I used OPI’s I Cancer-tainly Shine as the base color, followed by a white and silver chrome that’s sheer enough to see the sparkle underneath, mimicking the fabric of Demi’s dress. Then, I followed with hand-placed chrome leaflet studs to create a monochromatic floral pattern.”
Teyanna Taylor
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“We went with a short nude almond nail, adorned with red and white disheveled diamonds,” says manicurist Pika. “The look was inspired by the intricate detailing on the dress, which included roses and red diamonds. Teyana is a star and shines bright in everything she does, so adding red and white diamonds was a no-brainer. Deciding to miscellaneously place the stones added an effortless touch.”
Allison Williams
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“The imPRESS Premium No Glue Manicure in shade Vanilla Glazed was the perfect ethereal backdrop to complement Allison’s gown and her shimmering, dreamy makeup look,” says celebrity manicurist Pattie Yankee. “After seeing a swatch of Allison’s gown, I knew I wanted to create a design that would flow across her hand. Following the floral pattern in her gown, I created a cascading rosette design with vines that connected from nail to nail. Allison fell in love with them the moment she saw them!”
Rita Ora
Naomi Yasuda / Getty Images
Yasuda also did Rita Ora’s Met Gala nails. She used two coats of the Aprés polish in Could’ve, Should’ve, Would’ve ($16) as the base and then topped the nails with gel balls formed from Extend Gel Novice ($23). Then, she colored the balls with varying milky polishes and finished with the brand’s top coat.
Dove Cameron
Melanie Shengaris / Getty Images
Dove Cameron’s pink-and-green floral nail look was created by manicurist Melanie Shengaris using Aprés. She used the Gel-X Natural Almond Long Tips ($30) as the base. “Dove loves the shape of these tips, so I really don’t need to file much,” says Shengaris. “We chose the color Dear Diary from the new Light & Shadow Sheer Gel Couleur collection, and applied two thin coats. It’s a smooth and creamy color with a hint of pink.” Next, she used the Diamond Gel and the Omni Light to adhere rose and leaf charms that matched Dove’s dress and finished with the Non-Wipe Glossy Top Gelcoat.”
Ayo Edebiri
Eri Ishizu / Getty Images
Ayo Edebiri’s stunning manicure was done by manicurist Eri Ishizu. “We created an ethereal look to match Ayo’s Loewe flower dress,” says Ishizu. She used one coat of the Aprés polish First Glance to start. Then, she mixed a bit of the shades Aquarius rising ($15) and Be-Leaf In Me ($15) with a clear coat for a semi-sheer finish and tapped them on to create an ombré look. Next, she used a thin brush and the Top Gelcoat X ($13) to create 3D flowers before adding dry flowers, pearls, and studs.
Lil Nas X
Temeka Jackson / Getty Images
For Lil Nas X, “we took inspiration from his subtle yet impactful look, embellished with over 50,000 Swarovski crystals,” says manicurist Temeka Jackson. “Embodying the OPI shade he wore, Go Big or Go Chrome ($20), this dynamic and sophisticated manicure echoed his style seamlessly, as if to say, ‘when the garden flows, it produces diamonds.'”
Karol G
Saccia Livingston / Getty Images
For this stunning nail look, manicurist Saccia Livingston used one coat of For Once from Aprés as the base for a collection of crystal embellishments. The look perfectly emulates the singer’s sheer, jewel-encrusted Marc Jacobs gown.
