In the early 2010s, I was really, really into nail polish blogs, where bloggers would swatch the latest shades from all the big brands: Essie, OPI, you name it. I learned all the lingo during my obsession, and one concept that has stuck with me more than a decade later is the idea of “mannequin hands” or “mannequin nails,” which just popped up on the red carpet thanks to one Selena Gomez.
The concept is exactly what it sounds like: a polish that matches your skin tone so exactly that it’s reminiscent of a mannequin’s hand. It creates one line of vision from the arm to the fingers to the tip of the nails, just like those plastic people hanging out at the local department store. Of course, Gomez’s version is much chicer, but the idea is the same.
Gomez has been on a whirlwind tour promoting her movie Emilia Pérez, flying from New York to London and back again. The simple mannequin manicure is the perfect pick for hopping between the many, many events, as it goes with every outfit and occasion, including press engagements and premieres. You don’t have to worry about matching your mani to your dress or changing it up between appointments; it’s ready for anything and everything.
The nails also popped up in Gomez’s latest Instagram photo dump of behind-the-scenes moments from London, and I can’t stop staring at how perfect they are. (Swipe to slide two to see them.) Her nails—likely the work of her go-to nail artist Tom Bachik—are a long almond shape, painted with a creamy, shiny, barely there nude color that practically disappears, but is still very intentional. They’re not the ever-popular milk bath nails that have been ruling the red carpet for the past few years, but a subtler take on that idea that is arguably even more versatile. If you’re already bored with fall hues like burgundy and brown, why not dare to go bare…ish?
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