What does one very stylish celebrity do when they’ve seemingly exhausted every possible manicure trend out there? What else is there to do besides pioneer something entirely new and completely unexpected? Over her decades in the spotlight, Jennifer Lopez has truly worn the full gamut of polish colors, nail art, designs, decorations, and decals. She tried crystals, dangling charms, and interesting takes on classic styles, but her newest look manages to make them all look downright traditional by comparison. Lopez’s clear nails, made of glossy, translucent overlays that peek out over her fingertips, are almost like an invisible French manicure — from space.
Fittingly, the multi-hyphenate star wore them to the first press day for her new sci-fi film, Atlas, in which Lopez plays an interplanetary special agent dedicated to taking down a dystopian robot. As such, she’s carefully incorporated a few futuristic touches into her other-wise timeless ensembles. For that initial day of interviews, she opted for a head-to-toe mint look — think purse, trench, top, everything — but her blouse and trousers are made of gauzy, see-through material. Lopez kept the transparent theme going on her nails, the beds featuring a barely-there coat of beige while the long, rounded tips are completely clear.
The cool, cosmic creation was developed by celebrity nail artist Tom Bachik, who shared his exact process for bringing the style to life. The first component — and perhaps most crucial — is what he describes as a “meticulous” manicure, likely complete with cuticle trimming, moisturizing, and careful filing. This is key for any look, but especially considering the transparent tips and even the thin biege coating put all the focus on the wearer’s nail beds and fingertips. Next, Bachik applied the long, clear tips, expertly rounded through the ends, and applied the faintest coat of flesh-colored polish through the area that show’s Lopez’s natural nails. The rest is left as-is.
Interestingly enough, Bachik worked on a similar style before for Anne Hathaway no too long ago. Instead of layering a beige over top, though, he used an iridescent polish underneath the clear tips, creating an especially intergalactic effect that he dubbed “alien nails.”
So are martian manicures destined to become the must-have style of the summer? With two of Hollywood’s most preeminent beauty icons giving the look their stamp of approval, it’s safe to say the look will sweep earth sooner or later.
