If Hailey Bieber wears a nail look, it immediately becomes a trend. It all started with her glazed donut nails, and since then, she’s been a mainstay on all of our nail moodboards. The same could go for virtually every step of the It Girl’s beauty routine, from her Rhode blush du jour to whatever haircut and color combo she’s wearing at any given moment.
So when she showed up to the Academy Museum Gala this weekend with a jet-black manicure, I knew it: Everyone’s about to have glossy, black nails this fall.
With a bubblegum-pink Chanel gown, this shiny, full-opacity nail color is reminiscent of a glossy heap of caviar atop a plush blini. And just like a little black dress (and, tbh, caviar), it goes with everything.
Instead of opting for a soft pink or French tip to complement the bright-pink dress, celebrity nail artist Zola Ganzorigt “wanted the nails to stand out against the pink gown.” To create the look, Ganzorigt used OPI’s IntelliGel polish in Black Onyx. “I reach for it every fall, as it’s rich and moody,” she says. “It’s also versatile and can feel sleek on its own or add an edge to something softer, like Hailey’s bubblegum pink gown,” she says. “The contrast against the pink is what made the look so special.”
Nail prep is definitely key here if you’re DIYing. File, shape, and buff your nails to get a smooth canvas first. Ganzorigt went with an almond shape (Hailey’s go-to, but a square or squoval would work here too) to elongate Hailey’s fingers, then applied a few coats of gel polish for a striking finish.
Amid all of the warm, brown nail colors of fall right now (iced latte nails, butter toffee nails, pumpkin pie nails—I could go on), black feels subversive but still so damn chic. A gel polish definitely keeps this looking expensive, adding a smooth, shiny finish that’ll last for up to two weeks (unlike the chipped black manis of your youth). No wonder it looked so good at the Academy Museum Gala, a star-studded event celebrating film, with A-listers like Taylor Swift, Kendall Jenner, Colman Domingo, Inde Navarette, and more.
Meet the expert
Zola Ganzorigt is a celebrity nail artist who works with some of the biggest names (and nail lovers) in Hollywood, from Hailey Bieber and Kylie Jenner to Sabrina Carpenter and Jennie.
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.