Posted by Tran Khue
on May 26, 2025
Are you looking for the best manicures and nail art at the 2025 Met Gala? We were impressed by the daring designs as much as the subtle looks because they all contributed to the spectacle. Great nail artists really know when to dial it up and when to hold back. The 2025 Met Gala proved that point with every set on the carpet. This year’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”, came with the dress code “Tailored for You”, and so the nail looks followed suit—literally.
Met Gala 2025 Nail Art
Sha’carri Richardson Welcomes Spring
This Olympian is known for wearing stunning sets on the track and the red carpet. For the Met Gala this year, nail artist Angie Aguirre created a garden for Sha’Carri’s fingertips. Each stiletto displayed flower petals, golden accents, and sparkly gems. The tips were translucent while the bases alternated between pearly rose and coral. The athlete described them as “gorgeous, colorful, powerful”, and perfectly her.
Betina Goldstein Was Busy
Celebrity artist Betina Goldstein was busy doing sets for multiple celebrities for the Met Gala 2025. One manicure was for actor and comedian Ego Nwodim who was pushing buttons all night long! The innovative and charming look was also a tribute to designer Christopher John Rogers.
Betina explained that except for the buttons, everything was CND products. She used the Shellac Base, the color Black Pool, the Shellac top coat, and the Plexigel builder to keep the miniature fasteners in place.
CND Shellac Gel Polish - 014 Black Pool
Betina Goldstein also sculpted and painted this hyper realistic cigarette-in-hand look for actor Whitney Peak. She used the Chanel colors Ballerina for the base and Glaciale for the French tips. However, she turned to another brand for sculpting gel and tools. We can hardly believe that this isn’t a real cigarette!
Although Betina is known for 3D sets with stunning realism, she also knows when to dial it back. She crafted this soft and creamy yet squared French manicure look with micro tips for Rosé. It was a perfect fit as the BLACKPINK artist was in a relaxed fit tailored suit with her hair down.
Matchy Match at the Met Gala
Artist Thuy Nguyen styled Joey King’s 2025 Met Gala set using Aprés products. It was the actor’s first time at the event and she stepped out in jaw-dropping style. The artist explained how she achieved the matching look for Joey’s nails. She started with a manicure, then applied GelX medium round tips. Once those were cured in place, she used an assortment of tools like a dotting pen, an angle brush, a long liner, and a short liner to apply a variety of shades. Although the checkered nails were straightforward with Birnam Wood and Sweet Cream, she mixed a custom color for the brown-red parts. Although she didn’t disclose the formula, it contains Vampire Drunk and Olive Tapenade. Finally, Mustard Only provided the lines and dots.
Apres Gel Polish - 254 Vampire Drunk
Apres Gel Polish - 344 Birnam Wood
The Perfect Shape and Length
Thuy Nguyen also delivered an attention-getting French mani for Jenna Ortega. The elongated square tips were a lovely match for the unusual metallic dress made out of a measuring tape. The artist didn’t disclose the precise shades, but commented that everything was Aprés, from the tips to the base.
Man-Icure
Wait, there’s more--Thuy Nguyen gave b-ball pro Dwyane Wade a really sweet polka dot and chrome look. It’s suitably stylish for the new representative of the fragrance Intuition by Aramis.
Simple and Classy
Dwyane Wade’s adorable set was a perky pairing for his wife, Gabrielle Union’s ensemble. Her classy ombre nails were created by Thuy Nguyen with DND products. The artist listed Inner Peace and White Chalk as the essential shades to flatter her skin tone.
DND Gel Nail Polish Duo - 873 Inner Peace
DND DC Gel Polish - 056 White Chalk
A Toast to Beautiful Nails
Can you believe it? Thuy Nguyen also made this beautifully textured burgundy manicure for actor Jodie Turner Smith. She applied Astral Aces over Never Bordeaux You on GelX tips and added Swarovski Crystal Pixie gems on the index and pinkies.
Truly Tailored Tips
Nail artist Zola Ganzorigt followed the Met Gala 2025 theme to a T when she created Sabrina Carpenter’s threaded French tips. The performer wore a custom Vuitton suit, and the artist used actual threads from the outfit for a perfect match. She explained that after applying almond shaped soft tips, she applied two coats of Bare My Soul followed by a little needlework.
OPI Intelli-Gel - SH4 Bare My Soul - Gel Color 0.5 oz
Custom Cat Eye
Next, Zola Ganzorigt continued the French tip trend with this set for Sydney Sweeney. Zola is an OPI Ambassador, so she used favorite shades like Bubble Bath and Bare My Soul on top of almond-shaped soft gels. Here’s a secret: it looks like she used cat eye polish, but it’s not a stock shade. Instead, she spiced up the look with magnetic powder stirred into the Bubble Bath polish. Finally, she accent at the tips with Gold Digger chrome powder.
You Can Count on Cynthia
Whenever there is a red carpet event, you can count on Cynthia Erivo to wear jaw-dropping nail art. Fans of the performer already know that she often picks out nail jewelry for her artist to use and collaborates on designs. This gorgeous acrylic set was crafted by 20-year-old Mycah Dior to coordinate not only with the Gala theme but also the Wicked movie. Can you see echoes of the ruby slippers and the striped stockings?
When Cynthia was interviewed, she explained that the nails contain all the suit essentials like a pocket square, button, brooch, lace, pinstripes, and a tie. Of course, the look coordinated perfectly with her Givenchy ensemble with a Rococo theme. It doesn’t get much dandier than this.
Conclusion
We could continue – there were many more amazing nail art moments at the 2025 Met Gala. It’s wonderful how fashion designers are collaborating with nail artists for jaw-dropping results. We love when the artists reveal how they created such masterpieces. If you’re ready to start on your own red carpet look, shop our store. We’ll provide you with discounts on trendy colors and essential supplies so you can focus on your nail goals!
