Many of the stars in attendance at the 2023 Golden Globes [1] shone on the red carpet, but none could compare to Selena Gomez [2] and her crystal-embellished manicure. The singer and actor arrived in a strapless gown [3] with ballooning off-the-shoulder purple sleeves by Valentino. Her hair was styled in a Barbie ponytail [4], and her makeup included a soft purple smoky eye (no doubt using a palette from Rare Beauty [5]). All of these details would have been enough to land her on our best dressed list, but her sparkly manicure really sealed the deal.
Created by Gomez's long-time manicurist [6] Tom Bachik [7], her nails featured a mix of fine glitter and real Swarovski "pixie dust" to get that eye-catching shine. On Instagram, Bachik shared a full breakdown of the manicure along with a close-up of the star showing off the final result.
"We wanted to use a softer shade with a bit of sparkle to contrast the deep dark drama of her @maisonvalentino gown 🖤," part of the caption said. He added that he used Aprés Gel-X extensions [8] in the medium stiletto length for the nail shape. Two thin coats of Aprés Gel Colour in Forgotten Film [9] ($15), a creamy neutral, were used for the base of the nail. Last but certainly not least, Bachik said, "I added a coat of non-wipe glossy gel #TopCoat and statically placed a fine glitter and @swarvoski pixie dust to give a bit of sparkle and dimension."
The end result caught the light just right, rivaling the shine of the gold trophy itself. Take a look at Gomez's crystal nails at the 2023 Golden Globes ahead.
