Gabrielle Union’s Shell Nails Matched Her Multiple Met Gala Looks

While there’s no better place than the Met Gala for a maximalist beauty look, there’s also something to be said about keeping things simple. Sometimes, a sheer wash of nail polish or classic red lip is the best way to communicate your vision—especially if you’re doing it up in other aspects of your look.

Take Gabrielle Union-Wade for example. While attending the 2024 Met Gala, she stood alongside the best of them in gown grandioseness, choosing a glittery mermaid-inspired number by Michael Kors to fit the event’s “Garden of Time” theme. Her hair, a tall updo that hairstylist Larry Sims dubbed “water meets wind in a cyclone of Old Hollywood glamour” matched the dress’s energy perfectly, leaning on a delicate makeup look by Tasha Reiko Brown and a perfectly simple, seashell-inspired manicure to even it all out.

Crafted by nail artist Thuy Nguyen, the mani was medium-length and oval-shaped, a far cry from some more sculptural designs that also appeared on the red (green!) carpet. Featuring a simple, creamy polish and no bedazzling whatsoever, it was only when you were right up close and personal with the 53-year-old’s nails that you noticed their slight shimmer—just like seashells on the beach.

“THIS DRESS. WHAT IS THERE TO SAY??!!” wrote Nguyen via Instagram after the event. “With this look, I wanted to give her nails the right amount of sparkle it needed to bring the look all together. The beautiful cascade of colors moved me into using something with a little bit of sheerness and just enough [iridescence].”

The artist used products by Sally Hansen to achieve the effect including sheer Color Therapy Lacquer Nail Polish in Bare Kiss ($10) and Miracle Gel top coat in Unicorn ($13). She finished things off with their Vitamin E Nail & Cuticle Oil ($8) for a touch of natural shine.

At the end of the night, Union changed into a brown Versace gown to hit up the afterparties. Once again, her nails matched perfectly.

See, there is something to be said for simplicity. Especially when you have a big night ahead of you