Jennifer Lopez
If you’re of a certain age group, you knowthat back in the late aughts, Wicked by Essie was the it-girl nail polish for the cooler months. Although over the past few years long, almond-shaped nails with fun nail art reigned supreme, the resurgence of "indie sleaze" is taking our entire beauty routines back to moodier, Tumblr-driven times. The latest celeb to hop onto this trend is Jennifer Lopez, who appeared at the Ralph Lauren SS/23 Fashion show wearing dark polish in the most popular shape from that era—short and natural.
J.Lo is no stranger to a minimal manicure, recently wearing an all-white mani featuring a barely-there hummingbird on her wedding day. This time around, the singer turned the dial to red with Celebrity Manicurist, Tom Bachik, who created a high-shine manicure cut in a short, natural shape.
“Last night’s look, pure Ralph Lauren,” wrote Bachik on Instagram. “Beautiful, classic, minimalist was the vibe and nails needed to complete the look. We went with Essie’s #424 Bordeaux to do just that! Short strong natural shaped nails helps the color pop.” J.Lo completed her powerful look with her signature nude lip, and wore a pinstripe dress along with gold accessories and a black Western hat.
Contrary to the intricate manicures we’ve seen celebrities wearing this year, recreating J.Lo’s mani is refreshingly simple. “I started by first giving a meticulous mani,” says Bachik, which included filing the stars natural nails in a short and rounded square shape. He then cleaned her natural nails, following that with a quick coat of Essie’s First Base Base Coat ($12). Next, Bachik applied two coats of Essie #424 Bordeaux ($10), a deep, wine-red color. “[I] let [the] color dry a minute or two before applying top coat,” explains Bachik. “[I] topped it all off with Essie Gel Setter Top Coat ($11) to protect and create that high-gloss, red carpet shine.” Finally, Bachik used the Essie Apricot Nail & Cuticle Oil ($11) to rehydrate the cuticles.
Now, here’s what’s so fascinating about her manicure. In years past, most of us opted for overtly deep reds that were so dark, they almost seemed black in some lighting. But by opting for a shade like Bordeaux, J.Lo was able to bring a fall feel to her look without straying too far away from her overall timeless style.
Honestly, if Goldilocks were on a hunt for a nail color, she’d probably take notes from J.Lo’s mani since it can work for people on either side (and in between) the Indie-to-classic style spectrum. Wherever you land, make sure to grab a hold of this shade—its $10, universal, and J.Lo-approved. What have you got to lose?