I’m just going to say it: Red carpet nail art isn’t what it used to be. A few years ago, you couldn’t throw a cuticle clipper at an awards show without hitting a long, intricate set, featuring fun designs and exciting colors. But times change, and so do the trends — and right now, short, neutral nails are the vibe. Which isn’t to say the manicures of 2026 are boring; there’s still plenty of inspo out there, even if most of it is on the subtler side. Case in point: The famous fingertips of the 78th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.
Among the ceremony’s standout sets were Selena Gomez’s “sunset frost” manicure, which added a golden touch to the classic neutral-pink mani. Florence Pugh’s super glossy peachy nails popped against her lilac Vivienne Westwood gown, while Chase Infiniti and Julia Garner absolutely nailed (pun intended) the “my nails but better” approach. And there were several art-forward sets in the mix, too: Quinta Brunson’s gold-flecked nails were as romantic as her Christian Cowan slip dress, while Isa Briones’ (DIY!) matte mani was the perfect accessory for her vintage Prada sheath. And of course, Meg Stalter — who walked the red carpet as a literal Emmy statue — had to have the gilded fingertips to match.
Scroll on to see the standout manicures of the 2026 Emmy Awards.
Selena Gomez
Gomez’s longtime manicurist, Tom Bachick, used two coats of essie’s Frost Yourself — a dusty pink with a shimmering gold shift — to create the actress’ “sunset frost” nails.
Quinta Brunson
Celebrity manicurist Temeka Jackson gave Brunson ombré, gold-flecked fingertips that had the same romantic feel as her slinky slip dress.
Florence Pugh
Christopher Polk/Deadline/Getty Images
Matchy-matchy beauty at its finest: Pugh’s glossy peach nails were the perfect pairing for her equally peachy makeup look.
Ayo Edebiri
Alberto Rodriguez/Deadline/Getty Images
Edebiri’s glassy, velvety silver manicure (courtesy of nail artist Eri Ishizu) had the same chilly appeal as her frosted makeup.
Chase Infiniti
For Infiniti’s simple, short, and glossy set, nail artist Mel Shengaris used The Gel Bottle’s Gel Colour in Dune.
Isa Briones
LISA O’CONNOR/AFP/Getty Images
Fun fact: Briones created this matte manicure herself. Acting, singing, nail art — what can’t she do?
Meg Stalter
Stalter’s entire body was covered in gold — head to toes. “To get this look, we used one coat of essie Good As Gold and topped it with two coats of Gel by essie Metallic Top Coat in Crushed Gold to warm it up,” nail artist Sonya Meesh shared on Instagram.
Julia Garner
Amy Sussman/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
Nail artist Betina Goldstein used Chanel’s Le Vernis in Coco to give Garner an opaque, soft pink manicure that was peak “my nails but better.”
Niecy Nash
Michael Buckner/Variety/Getty Images
Nash donned one of the more nail art-forward looks on the carpet: Velvet pink French tips, bedazzled with shimmering rhinestones.
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