Mark My Words—Nicole Kidman's 2026 Met Gala Manicure Is Going to Be Summer's Hottest Nail Trend

This red carpet inspo is too good.

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nicole kidman at the met gala
(Image credit: Getty)
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The 2026 Met Gala, with a dress code of "Fashion is Art," has been a feast for my beauty editor eyes. We've seen blue eyeshadow, half-up half-down updos, and blunt bobs walk down the red carpet outside the Museum of Modern Art on this first Monday in May. But easily one of my favorite looks from the evening comes from none other than the Nicole Kidman, who is co-chairing this year's event, and also debuted what is arguably one of the year’s biggest nail trends: a short, milky white manicure.

She arrived at Fashion's Biggest Night wearing a stunning sequin and feather Chanel gown. But it was her beauty that really got my trend prediction senses tingling. Her longtime hairstylist, Adir Abergel, used extensions galore to create ultra-shiny mermaid hair courtesy of Virtue hair products. While shiny, healthy hair is never out of style per se, this season is hyper-focused on maximizing gloss (grab your at-home glazes) and sealing split ends.

Her makeup artist, Gucci Westman, went a little outside of Kidman's normal box—dragging slightly red shadow under her lash line. Now, hear me out: red eyeshadow sounds super intimidating, but when executed with a monochromatic makeup look and soft blush, it actually ends up looking incredibly wearable.

nicole kidman in a red dress with blonde hair

Nicole Kidman at the 2026 Met Gala.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

As for the nails, though? That's where I truly believe a trend is budding. Despite short nails being the Big Thing for most of the year, Kidman and nail artist Thuy Nguyen went with ultra-long almond nails in a shimmery, pearlescent off-white. The unexpected neutral shade is a major spring and summer nail trends, and having an endorsement from one of fashion’s biggest stars is everything I need to try the manicure look at my next appointment.

The best part? Her manicure was matchy-matchy with daughter Sunday Rose. Nude or natural trends are shaping up to be a huge 2026 nail trend, but frankly, they're always in style. “Quiet shine is the mood this season," Nguyen previously told MC.

I plan to recreate this look ASAP. If you're in the same boat, shop Kidman's Met Gala glam ahead.

nicole kidman and sunday rose at the met gala

Sunday Rose and Nicole Kidman at the Met Gala.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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Samantha Holender
Samantha Holender
Senior Beauty Editor

Samantha Holender is the Senior Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she reports on the best new launches, dives into the science behind skincare, and shares the breakdown on the latest and greatest trends in the beauty space. She's studied up on every ingredient you'll find on INCI list and is constantly in search of the world's glowiest makeup products. She's constantly tracking the biggest nail and hair trends to pop up in the beauty space, going backstage during fashion weeks, tracking celebrity looks, and constantly talking to celebrity hair stylists, nail artists, and makeup artists. Prior to joining the team, she worked as Us Weekly’s Beauty and Style Editor, where she stayed on the pulse of pop culture and broke down celebrity beauty routines, hair transformations, and red carpet looks. Her words have also appeared on Popsugar, Makeup.com, Skincare.com, Delish.com, and Philadelphia Wedding. Samantha also serves as a board member for the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME). She first joined the organization in 2018, when she worked as an editorial intern at Food Network Magazine and Pioneer Woman Magazine. Samantha has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. While at GWU, she was a founding member of the school’s HerCampus chapter and served as its President for four years. When she’s not deep in the beauty closet or swatching eyeshadows, you can find her obsessing over Real Housewives and all things Bravo. Keep up with her on Instagram @samholender.