Recreate Lea Michele's MTV VMA Nude Manicure
To get this classic polish look, you'll want to make sure you've properly prepared your nails and chosen the right nude hue. Celebrity polish pro and OpenSky.com Insider Jenna Hipp takes you through Lea Michele's MTV VMA manicure step-by-step, complete with behind-the-scenes pictures of Lea's prepping process.
Nude nails aren't just hot on the red carpet, they're also taking over the runways at New York Fashion Week, appearing on fingers and toes at Zac Posen, Rachel Roy, and Elie Tahari just to name a few. Now that you know it's runway and celebrity-approved, what are you waiting for? Grab your nude polish and get started!
1/8The Glee star's manicurist reveals the secrets to the actress's MTV VMA polish look.
Photo: courtesy of Jenna Hipp2/8Step One: Pick Your Polish
"To choose Lea's perfect nude manicure color, we had to factor in three elements: Skin tone, her makeup choices for the VMAs, and her outfit," explains Hipp. "The color of the dress determines if we want to go a shade lighter or darker than her actual skin tone to create contrast or if we simply want an elongation of the fingertips, exactly matching her tone. For this red carpet event, we chose to precisely match, showing off her sun-kissed skin."
Photo: courtesy of Jenna Hipp3/8Step Two: Perfect Your Shape
"Being a lover of the natural nail, we decided to play up Lea's short and simple nail shape by slightly rounding up the corners, making nails appear just a touch longer. No time to file? Clipping works wonders and with a little practice, can be just as precise as filing."
Photo: courtesy of Jenna Hipp4/8Step Three: Remove Oils
"To ensure your longest lasting mani, remove all excess oils on nails by saturating the nail bed and under each nail with a rubbing alcohol that has a seventy-thirty water to alcohol ratio. You can pick that up at any drugstore. I like to transfer the solution into a travel size spray bottle and mist each nail with it, wiping dry with my cotton towel. This will help you to avoid all contact with those horrific fuzzies that you get from cotton balls."
Photo: courtesy of Jenna Hipp5/8Step Four: Use A Base Coat
"Don't skimp on the base coat—it's a very important step. Basecoats not only act as a guide for your polish, they also grips the polish to the nail, ensuring an extra strong and durable manicure. Paint a thin layer on each nail, full covering the nail bed. Don't forget a thin swipe over the tips to seal the edges!"
Photo: courtesy of Jenna Hipp6/8Step Five: Paint On Polish
"I decided to layer full coverage Jenna Hipp Nail Foundation F2 with its sheer counterpart Nail Tint T2 to create a perfectly blended nude with extra shine and dimension. Top with RGB Cosmetics Top Coat for added durability and high shine."
Photo: courtesy of Jenna Hipp7/8Step Six: Check Your Work
"Take an extra few seconds to perfect any mistakes by using an eyeliner brush dipped in nail polish remover and any mistakes will literally be erased. Now that the nails are looking their best, allow them time to dry!"
Photo: courtesy of Jenna Hipp8/8The Finished Look
The best part about a nude manicure is that it is appropriate for every occasion. Lea took her polished fingers onto the red carpet, but you can wear your to school!
