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It's a bit expected to say a celeb went “full Old Hollywood glamour” at an awards show, but Selena Gomez really did at the 2026 Golden Globes. The star, nominated for her work on the series Only Murders in the Building, could've stepped right out of the ‘50s in her feathered gown, short, curly bob, and vampy lip, but her “velvet noir” nails infused a bit of ’90s goth edge into the look.
As always, Gomez's nails were the work of nail artist Tom Bachik, who—luckily for us!—shared his step-by-step process for Gomez's Golden Globes manicure. After perfecting Gomez's cuticles and shaping her nails into a delicately squared-off shape with Tweezerman tools, he prepped the actor's hands with two luxe skincare products from Chanel, including Sublimage La Crème. Bachik then applied Chanel's La Base Camélia Fortifying, Protecting, and Smoothing Base Coat, atop which he painted on a few coats of Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in Le Diable en Chanel, a glossy true black that yes, does feel rich, velvety, and deeply glamorous. Once her nails were dry, Gomez rubbed some of Chanel's egg-shaped Le Lift La Crème Main into her hands for extra hydration.
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We're so used to seeing stars opt for a simple, barely there, goes-with-everything milky or neutral French manicure on the red carpet that Gomez's velvet noir black nails felt like a breath of fresh air. They looked so luxurious against her black Chanel dress trimmed in white feathers and that dramatic lip by makeup artist Hung Vanngo. (It's a mix of his Longwear Lip Liner in Above the Line and Creamy Matte Lipstick in New York Red, and I am absolutely copying that combo ASAP.)
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Gomez definitely made a compelling case for a black winter manicure, but if you're still looking for more cold-weather inspo, why not try a lush violet, emerald green, or chic chocolate brown? We rounded up some of our favorite winter nail polish shades to get you started—no red carpet required.
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