The Best Oscars Manis Included Aura Nails, Chrome Tips, & More

These days, no memorable beauty look is complete without perfectly groomed set of nails. And the importance of a flawless manicure is only intensified for high profile events like the 97th Annual Academy Awards. This year, bleached brows and retro hairstyles were just a few of the standouts on the red carpet, but the wide variety of nail looks at the 2025 Oscars weren’t too shabby, either.

It’s still only Q1 of 2025, but already there seems to be a battle between minimalist and maximalist manicures when it comes to the biggest trends. As for the former, you have stars like Katie Holmes and Emily Ratajkowski who are all about the naked nails, which skip the polish in favor of a shiny, well-buffed finish. And on the opposite side you have Megan Thee Stallion, Cynthia Erivo, and BLACKPINK’s Lisa among the celebs who continue to favor statement-making sets that could include anything from 3D adornments to bold pops of color.

Such dichotomy was well-represented at this year’s Oscars (and its after-parties), with attendees choosing between ultra classic styles, shapes, lengths, and colors, and more expressive ones. On the one hand there were A-listers like Meg Ryan, Emma Stone, and Demi Moore, who opted for clear or nude nails and short, natural lengths, whereas Halle Berry, Doja Cat, and Keke Palmer all trying out more dramatic trends. The good news is: You’ve got options, since these looks proved that there’s no one right way to wear your nails. So keep reading for all the inspiration you need to manifest your next mani.

Lisa

The Alter Ego singer and The White Lotus star complemented her black tuxedo gown with a black-and-white aura nails, created by celebrity nail artist Juan Alvear.

Selena Gomez

Continuing the SAG Awards trend of coordinating your nails to your dress, Gomez went with a “peach champagne” manicure by Tom Bachik, who used “Rule Breaker” and “Silk Thread” polishes by CND to match her sparking dress’ blush satin lining.

Cynthia Erivo

Claws by Dior created yet another manicure masterpiece for the Wicked star with a hand-drawn and sculpted set of gilded and bejeweled nails that were fitting for an Oscar nominee like Erivo.

Margaret Qualley

Qualley’s retro hairstyle and classically glamorous velvet dress called for a timeless mani, so celebrity nail artist Emi Kudo chose a deep red hue (Aprés Nail’s Vampire Drunk) that perfectly matched her lipstick shade.

Anok Yai

In case you missed the memo, long stiletto nails are back. And that’s exactly what Temeka Jackson gave the supermodel for her Oscars mani, which were a creamy nude with metallic gold French tips.

Rachel Sennott

The Bottoms star went with classic French tips for her Oscars mani, keeping all the attention on her dazzling Balenciaga dress.

Doja Cat

Saccia crafted the “Say So” singer’s extra long, clear, square nail set that coordinated beautifully with her curve-hugging leopard print dress and frosted tips for a head-to-toe bombshell effect.

Halle Berry

What kind of mani do you wear with a show-stopping silver sequin gown like Berry’s custom Christian Siriano number? Metallic ombré nails, obviously, which Kim Truong created to complement the dress without stealing focus.

Gabrielle Union

Celebrity nail artist Thuy Nguyen was inspired by the embellishments on Union’s Oscars after-party dress when she created her bronze-y gold dusted chrome manicure.

Joey King

Nguyen also was the force behind another metallic mani, King’s silver chrome tips. The look was similarly inspired by the actor’s Miu Miu dress.

Megan Thee Stallion

Always a lover of extreme nail looks, the “HISS” rapper has a specific appreciation for lipstick-shaped sets (with a slight slant at the tip) like the one she wore to the Vanity Fair Oscar Party. As for the polish, Meg opted for a velvet-y nude cat eye effect.