Selena Gomez Debuts 'Metallic Sunset' Nails at the 2026 Emmys
Selena Gomez wore a "metallic sunset" manicure by Tom Bachik at the 2026 Emmys, built on a single Essie gel polish shade, "Frost Yourself," topped with Gel by Essie Shiny Top Coat.
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The takeaway
- Selena Gomez debuted a "metallic sunset" manicure by Tom Bachik on the 2026 Emmys red carpet.
- The look uses one product: Essie gel polish in "Frost Yourself," applied in two coats and sealed with Gel by Essie Shiny Top Coat.
- Bachik cited Gomez's frosted gold Louis Vuitton gown as the inspiration for the manicure.
Selena Gomez arrived at the 2026 Emmys red carpet last night wearing a chrome nail look that took celebrity manicurist Tom Bachik just one polish to build. Bachik named the design a "metallic sunset" manicure.
The look pairs a light pink base with an iridescent gold shimmer. Bachik described the finished product as "subtle but special" in a press release.
"The inspiration was her Louis Vuitton gown. It was like frosted gold, so I wanted that same effect on the nail—a frosted metallic," Bachik said. "We played with different textures, and Gel by Essie Frost Yourself was the perfect choice for Selena's metallic frost sunset mani."
The timing positions the look as a warm-toned evolution of the glazed donut manicure, the high-shine trend that has circulated on social media since it first went viral. Gomez's version shifts the finish toward gold, a palette aligned with fall.
The design also builds on a summer dominated by natural pink nails. Anne Hathaway, Pamela Anderson, and Hailey Bieber all wore the minimalist pink aesthetic on red carpets and social media in recent months. Gomez's gold wash transforms that classic manicure into a golden shift with commercial potential for the season ahead.
Recreating the look requires a single product: Essie's gel polish in the shade "Frost Yourself." Bachik applied two coats of the color, then sealed the manicure with the Gel by Essie Shiny Top Coat.
The formula's simplicity matters for salons and consumers alike. Clients can request the look by name—"metallic sunset"—with a single shade reference, and at-home users need one bottle plus a top coat.
For consumers easing into metallics or upgrading a nude manicure, the soft golden finish demonstrates how one polish can carry a full trend statement. Expect chrome and frosted gold requests to rise at salon chairs as fall bookings begin.
Source: Elle Beauty; Source: amazon.com
Olivia Hart
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Senior reporter covering business strategy at Eurasian Beauty Journal.
