There are more summer nail colors in the world than my brain can comprehend. OPI and Essie each boast well over 1,000 hues spanning every shade of the rainbow—and that’s not even including the dozens of smaller nail polish brands on the market. Yet when Selena Gomez sat down in celebrity nail artist Tom Bachik’s chair this week, a custom-made manicure was in order.
The Only Murders in the Building star revealed via Instagram on Thursday, August 1, that her go-to nail pro took 40 minutes to create the perfect “muted red” for her squoval (square-meets-oval) shaped manicure. The shade appears to fall right between a brick red and maroon hue, with a gorgeous, glossy top coat added for shine.
I’ll be honest: This crimson color is not a stereotypical summer nail trend. You’re more likely to see an Orange Julius manicure or something like Hailey Bieber’s butter yellow polish this time of year. Deeper reds are traditionally winter nail polish shades. But over the past few weeks, a handful of celebrities have set out to prove that maroon manicures are poised to pick up popularity.
Last week, Zendaya stepped out during a shopping trip in London with a maroon manicure ignoring summer trends. Sabrina Carpenter also debuted a rich cherry hue in honor of her new fragrance, Cherry Baby. And Cardi B (who just announced her third pregnancy—along with a divorce) wore a similar shade for her just-launched Marc Jacobs campaign.
The muted red shade initially surged last winter under the guise of the cherry cola nail trend. “It’s a great way to embrace the darker tones for the winter months, while still honoring an age-old classic—red,” nail artist Natalie Minerva previously told Marie Claire.
If recent manicures like Selena Gomez's are telling us anything, it’s that a maroon nail surge is set to become an unlikely summer manicure trend. Be an early adopter and shop the look, below.
