Senior editor Beth Livesay (left) with celebrity nail tech Christina Aviles

Red Carpet Manicure in Trendsetter

The Kari Feinstein Pre-Academy Award Style Lounge is currently going on to welcome the Oscars into town on Sunday. What better brand to participate than Red Carpet Manicure, whose gel-polishes are all named with a movie star theme. 

Nail art inspired by "Captain Phillips" and "Dallas Buyers Club"

Inspired by "Her" and "Wolf of Wall Street"

The event featured RCM’s new gem collection and nail art designs dubbed “The Contenders” celebrating this year’s best picture nominees. Nail art was created by celebrity nail stylist Christina Aviles who polishes the nails of Sarah Hyland, Michelle Dockery, and Jessica Chastain to name a few (you can see her work here). Aviles created designs for "American Hustle", "Dallas Buyers Club" (Aviles’ pick to win)," Her," "12 Years a Slave," "Gravity," "Captain Phillips," and "The Wolf of Wall Street" all using the gem gel-polish. 

Nail art inspired by "American Hustle" and  "12 Years a Slave"

Nail art inspired by Gravity

But before we find out who will be taking home the big awards on Sunday, we have to see what celebrities wear down the red carpet. Aviles predicts “Less nail art, but stand-out nails with some sparkle or metallics,” will be what celebs choose. While many nail stylists are artists who have shifted their focus to nails, Aviles is a long-time manicurist who embraces the nail art trend. “Nails are a classy accessory. They give something extra,” she says.

Not to worry though, as nail art isn’t something Aviles sees as going away. “There’s a younger crowd who loves it. Some people who are more mature might want to back off. But I think we are going through a nude phase right now.” Case in point: her client Sarah Hyland. Hyland wore nude nails to the SAG Awards, but this young star definitely loves collaborating on an edgier look. Aviles points out that sometimes work gets in the way for celebrities. If they are filming, then they have to keep continuity in mind and can’t be sporting crazy nail art from week to week. But this doesn’t mean manicurists are going anywhere. In fact, Aviles says that stylists and creative directors alike now think about nails more than they used to when planning editorial shoots or red carpet looks.

Aviles definitely thinks nail-forward down to the smallest detail. She helped me select Red Carpet Manicure colors to take with me based on my skintone (Violetta Darling), an on-trend nude (A Dream Come True), and Trendsetter (from the gem collection) to give my nails that something extra. Although Aviles is sitting out this year’s Oscars, she does look forward to seeing a certain set of nails walk the red carpet. The nail stylist told me that she is a huge fan of Lupita Nyong’o’s nail looks created by Deborah Lippmann.

Which nails are you most excited to see Sunday?

—Beth