Key Takeaways
- Ariana Grande showed up to the final Wicked: For Good premiere wearing a “Bubble” French Manicure.
- A “Bubble” French manicure is a French manicure with a pink base. The “bubble” comes from Glinda’s favorite color, or OPI’s Bubble Bath shade.
- We’ll see the look a lot this season, both from Wicked fans and those searching for a pretty-in-pink French manicure.
In a normal year, there are a couple of nail art styles that we can guess will be hot come fall. Think deep burgundies, browns, and obviously the ever-classic, perfect-for-the-holidays French tip.
This isn’t a normal year, though. It’s a Wicked year! As you might imagine, everyone’s nail art isn’t just festive—it’s, as Glinda the Good might say, festivating.
On Monday, November 17, Ariana Grande showed up at the final premiere of Wicked: For Good in New York City subtly Glinda-fied. Instead of all pink, her color-blocked Schiaparelli gown centered around a black velvet corset. Still, her manicure was fully “girl in the bubble.” It’s true—this fall’s most popular nail art trend might be the “Bubble” French manicure. And yes, both those references were totally on purpose.
@nailsbyzola/Instagram
The Trend
The “Bubble” French manicure is ultimately a pink-toned French manicure inspired by Miss Ariana Grande and Glinda the Good. This is the nail look to go for if, as a Wicked fan, you don’t necessarily want to announce your passion to the world with a full-scale pink and green 3D situation. It’s pretty, it’s subtle, and it’s classic.
@THEMANICLUB/INSTAGRAM
The “bubble” of it all also works as a nod to famous pink polish shade Bubble Bath by OPI. We’ve long loved the soft pink as a French manicure base coat, and though I can’t say for good if that’s what her nail artist used, it’s a safe guess.
Ariana Grande’s “Bubble” French Manicure
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The singer has been loving a classic French nail design, but this one was a little more witchy than usual. Her nails were filed into a long rounded almond shape and painted the pink shade before being topped with a white deep French tip.
For this press tour, Grande decided to stray from the hyper in-character looks she showed off last year. Ahead of the first premiere, she dyed her Glinda blonde hair back to an Ariana Grande brunette.
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“It’s fun to play with the storytelling on a press tour,” she explained in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. “With the first press tour, I kind of wanted to celebrate Glinda in a more on-the-nose way. And now, I can kind of show up as the actress that played her and play into the darker tones of the movie.”
I wouldn’t call Bubble Bath a dark tone, but there are certainly lighter pinks out there.
@iramshelton/instagram
How to Get the Look
A “Bubble” French manicure requires the same careful process as a regular French manicure. The big difference is that you exchange the nude base coat for a pink shade. While this is a look your nail artist could easily tackle, it’s a little harder to do at home.
If you feel up to it (to be fair, you have two Wicked movie soundtracks to make it through while you practice), you can find Byrdie’s guide to a DIY French manicure here.
