The MTV Video Music Awards never fail to deliver jaw-dropping style moments. Of all the year’s award shows, it’s the one where celebs are least afraid to push boundaries (see: Madonna’s wedding gown). This year, that experimental mindset extended beyond the outfits and beauty looks — right down to stars’ fingertips.
For the 2025 VMAs, there were plenty of striking manicures that hit the red carpet, basically making it a nail art runway. Fans saw everything from new takes on neutrals to modernized French tips and crystal-encrusted works of art that sparkled under the lights. Take, for example, Sabrina Carpenter’s bedazzled fingertips, which complemented both her sheer red lace number and her onstage ‘fits. Meg Stalter and Jessica Simpson also rocked nails covered in bling.
Meanwhile, both Tyla and Arya Starr showed up with dazzling details that made their manis pop — via glittery metallics and a cat-eye effect, respectively. But this is just a taste. Keep scrolling to see all the best nail moments from the 2025 MTV VMAs.
1Sabrina Carpenter’s Sparkling Tips
Before she was soaking wet during her performance, Carpenter was sparkling from head to rhinestone-adorned fingertip. She accessorized her red sequin gown with a candy-colored, gemstone-tipped French mani care of OPI Global Ambassador Zola Ganzorigt, who was inspired by the singer’s “Tears” video.
The trick to making the rhinestones pop, she says, is to use a deep base underneath them — in this case, it was OPI GelColor in Malaga Wine.
2Tate McCrae’s “Naked” Nails
Tate McCrae complemented her ethereal naked dress with sheer, nude nails. To create the elegant mani, celebrity manicurist Analysse Hernandez used Gel-X Natural Almond Short Tips, and topped them with two coats of the brand’s Beige Flag and one coat of Be Still. Thanks to the sharp almond shape and barely-there finish, it felt both timeless and modern at the same time.
3Meg Stalter’s Stiletto Mani
Meg Stalter’s red carpet style is always a master class in camp, and her Dunkin’ Donuts-inspired VMAs look was no exception. Her mile-long stiletto nails — painted in red and pink and encrusted with rhinestones —popped against her white dress and platinum hair.
4Arya Starr’s Cat-Eye Nails
“Midnight plum” is one of fall’s coolest nail shades, and Arya Starr’s cat-eye take on the trend is the kind of manicure worth screenshotting. Celebrity manicurist Angel My Linh used the shade Aces from Aprés’ Astral Gel Couleur collection on top of a black base, then a magnet to give it the cat-eye effect.
5Ice Spice’s C-Shaped Frenchies
French manis may be timeless, but Ice Spice’s XL square-tipped version gave the design an entirely new edge. The highly pigmented pink-and-white combo paired with a dramatic C-curve added just the right dose of drama for the occasion.
6Doja Cat’s “Lipstick Nails”
Doja Cat’s “red lipstick nails” were not only fitting for the “Paint the Town Red” singer, but they also happened to be the perfect match for her latest red carpet stunt (yes, she really took a bite out of her lipstick). The elongated square tips, painted in Aprés Gel Couleur’s Lucky Envelope, ooze unapologetic confidence. Red nail theory, anyone?
7Lola Young’s Graphic Duck Tips
Singer Lola Young also put her own spin on the classic French manicure. Instead of soft neutrals, she opted for a graphic black-and-white design finished with bold, flared tips. For extra edge, each middle finger featured a 3D gold accent stamped with Chanel’s iconic double-C insignia.
8Jessica Simpson’s Blinged-Out Fingertips
Jessica Simpson’s barely-there dress left plenty of room for bling — including on her nails. She layered classic black polish with crystal embellishments, multicolored gems, and gold adornments, creating a manicure that looked just as much like jewelry as her actual diamonds.
9Tyla’s Sparkling Green Mani
According to nail pros, deep green polishes with sparkly and metallic finishes will be everywhere this fall —and Tyla wore the look to perfection on the VMAs red carpet. Her unexpected nail polish choice popped against her cream Chanel dress.
