Cardi B captivates us for many reasons, from her memorable verses to her red-carpet risks. But another headline-grabbing aspect of the artist is undeniably her manicures. Just like the star herself, you never know what to expect. She’s done everything from demure and dainty to truly over-the-top nail extravaganzas. But no matter her nail look, she always keeps us entertained. (Many of the rapper’s most famous sets were created by her long-time nail artist Jenny Bui, owner of Nails on 7th and self-dubbed “Queen of Bling.” The Cambodian nail pro has been Cardi B’s go-to for a decade.)
Much like her music, Cardi B’s tips keep fans enthralled. From bejeweled stilettos to matchy moments, check out a few of her best nail looks ahead.
Black Mirror
Cardi B pulled out all the stops at the Grammys, from her architectural gown to her blue eyeliner. Pitch-black nails in a killer stiletto shape completed her glam, with a silver streak for extra oomph.
Bubblegum Bonanza
To keep bubblegum pink from getting too precious, Bui shaped Cardi B’s nails into perfect long points, then topped them with shimmering crystals. The whole package is a study in contrasts for the rapper’s Reebok campaign.
Red Hot
Bui knows there’s no need to mess with a classic. A coat of red nail polish—in this case, Candy Coat Pro Palette Gel Colour in Marilyn ($19)—is all you need for a wow mani.
Crystal Clear
The extra-long length of this manicure provides plenty of room for crystals and adornments. Copy her mani by decking out your own tips with stickers and nail gems.
Feeling Blue
Matching your nails to your Hermés bag is undeniably next level. Los Angeles-based celeb nail artist Chaun Legend is responsible for this bold, bright blue look. He kept her signature stiletto shape and chose a matte finish to up the drama.
Strawberry Milk
Both Cardi B and the Met Gala are known for over-the-top looks—making her minimalist manicure for the event a bit of a surprise. Bui applied acrylic tips from Mia Secret, filed them into a long round shape, then painted on Aprés Nail Gel Couleur in Oh For Shore ($15) to get that coveted strawberry milk shade.
Good As Gold
As if this look didn’t bring enough drama, Cardi B extended the opulence to her fingertips. Her opera-length gloves are blinged out with high-shine gold nails, but that’s not all—said nails are adorned with sparkles, pearls, and hoops.
Mint Condition
We’ve established that Cardi loves a mani-handbag matching moment. Here, she opted for mint green and lots of bling.
What A Gem
Where can one even start with this set: The stacked heart gems? The red spiral accent nail? (Though, can you even call it an accent nail if every nail is so embellished?) There’s so much happening in this manicure, and we’re here for it.
Bronzed Babe
It’s hard to have nails that pop when you’re next to Lizzo and her magical mani, but Cardi B manages to do just that. Shades of shiny gold are always a good choice, and Cardi B gives that look extra personality by sporting a different chromatic hue in the same color family on each tip.
French Dispatch
Of course, Cardi B wouldn’t wear any old plain French manicure. She puts her stamp on the evergreen nail art by sticking with her signature long length and giving the white tips an extra edge with a graphic spin.
WAP Watch
Who can forget Cardi’s nails in the “WAP” music video? Unsurprisingly, those adornments weren’t any old mani stickers—Bui used Swarovski crystals for the occasion.
Going Green
Neon nails come and go, but Cardi B makes going green look fresh and fun. Think alien invasion when it comes to choosing a highlighter-worthy hue.
Seeing Red
For the “Up” music video, the rapper combined a few of her favorite manicure hallmarks: Pointy tips, endless length, and loads of gems.
Twinkling Turquoise
This mani certainly gets to the point. A triple threat, there’s the sleek shape, eye-catching turquoise color, and jeweled base.
On Brand
Take a closer look at Cardi B’s super long stiletto nails, and you might be able to spy “Reebok” spelled out in the blue and white ombre design. Bui went all out with the branding for the rapper’s collab with the athletic brand. She used OPI Polish ($12) in Can’t Find My Czechbook and Alpine Snow to create this one-of-a-kind look.
Very Vuitton
Never one to shy away from labels, even Cardi B’s nails get in on the designer action. For this set, Legend created a tiny replica of the rapper’s Louis Vuitton accessories on each finger.
