Keke Palmer’s Chrome French Manicure Made Me Fall In Love with Green Nails

It’s very ‘Wicked’-coded.

Keke Palmer posing in mauve coat and white dress
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Keke Palmer’s latest manicure looks a little ‘Wicked.’ On Jan. 23, the multi-hyphenate star attended a basketball game in New York City as she continues to promote her new movie ‘One of Them Days.’ After a slew of head-turning outfits for this press run, Palmer kept it casual yet chic for this occasion, donning a black leather jacket, jeans, and gold-tipped boots. The beauty details were just as gorgeous, with the actor sporting voluminous curls and a gorgeous cut crease eye-makeup look. But it was Keke Palmer's chrome French manicure that truly stole the show.

While Palmer wore a more traditional version of the trend, opting for a medium-length almond shape, it was the details that made this manicure stand out. Instead of choosing a traditional white shade for the smile line as is customary with French manicures, the actor used black, adding a slight grungy element to the look. She also strayed from tradition with the use of green chrome instead of silver—the version that went viral two years ago thanks to celebrities like Hailey Bieber.


Since its resurgence in 2018, French manicures have become a staple for celebrities and nail enthusiasts alike. The style is universally flattering and as Palmer proves, incredibly versatile. Still, given her affinity for ‘Defying Gravity,’ it’s safe to say that she may have had a certain green-hued character in mind when ideating this look.

Keke Palmer nails

(Image credit: @keke)

French tips are the perfect manicure to keep in your back pocket when decision fatigue hits you at the nail salon, but it’s also chic enough to become a part of your signature beauty routine. Celebrities like Ariana Grande and Eva Longoria have long championed this trend and are likely already somewhere in your “nail inspiration” folder. Still, if you want to put your own spin on the classic, nail crowns are the latest iteration of the French manicure to take over 2025.

Shop some of our favorite products to achieve a gorgeous French manicure at home.

Ariel Baker
Beauty Writer

Ariel Baker is the Beauty Writer at Marie Claire. Previously the associate beauty editor at PS and briefly freelance, she has bylines in InStyle, Forbes Vetted, Women's Health, and more.

Since she started out in the non-profit sector, Ariel enjoys looking at beauty from a sociocultural lens, looking to avenues like politics, music, and the arts, to inform her views on the space. That being said, as a true beauty-product obsessive, testing the latest items to hit the market, keeping up with trends, and meeting industry icons, will always be her favorite part of working in the beauty space.

When she's not working, Ariel can be found hanging out with her fiancé and loving on their two cat daughters: Cow and Chicken.