Anne Hathaway brings the Coconut Jelly Gloss manicure to the red carpet
Imagine nails that look perpetually fresh, as though you’ve just stepped out of a salon: that’s exactly the effect of the Coconut Jelly Gloss manicure, the trend making its mark on red carpets in 2026. Anne Hathaway showcased it at the world premiere of The End of Oak Street, hosted by Warner Bros in California, with results that were at once understated and striking.
A look designed to last the whole season
What stands out first about this nail style is its versatility. The Coconut Jelly Gloss manicure works with any outfit and suits every occasion, from everyday wear to the most formal events. It’s precisely this “quiet luxury” positioning that explains its rapid rise.
The shade Anne Hathaway chose is not your classic opaque white. It’s a milky, translucent veil that lets the natural surface of the nail show through while giving it a subtle depth. This transparency effect is at the very heart of the style’s identity.
Tom Bachik, the artist behind the Coconut Jelly Gloss trend
Tom Bachik’s name is inseparable from this trend. A celebrated Hollywood nail artist, his client list includes Selena Gomez, Jennifer Lopez and Hailee Steinfeld. He coined the term “Coconut Jelly Gloss Mani” and revealed the formula on Instagram following the premiere of The End of Oak Street.
According to Tom Bachik, everything starts with careful nail preparation, carried out using his Tom Bachik x Tweezerman tools. This step, which he calls “perfect prep”, directly determines how well the polish holds and how the final look turns out. Without a properly prepared surface, the jelly effect loses its luminosity.
The hero product is the Essie Nail Art Studio Jelly Gloss Polish in the shade Arctic Jelly. This specific polish delivers the translucent, slightly gelatinous texture that gives the Coconut Jelly Gloss manicure its name. It’s what creates that signature milky veil.
How to recreate the Coconut Jelly Gloss manicure at home
The good news is that this look isn’t reserved for professional salons. Tom Bachik shared the precise steps to recreate it, and they’re entirely achievable. Here are the key points to keep in mind:
- Start with clean, well-shaped nails with gently rounded edges.
- Apply one to two coats of Essie Nail Art Studio Jelly Gloss Polish in Arctic Jelly, keeping each layer slightly translucent.
- Build up the coats gradually to achieve a more intense milky effect, without ever aiming for full opacity.
- Finish with a high-shine top coat for the signature “wet look” of the Coconut Jelly Gloss manicure.
Each additional coat intensifies the pearlescent, milky quality without ever erasing the transparency that makes this style so distinctive. The number of coats is therefore what allows you to adjust the intensity to your preference.
The glossy finish: the key to the wet-look effect
Beyond the colour, it’s the top coat that elevates this polish into something exceptional. Applied as the final step, it gives nails an intense, almost wet-looking shine that reinforces the impression of permanent freshness. Without it, the jelly effect is still there, but loses much of its visual impact.
This technical detail is often overlooked in everyday manicures. Yet it’s precisely this level of gloss that sets the Coconut Jelly Gloss manicure apart from a simple nude or clear polish. The end result makes nails look as though they’ve just been done, no matter the time of day.
By choosing this style for a high-profile world premiere, Anne Hathaway gave the trend enormous visibility. And thanks to the details shared by Tom Bachik, anyone can now make this polished, timeless look their own, with the right products and a little patience.
