For celebrity manicurist Natalie Minerva, seeing her nail designs on Euphoria is a product of manifestation three years in the making. The HBO show, known for its rather generation-defining fashion and beauty looks, is back for another season—but this time, the characters’ nails are almost as memorable as their drug-riddled party antics.
“I thought to myself, a Gen Z-based show should have nail art. As I was watching the first season, just by happenstance, Alexa Demie walked into my salon,” recalls Minerva of her first session with the star who plays Maddy on the show. The two agreed that nail art should be a thing, and before Minerva knew it, the show’s makeup artist Doniella Davy and director Samuel Levinson were on board, and she was lacquering the nails of Maddy, Cassie, Kat, and even newly-introduced Fezco’s grandma.
“Alexa was a huge reason for getting me through to the producers and she played an integral role in me getting the job and pushing the nail art narrative,” says Minerva. “I really value and respect Alexa for not only her creative mind but her tenacity in helping me.”
It was a whirlwind of events for Minerva, who got into nail design by accident after working in nightlife, exploring nail art as a hobby after trading college for nail school at the encouragement of friends and family. Since, her work has been spotted on celebrities from Carmen Electra to Paris Hilton and Ariana Grande.
Minerva’s approach to nail art is rooted in her ability to read people’s personalities and deliver designs that truly reflect them. And she applied the same methodology for fictional characters of East Highland High School. “I really look at the characters as people. We all know a Maddy or a Cassie, so we can pull from what their style, taste, and character are.” And like their IRL Gen-Z counterparts, the characters go through changes that are reflected in how they take care of themselves and communicate their emotions with their fashion and beauty choices. For example, Minerva laughs at the idea of Rue’s rather chaotic, disheveled character (played by Zendaya), sporting a fresh, chip-free manicure. But at the end of the day, Minerva emphasizes how collaborative the show is—with the entire team coming together to bring each character’s triumphs and pitfalls to life.
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