Khloé Kardashian’s long nails are as iconic as her kitchen pantry (no really, Google a picture of her Home Edit style pantry for some serious organization envy). Whether she’s in a Good American meeting, filming a confessional for Keeping Up With the Kardashians, playing with her daughter True, or working out in her home gym with Kim and Kourtney, you won’t find Khloé without her two-inch talons. And chances are, they’ve been polished by celebrity nail artist Chaun Legend.
Chaun’s known for hand painting custom and intricate designs across his client’s nails. A quick scroll through his Instagram shows everything from graphic nail art to graffiti style tags and even a personalized version of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. “Khloé usually has an idea or inspiration, which we discuss before the nail session,” says Chuan. “Then I’ll put my little twist on it.”
“You name a look—I’ve tried it,” says Khloé. “I shake things up, take risks, and just have fun with it. Beauty should be anything but boring.” Exhibit A: the nail art Chaun created for Khloé’s 2019 Halloween costume with daughter True. “I was Cruella de Vil last Halloween, so of course I needed some (cruelty-free!) dalmatian print glam,” says Khloé. “We went with black and white dalmation print accent nails. They were so fun.”
But life with long nails is not all fun and games. “I’ve had to adapt to be able to type on my phone,” says Khloé. “Now I use the sides of my fingers instead of the middle.” As for Chaun’s long-nail-life advice? “Do not touch anything,” he jokes. “JK! Just be very mindful to not use your nails as tools.” But in all honesty, if we had a manicurist like Chaun at our fingertips, we’d treat our nails like the pieces of art they are. Keep reading for the inside scoop behind some of Khloé’s favorite nail looks straight from Chaun and KoKo herself.
Meet the Expert
Chaun Legend is the celebrity nail artist behind the manicures and nail art of Kylie Jenner, Cardi B, Hailey Bieber, and of course, Khloé Kardashian.
1. Misty Pink
“I love a long, pinky-nude nail,” says Khloé. “I never get sick of them. They go with everything and feel very feminine and pretty for everyday wear.” Nudes and pinks are a go-to for Khloé, and for good reason. “We tend to stick with a lot of nudes because of all the different projects she has going on,” says Chaun. “It’s not too distracting, and it matches with most outfits.”
2. Neon Tips
At the other side of the nail polish spectrum from nude lives neon, like this vivid take on a French manicure. Chaun was a big fan of this look: “This set was done for her vacation. I love neon nails for tropical destinations. The sun and water complement neons, and it gives a nice pop in pictures.”
3. Chrome Stilettos
“These were done around the time when stiletto nails were really trending,” says Chaun. “The pointy nails can give more of a slender look for your hands. We like to try different shapes. Now her nails are super long and tapered coffins (my favorite shape and length), which gives more of the extra-ness effect we both love! She wanted to try something reflective during that time, so the chrome effect was done using a special rub-on chrome powder.”
4. Red Velvet
Sometimes Khloé’s nail colors come straight from a bottle, but sometimes, like in the case of these velvety red nails, they’re much more custom. “This was actually one of my favorite looks on her,” says Chuan. “We used a silver chrome base, applied deep red jelly color, and added matte topcoat for the velvet look.”
5. Pink Chaunbré
Some might call this color gradient ombré—but Chaun has coined a new term: Chaunbré. He says: “This was a spur of the moment idea. Khloé couldn’t decide which pink to use, so we used them all. To blend, it helps to use similar colors. I just used the polish brush and do vertical strokes until it blends smoothly.”
6. French Chocolate
We’re all for French manis making a comeback, especially if they’re given a fun twist, like these chocolate tips on Khloé. “She was attending Malika’s baby shower,” says Chaun. “The theme was nude, and this was our version of nude. I usually just freehand all my French designs. First I draw out the smile line with an art brush—a deep one like this gives more of a modern look—then fill it in after.”
7. Glossy Red
Like an LBD, a leather jacket, and a pair of strappy sandals, shiny red nails will never go out of style. And when they’re paired with a matching pedicure like Khloé, it’s a true classic. “This is definitely one of her go-tos,” says Chaun. “She loves red.”
8. Matte Ombré
If you’ve been on Instagram this year, then you know that the unofficial nail look of 2020 is the multicolored mani. Whether it’s rainbow, earth tones, or a variation of the same color like Khloé’s, you can’t go wrong. “She wanted a very pastel look,” says Chaun. “The matte made it pop and helped achieve the pastel look.”
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