Tom Sandoval Has Ruined White Nail Polish for Everyone

Among all of the nasty, selfish things Tom Sandoval has done this year, there’s one that’s really hitting close to home for the girls. He’s ruined white nail polish.

Unfortunately for those of us who love a crisp alabaster mani for summer, the Vanderpump Rules sleazeball has made white nails his signature look. He plays in his lame-ass cover band with snow-tipped hands; he wags his cotton-ball finger at people condescendingly as he pretends to have moral high ground on the show. In this week’s reunion episode, he consistently buries his face in nails that look dipped in Wite-out to fake cry. 

Truly, a white manicure is the only thing Sandoval has been loyal to all season. His devotion to the color much stronger than any such he felt toward his girlfriend of nine years, Ariana Madix, or his business partner and BFF, Tom Schwartz. 

We even saw this on the show. In one cringeworthy scene, Sandoval defended his choice to ignore Schwartz when they were supposed to be making decisions for their new bar, Schwartz and Sandy’s, to, you guessed it, go get his nails done.

“I’m not about to walk around town with some grubby-ass chipped nails,” Sandoval said, showing off his coat of fresh white paint.

White nails used to be one of my faves, a nice way to prepare myself for the relaxing airy days of summer (they always look better with a tan). But in a recent visit to the nail salon, my eyes drifted over the clean bottles of faves like OPI Funny Bunny or Essie Marshmallow, and I felt a pang of revulsion. The color used to telegraph a clean, fresh hot-weather vibe; now they scream cheating worm with a mustache. 

I’m not alone. All over the internet, women are realizing that white manis just aren’t hitting the way they used to. One women tweeted she’d faced a similar nail salon dilemma and ended up sadly bidding farewell to her usual summer white. Some declared white is over for the summer, while others sadly reported that an entire generation would now no longer be able to let the color grace their fingers. Ladies are even redoing perfectly good pedis to dissassociate from the Sandoval stink.

“I’d like to give a special shout out to Tom Sandoval for ruining white nail polish for me. Troll just keeps on taking,” wrote one person.

At this point, white nail polish needs to hire its own crisis PR.

So what’s a white mani-loving girl to do?

For those of us now searching for a new summer signature, I consulted Juli Russell, an influencer and DIY nail expert for Sally Beauty, for help. She has the perfect solution for those of us not quite willing to throw out our white polishes.

“Pearlescent finishes are super trendy right now,” she notes. “Add a coat of a gorgeous shimmer like OPI’s Happy Anniversary to your white polish, for a stunning sparkling revamp, that catches the eye and the sun—moving on up, like Ariana.”

If you’re more adventurous, she says, why not use a striping polish to do a nail design, like abstract white swirls?

“It’s fun, perfect for summer, and a great way to sever the connection between the unrightful owner of our beloved white polish,” she says.

It’s good we are getting creative, because Sandoval’s reign of terror isn’t over yet. In an April Instagram post, Sandoval posted videos of himself proudly showing off his nails while mountain climbing, saying “it makes you a better climber.” It seems like he’s committing to the painted nail lifestyle.

Now that he’s ruined white for us, who knows what could be next?

Stephanie McNeal is a senior editor at Glamour and the author of the forthcoming book Swipe Up for More!: Inside the Unfiltered Lives of Influencers.