The Art of the Nail

For teens and young adults, the fingernails represent a canvas for social expression. Whether using bright colors and unusual finishes, having each nail a unique color or style, or painting elaborate designs, many young consumers spend significant time and money turning their nails into fashion statements, often sharing the results on social media.

The nail care segment got a boost during the pandemic; Amazon alone reported that U.S. sales of nail-care products jumped 218% in the first month of the lockdown. A number of factors have likely driven this added popularity. Consumers have had more leisure to spend on the hobby or to try it for the first time. Sharing their nail creations on social media has given them a dose of the community and connection they have craved during a time of isolation. Making a statement through nail art can be a day brightener and is a relatively inexpensive way to feel fashionable and a bit luxurious. And, like other creative activities, designing and painting nail art can be stress-relieving as well as offering a sense of accomplishment.

Nail art requires lots of polish in different colors, along with a range of finishes and effects—or decals to mimic the real thing—and spurs frequent purchases, for replenishment and to satisfy the constant hunger for new materials and unique looks. Nail care is also a competitive marketplace where brands are looking for an edge. So it is no surprise that nail care products have been a hotbed of limited-edition collaborations (and some long-term deals), both during the pandemic and before. Some examples that have occurred since the lockdown began a year ago offer a glimpse of the wide range of property owners that have dipped into the nail category:

• Just this month, Mentos worked with Sally Hansen on eight limited Insta-Dri nail colors, ranging from brights to pastels to glitters, with one example being Freshmaker, a white polish with flecks of blue glitter. Previously, in September 2020, Sour Patch Kids announced a partnership with the same company for a limited Insta-Dri collection tied to Halloween, with colors inspired by Sour Patch Kids flavors. Colors included R.I.P.-urple, the Un-red, Pump-kid (neon orange), Hallogreen, Ghouls Night Out (creamy black), Boo-lue, and First Sour Then Sweet (clear with white sugar glitter).
• In February, nail polish brand OPI partnered with imPress for a collection of easy-to-use, no-glue-needed, press-on gel nails in 10 popular OPI colors, from Strawberry Margarita pink to Malaga Wine red to Dulce de Leche cream-nude. Each kit includes 30 nail wraps, a manicure stick, and a prep pad.
• Hard Rock Café announced a deal with Artistic Nail Design in January for an Alive & Amplified collection, set for a May 2021 release through salons, beauty stores, and other retailers. The collection is billed as capturing the spirit of music with six bright shades, ranging from Hit ‘Em With A High Note coral crème to All About the Sound bright teal crème, all available as soak-off gel polish, reactive nail lacquer, and dip powders.
• Celebrity nail artist Mei Kawajiri, also known as Nails by Mei, paired with ManiMe in December for a line of gel nail stickers. Kawajiri is known for her work creating singer Dua Lipa’s intricate nail art, and her products help fans recreate similar looks. Each pack includes the tools needed for prep and application, along with the stickers. Love Wins is a rainbow and starburst design, Let’s Link Up is a gold chain and white star pattern, and Mei’s Party consists of 15 mix-and-match stickers such as flames, plaids, and aliens. Mani Me also works with nail influencer Bana Jarjour, known on Instagram as Banicured.
• In December, Amazon teamed with Butter London for a collection tied to the Amazon Prime Video series for young adults, The Wilds, after a similar collaboration in 2019. The collection has three colors (dusty taupe, floral pink, and ocean blue), inspired by the deserted island backdrop portrayed in the show. It also comes with a carry bag.
• The Met partnered in October with J. Hannah on a mini nail polish set, which retailed for $54 at the J. Hannah web store and in The Met’s in-museum shop. Taking its cues from the museum’s “About Time: Fashion and Duration” exhibition, the set included four exclusive new shades (Onyx black, Cameo cream, Talisman silver, and Deco gold) plus J. Hannah’s signature Akoya, an opalescent pearl polish.
• Gibi ASMR, a YouTube ASMR influencer, collaborated with Loud Lacquer in October on a Welcome to Dreamland Collection of four calming cream, metallic, and sparkle nail polish colors, along with a sticker pack. Gibi, whose YouTube productions often produce ASMR effects through nail tapping, scratching, or painting, debuted four manicure-themed ASMR videos to support the effort, one for each polish.
• Also in October, Boobie Billie, an Internet-famous greyhound-chihuahua mix known for wearing fashion-forward outfits with matching designer shoes and bags (digitally altered to size), paired with Cirque Colors for a collection of nail wraps. The “petfluencer” previously released a line of scarves and handbags, and the five-packs of nail wrap sets reflect the materials used in those accessories, with patterns ranging from green zebra stripe to purple houndstooth. Each set includes a full manicure’s worth of 10 stickers.
• In September, PopSockets launched a line of “Mani Phoni” nail kits, which contain press-on nails, as well as the tools needed to apply them, along with a coordinating PopSockets phone grip. (The nails and grips are also sold separately.) The core products, which include 15 SKUs ranging from unicorn marble to rose gold metallic, are accompanied by additional seasonal drops. This in-house-managed line follows another PopSockets beauty effort, namely a PopGrip Lips collaboration with Burt’s Bees.
• TikTok stars Charli and Dixie D’Amelio worked with start-up direct-to-consumer brand Orosa Beauty in August on a Coastal Craze collection of eight nail colors, sold separately and in three boxed sets, along with sticker sets. Both influencers have made their interest in nails known to their fans through their TikTok content.
• Influencer Nabela Noor and her Zeba lifestyle brand teamed with Olive & June in May for a seven-piece summer color assortment, marking the first partnership for Olive & June. The company is known for its pastel colors, but this collection is neon, ranging from Sweet & Gracious orange, to Fierce & Loving lilac, to Grateful & Kind pink. Nabela’s content and the Zeba label are both centered around self-love and body-positivity. More recently, in January 2021, Olive & June paired with jeweler Frasier Sterling for a Valentine’s Day-themed Groovy Bouquet set consisting of nail-art stickers, two shades of polish, a topcoat, and an exclusive ring.

While this diverse list focuses on nail care-only deals, there have also been plenty of broader collaborations and licensing agreements in the beauty category recently that include nail products along with color cosmetics, lip color, eye shadow, and the like.