Nail-ing it on the head
Bold, creative, daring and hot. Those are the words that come to mind when I think of nail polish.
Nail polish continues to be the rock star of the beauty world, showing double-digit growth and no signs of slowing. According to SymphonyIRI Group, sales of nail polish rose nearly 43% to more than $528 million for the 52 weeks ended April 15 at food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart).
Manufacturers are churning out products that continue to drive excitement in nail. One prime example is Coty Inc.’s Sally Hansen Salon Effects, which are strips of real nail polish that are applied to nails by simply peeling, applying to the nail and filing the edges.
The innovation immediately caught the industry’s eye, and Sally Hansen Salon Effects landed a spot on SymphonyIRI’s 2011 New Product Pacesetters: Top 10 Non-Foods Brand list. According to the report, Sally Hansen Salon Effects pulled in $41.8 million in total year-one dollar sales across food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart).
Earlier this year, the brand broadened the collection by teaming up with pop star Avril Lavigne to launch a limited-edition collection of edgy Salon Effects real nail polish strips designs. With patterns ranging from skull-and-bones to funky leopard print, the nail polish strips were inspired by the pop star’s signature energetic, no-frills attitude and straight-talking lyrics.
More recently, Sally Hansen jumped aboard the magnetic nail polish bandwagon with its new Magnetic Nail Color, which enables users to get 3-D nail art in seconds. The formula, available in eight shades, is infused with metallic particles that move when exposed to the specially designed built-in magnet.
In April, Nicole by OPI launched a collection of nail lacquers, dubbed Wel-Kim to My World, that was inspired by Kim Kardashian; and the brand also introduced new limited- edition Texture Coat shades — opal, quartz, amethyst and aquamarine — for instant nail art. Texture Coat is a line of graffiti-style nail art products that offer an easy way to create an edgy, two-texture effect on nails.
Orly is launching in June at such select retailers as Ulta and Sally Beauty its new French FX for a modern twist on classic nails. There are three kits — Cosmic FX, Foil FX and Neon FX — to achieve a unique French manicure.
Then there’s gel manicures, a growing niche within nail care as manufacturers strive to bring the popular salon service to the mass market for at-home application. Red Carpet Manicure launched in the second half of 2011 its at-home LED gel polish manicure and pedicure system, and now is expanding distribution to Canada.
Meanwhile, Pacific World has launched its new SensatioNail Invincible gel polish, which works with an LED light. It is a collection of at-home gel polish products that provide users with up to two weeks of damage-proof wear. The brand now is launching its summer 2012 collection at Walmart, CVS and Rite Aid.
Speaking of Rite Aid, the retailer is hyped up about nails and announced in May the launch of its Nail Extravaganza campaign. At the center of the seven-week campaign is the “Search for the Rite Aid Nail Enthusiast.” The winner receives a $1,000 Rite Aid gift card and the chance to share nail expertise through Rite Aid’s social media channels.