While there has been a clean, green movement in beauty products for some time, it was the white space in nail care for such products that inspired vice president of marketing, Logan Bilderback, and her fellow team members at Beauty Partners, to add Nailtopia to their portfolio of beauty brands. Bilderback said, “We want to provide a healthier alternative to the nail category for nail color and care by creating plant-based products that actually work.” As compared to most nail products which are, according to Bilderback, closer to 10% bio-sourced, Nailtopia products are 85% or more bio-sourced and are 100% vegan — both differentiators. The base of the nail colors are wheat, potato, manioc, and corn, and the products also include super food ingredients, such as blueberries and spinach to provide nutrients to nails.

The Nailtopia offering includes nail colors, treatments, and a remover. Their Fresh Avocado Nail Polish Remover is 100% vegan and their number one selling SKU. It is avocado oil based, contains no acetone, and is 99% bio-sourced. The remover conditions and hydrates and is effective on any nail polish with the exception of those that are gel-based and light-activated.

Eco-friendly, lasting nail colors and nourishing treatments have the potential to bring new customers to the category — particularly those that left due to the chemical-based formulas. According to Linkage Research & Consulting’s data, two-thirds of cosmetics buyers are looking for new products that are more natural.¹ In addition, three-quarters of cosmetics buyers have sought out and bought cosmetics with natural attributes in the past year, and one-third specifically have bought cosmetics that are free from synthetic chemicals like parabens, formaldehyde, and polyethylene.²

That’s why Nailtopia emphasizes education about their plant-based philosophy on their website and e-commerce sites such as Ulta.com and Walgreens.com. The Nailtopia website explains front and center on their home page how every nail lacquer is infused with oranges, raspberries, blueberries, and spinach because the fruits and vegetable help to harden, nourish, lengthen, and strengthen nails. It also highlights how the biotechnology used to create their formulation is a greener process that considerably reduces their environmental footprint.

Top of mind for Bilderback and the team is also efficacy. “It’s important to us that we not only provide more natural nail solutions, but also that our products have the efficacy to stand up to those being used in salons,” Bilderback said. Reliable results, such as their 6-day no-chip wear, are important to building trust and loyalty among customers, which is heightened in the beauty sector where the number of competitors can be overwhelming.

To succeed in the beauty sector and retail in general, customer connection is becoming increasingly important. Nailtopia invites customers to interact by serving as a sounding board for new launches. Known as Nailtopia Mavens, these customers test products and provide feedback — good or bad — to help the team at the nail care company get direct, unfiltered opinions on everything from colors to brushes to ease of use.

The leadership team at Nailtopia looks at every option when it comes to providing a clean solution, including packaging. They recently launched a bio-degradable cap for their nail colors that is compostable. Furthermore, the manufacturers that produce the products recycle their fumes, so they are not released into the environment. Even their displays in Ulta are all wood to minimize the use of plastics. According to the company, Nailtopia polishes are freshly made in the USA, are 100% vegan, cruelty free, Leaping Bunny approved, and PETA certified.

Companies that value environmental responsibility and sustainability are not a fad or passing trend. The cosmetic products market size was valued at USD 388.2 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach USD 468 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 5.8% from 2021 to 2028.³ The global cruelty-free cosmetics market size was 6249.3 million USD in 2020 and is projected to reach 7919.4 million USD in 2027, growing at a CAGR of 3.4% during 2021-2027.⁴ Communicating this commitment to consumers, and demonstrating it effectively through ingredient choices, packaging, and displays, will fuel long-term brand loyalty and sales growth.