As the nail category continues to grow – as Kline reports in this story – we’re seeing new product innovations and lots of buzz-worthy packaging. Recent trends in nail polish include decorative bottles, elongated caps, celebrity-endorsed lines, custom colors created by beauty influencers – and even a game-changing spray-on polish in a can.

See these brands and more in the slidesshow above.

Spray-On Polish by Nails Inc., Milk & China Glaze

The innovative Paint Can Nail Polish by Nails Inc. was first announced last year, when bloggers like Allure and Refinery 29 reviewed it. It was first sold in the UK, where Nails Inc. is based, but hasn’t been available for U.S. consumers to purchase – until now.

All three colors are finally back in stock on the brand’s website – hot pink, pale pink and metallic silver – however, supplies must still be low since shipping time is listed as 20 business days.

Nail polish fans won’t have to wait that long to try the innovative application method, since now  there are more color-in-a-can options. China Glaze just launched its Coloured Nail Spray, and it’s available now. It comes in 4 colors: purple shimmer, platinum silver, bright blue and magenta shimmer.

Milk Makeup’s Spray Nail Polish is about to launch. It comes in silver, bronze and iridescent white, and is available for pre-order at Urban Outfitters. It begins shipping on April 25th.

The ‘Loubi Under Red’ Nail Color Pen

Christian Louboutin created the most memorable nail polish bottle ever, a few years ago – and the brand still seems to be in the lead when it comes to developing innovative packaging for nail products. Its new nail product is called the Loubi Under Red Nail Color Pen.

The pen is designed to be used to create the “Under Red Manicure,” which mimics the infamous red sole on Louboutin shoes. It is meant to color the underside of your nails in the brand’s signature red, Rouge Louboutin. If you’re not a fan of this look, the pen will also work as a nail art brush and dotting tool.

The pen’s applicator has a fine felt-tip, which allows the user to apply just the right amount of color with control and precision. The tip is made from a high-density material, developed to remain stable in a solvent-base formula. The nib is made from flexible nylon.

Nail Stamps, Wraps & Tools

The Nail Art trend is still strong – and continues to fuel a demand for wraps, stamps, tools and accessories. There are a slew of brands that are offering new types of nail art applicators, plus tools to make applying polish easier or less messy. A few of these are shown above.

Kline & Company’s project manager, Consumer Practice, Agnieszka Saintemarie, told Beauty Packaging that nail art is continuing to grow, as a category. Saintemarie spoke to us for the Jan/Feb 2016 feature, What’s Trending for Nails?

“We’re seeing an increase in companies with templates or stamps to create designs, such as MoYou London Company,” Saintemarie says. A few of MoYou London’s products are shown above.

Jamberry markets DIY at-home nail wraps that are sold as sets in a monthly subscription box service for true nail art junkies. A few of its latest designs are shown above.

Memorable Bottle & Cap Designs

The majority of nail brands still uses traditional bottles, and some sport cute decorations or unusually shaped caps. OPI partnered with Hello Kitty to launch girlie pink and glittery polish, and the cartoon character is featured on the caps.

Sonia Kashuk’s limited edition Knock Out Beauty Collection includes two nail polish colors, in bottles decorated with fun illustrations of boxing gloves and “eyes.”

Nail polish by Urban Decay and Tish & Snooky’s Manic Panic are in memorable bottles, with caps designed to catch the consumer’s eye.

Smith & Cult’s Stylish Look

Smith & Cult, a Luxury Brand Partners Company, has elegant packaging for its Nail Lacquer. The glass bottle has a thick, heavyweight base. It is paired with a luxurious gold cap that has a hammered metal look, reminiscent of jewelry.

Smith & Cult was created by Hard Candy’s founder, and beauty industry veteran, Dineh Mohajer. The brand began with nail polish, but is expanding to include lip color, and more.

Essie Celebrates 35 Years

Essie brought back six iconic shades in 2016 that were discontinued, in a limited edition collection called Retro Revival that celebrates the brand’s 35th anniversary.

The set includes one of the brand’s original 12 colors, a nude named Birthday Suit – plus, the highly coveted cult favorite, Starry Starry Night, a glittery dark blue from 1985.

Essie Weingarten founded the brand in Las Vegas and her first customers were showgirls. The Retro Revival collection features caps decorated with gold stars, inspired by the vintage marquee of the Stardust casino.
  
New Colors by Fusion FX & the King Kylie Kollection

Formula X, a brand developed exclusively for Sephora, is known for its “Clix!” packaging – a specially designed cap that 4 bottles click into, to create a custom set. The brand’s new collection, The Match Clix!, is available in three sets of colors that are formulated to flatter specific skin tones – Fair/Light, Light/Medium, and Dark. The colors in each set are the same, but vary in intensity from pale to bright, to coordinate with your skin tone.

Formula X is also partnering with beauty influencers and lifestyle bloggers for its #ColorCurators line that features new limited edition colors every month. The caps are decorated with the creator’s signature, which have included Patrick Starr, Cupcakes & Cashmere – and now, Mary Ellen Bowers of Ballet Beautiful, a fitness guru ad former dancer in the New York City ballet.

Another brand, SinfulColors, recruited Kylie Jenner to launch its “King Kylie Kollection.” It includes shades inspired by “precious metals and crown jewels.”

A Nail Oil To Wear as a Keychain

The Japanese brand Uka makes nail oil for your cuticles, formulated with Argan Oil, in pretty packaging. Now, the brand has partnered with fashion designer Nigo (who rose to fame with Bathing Ape and is now at Uniqlo) and created a men’s nail oil, with a more masculine scent and rugged look. The bottle is designed to attach to a keyring.

More Traditional Bottles, Giftable Sets, & Fashion Designer Brands

Duri creates new sets each season, in giftable packaging. The brand’s 3-piece sets for Spring 2016 include Hawaiian Honeymoon, which has 3 coordinating colors that range from pale peach to bright orange. Duri’s 4-piece sets are currently in navy blue cartons, with detailed designs created by hot stamping metallic foils, in silver or gold.

LVX is a new brand that’s long-wearing and “5-free.” Its stylish square bottles have removable overcaps, which allow a user to apply polish more easily by holding onto the smaller, round cap underneath. The undercap is also ribbed, to allow for a secure grip to facilitate opening the bottle when it is tightly closed.

CND’s Vinylux pioneered the long-wearing polish category with its formula developed to last 10 days. The Revlon-owned company also has a professional collection, Shellac. Its new colors for Spring/Summer 2016 include blues and greens.

Designer brands Marc Jacobs, Giorgio Armani, and Burberry have nail polish lines, in packaging that reflects a very specific design aesthetic. (Shown above.)

The slideshow above features more than 20 nail polish brands, in stylish packaging. 


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