note: i waited nearly a month to publish this review to make sure the nail polish formula is as good as i thought it was. it stayed on FAR longer than any others i have tried, and is super easy to use. 10/10 recommend!
i’ve never been one to ALWAYS have my nails done or even have painted nails (though i always love when i do). maybe it’s because i just can’t take the time to sit in a salon, or have come to accept the fact that my hands are not the feature i want to spend my money on. as such, i paint my own nails at home, and have been a loyal Essie & OPI user for a LONG time. recently i heard a podcast with the olive & june nail brand founder, sarah gibson tuttle, and felt inspired to pick up a bottle or two just to support. keep reading for my review on the olive & june nail brand:
the founder and company
ok first, i want to just take a moment to share what i love about the founder and the company. not only is it female founded and owned (we love!), but she got her career start in finance and is mom to a daughter. i mean, you know that hit home with me. sarah is bright, witty, and truly a businesswoman with a brilliant idea, so i can totally get behind her and the olive & june brand for that reason. here are a few pods to listen to if you are like me and are obsessed with founder stories:
the skinny confidential: sarah gibson tuttle episode
second life: sarah gibson tuttle
the branding
first impression: it’s beautiful. millennial pink, colorful, happy, and effective. i’m not only talking about the website, but the target set, social media feed, and UGC (user generated content). i’m typing this out while wearing angelfish on my fingers and cockatoo on my toes – it makes the experience of writing this review even better when i look down at my beautifully painted nails. trust.
the product
i honestly thought when i bought my gateway polish (i say that because it led to me buying four more colors within a week) that there was NO way a polish that was beautiful, had great branding, and was vegan/cruelty free, + free of a bunch of harmful chemicals found in standard polishes could actually work well. I WAS WRONG, my friends. the polish goes on so smoothly even the most messy nail-painter (ya gurl, here) can make it look great. oh, and the price point is deeelightful – right in line with my tried and true Essie and OPI choices of the past. you can also get it at target, along with some really pretty press ons and nail systems that make painting your own digits a breeze.
two other call-outs as far as products go are the nail polish remover pot and the poppy manicure tool. the nail polish remover pot makes taking your current nail polish off WAY less messy, and doesn’t have that smell of nail polish remover, so it’s a win for me. the poppy manicure tool is AH MAZING when it comes to those of us who aren’t as good with our non-dominant hand, so you’re able to get a clean, even polish every time. i have them both and love them. the best part? they can both be used with other brands of polish. olive & june is hitting the nail on the head (see what i did there?!) when it comes to giving their target customer what they want.
i’m big on sharing what i love, and a compelling brand + founder story coupled with great products makes for something easy to share with my friends out there. trust me when i say: don’t sleep on the olive & june nail brand – it’s legit (and so, so beautiful sitting on your counter top).