According to Essie, June 1 is National Nail Polish Day, but to us, it’s always a good time for a manicure. But we aren’t currently living in a time we can just hop on over to the salon. That inspired us to round up our favorite Black-owned nail polish brands to support minority brand founders in an industry that’s tough to break into. According to a report by Crunchbase, just one percent of venture-backed founders were Black in the last five years. It’s time to change that.
In the meantime, we’ll shop these vibrant nail polish shades to give our manis an upgrade while at home. These seven brand founders created polish that flatter all skin tones and are inspired by each of their lives, whether it’s the city they live in or their love of color. Looking for 10-free, non-toxic shades? What about vegan ones? Don’t worry—they’re all here and ready to be purchased.
Whether you’re looking for glitter shades, sunny hues of yellow and orange or dramatic wines and eggplant colors, you’ll find the perfect polish that will take you into summer and beyond. Pick up some of their nail care accessories while you’re at it.
Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Image: D.I.D.
D.I.D. Nail Paint
Created by Adrienne Blanks, a licensed nail technician and esthetician, this eco-friendly polish brand hawks both bright and neutral shades that will pop on all skin tones.
Image: OOO Polish.
OOO Polish
Founder Symantha Wechie-Onyechi created a nail polish brand after not finding the right nudes and vibrant colors for her skin tone. Now you can shop all her neutral and bold shades, including glitter and gel polish.
Image: Breukelen Polished.
Breukelen Polished
Ariel Terry is a Brooklyn-based high school algebra teacher who created this 11-free, non-toxic line inspired by her vibrant city. This soft pink is so pretty.
Image: Polish and Co.
Polish & Co.
Cosmetologist Theresa Williamson created this 5-free nail polish brand with “the aesthetics of a Southern belle.” We love all the metallics.
Image: 25th & June.
25th & June
Nexus came up with this nail polish brand inspired by her love of nail polish and color (this yellow hue!). It’s cruelty-free, vegan-friendly and 10-Free.
Image: Mischa Beauty.
Mischa Beauty
This vegan, gluten-free and and 10-free line was started by Kitiya Mischo King. Her bold shades as just as gorgeous as the bottles themselves.
Image: AudaB.
AudaB
Samara Walker is a Boston-based entrepreneur who launched this vegan nail brand alongside a “beauty marketplace” connecting customers with on-demand beauty services.