Mini cooper. Ladybug. Mini Mouse. They say the best things come in small packages. So what's not to love in a mini nail polish? Petite. Cute. Fun. A mini nail polish is what it says – carefree, fresh, and fabulous.
Today this article is written to introduce what are mini nail polishes and some tips for you to choose your mini nail polishes.
An introduction to mini nail polishes
Nail color cosmetics are, at first sight, not a very innovative category for packaging. Though nail foils, strips, stickers, and other innovative formats exist—bringing some cartons and blister packs—in the main, nail color is the traditional polish/lacquer/enamel. As such, bottles dominated launches in 2012, accounting for 92% of global launches in the category. Pack sizes are also rarely given much freedom—the most popular size is 10ml, and 94% of global nail bottles launched in 2012 were in the 5-15ml size range.
So, given this quite astounding pack-type consolidation, how can a brand stand out on the shelf?
Yes, they make a smaller size to attach customers' attention. That is mini nail polish.
Nail polish (also known as nail varnish or nail enamel) is a lacquer that can be applied to the human fingernail or toenails to decorate and protect the nail plates. The formula has been revised repeatedly to enhance its decorative properties and suppress cracking or peeling. Nail polish consists of a mix of an organic polymer and several other components that give it colors and textures. Nail polishes come in all shades of color and play a significant part in manicures and pedicures.
And the Mini nail polish relies on a simple yet great idea. Nail polish, regardless of the quality, tends to dry out sooner or later, especially when the bottle is frequently opened.
The mini nail polish has been designed to minimize solvent evaporation and avoid this inconvenience. Because of the small size of mini nail polishes, one uses the whole content with no waste!
Other important advantages: the small size of mini nail polish makes it handy to keep with you and its low and affordable cost for all allows one to buy 2, 3 or even more at the same time.
And mini nail polishes have wide range of different shades to suit all tastes and all styles with, over the season, new trendy colors.
Petite or "mini" nail polishes are a growing trend: Mini nail polishes are not only convenient, but they are also an economical option for clients who want to try out new shades. Some of the mini nail polishes are small enough to fit in pockets, with many being a third or half the size of a regular bottle.
Placing mini nail polishes at your station or the cash register is a great idea for boosting sales and marketing new collections. Not all clients are willing to pay full price for a regular-sized bottle of professional nail lacquer, so selling minis in your salon might be a stepping stone for more retail purchases in the future. Suggesting mini size of mini nail polishes at "mini prices" might pique clients' interest and convince them to buy a few.
Nail treatments are also available in miniature sizes, which are perfect for clients who are weary of trying out new products. Testing full-size formulas at a lower price is a great recommendation as they may opt to purchase the larger size in the future. If you know that clients will be taking a vacation or a break from the salon, advise them to purchase a few mini nail polish so they can touch up their manicures on the go.
The smaller brush applicators also make fixing polish nicks and chips a breeze for clients who have trouble manipulating the wide brushes on professional lacquers at home. The bottles also take up less room in a purse or bag, lessening the worry of spills or breakage.
How to Choose the Right Mini Nail Polish Color
1. Choosing Based on Your Skin Tone
Go for nude mini nail polishes if you have a light or medium skin tone. Nudes tend to work best for light-colored or medium-colored skin. Lighter skins benefit from a pinkish nude. Avoid beige if you have pale skin, as it could create a yellow undertone. If you have medium-colored skin, you can go for either beige nudes or nudes with a pinkish undertone. Both will look great on your skin.
Dark skin tones don't look as good with nude mini nail polishes, but if you want something lighter and less noticeable, try pastels.
Choose a pink mini nail polish for any skin tone.
If you love pink, you'll be happy to know it works for every skin tone. Pale skin tends to look great with any type of pink, from soft baby pinks to bright fuchsias. Peachy shades of pink look great on medium skin tones. Darker skin looks great with very bright, vibrant pinks.
Pick blue for any skin tone.
Blue is a universal color that looks great on pretty much any skin tone. If you have pale skin, played-down blues like navy blues look great. Medium skin tones look good with sky blues or pastel blues. Vibrant shades, like cobalt blues, look good on darker skin.
Experiment with purple.
Purple looks good on pretty much any skin tone, but different shades match better with different tones. If you have pale skin, opt for lavenders. For medium skin, go for a pastel shade with hints of gray. For dark skin, both pastels and brighter shades of purple look great.
Deep purple polishes with berry undertones also work great if you have a darker complexion.
Choose the best red for your skin tone.
If you have pale skin, go for a bright, classic red and avoid sheer tones. For medium skin, red-orange shades look great. For darker complexions, go for a deep wine red.
If you have pale skin, hold up a bottle of red polish to the light when shopping. If you can see through the polish, it's too sheer for your skin.
2. Selecting a Polish for an Occasion.
Opt for neutral colors for formal occasions.
Neutral colors tend to work anywhere, so they're a safe option if you're wearing polish to work or a job interview. For every day look for professional occasions, you can opt for grays, whites, beiges, and light peachy shades.
For example, wear beige polishes to a job interview.
For a fun color that's still neutral, opt for gold with a little bit of shimmer.
Go with holiday-themed colors.
You can wear the colors associated with a particular holiday for a fun, festive look. For example, wear red, glittery polish for Christmas or bright orange polish for Halloween.
Holiday-themed colors can be a particularly great choice if you're going to a party commemorating a particular holiday.
Choose a color based on the season.
Some colors are more appropriate depending on the time of year. It can be fun to transition your choice of polish color with each new season.
For the fall months, go for colors like grays, dark blues and purples, silvers, cherry shades, and burnt oranges.
For the spring months, try greens, whites, bright pinks, yellows, reds, and bright blues.
For the winter, try deep purples, light pinks, grays, and silvers.
For the summer, try shades like light pinks, greens, bright reds, corals, and light nude shades.
Add sparkles for a fun event.
If you're going for a night out on the town, incorporate a little fun into your look. Add nail polish in sparkly shades or add a sparkly topcoat over a dark base. A little glitter and sparkle can make for a fun, carefree look.
For example, paint your nails black and then wait for them to dry. Once dry, add some glittery gold polish over the black to create a fun, sparkling look.
3. Picking a Polish Based on Personality
Use metallics to convey a wild personality.
Maybe you see yourself as someone with a wild side who enjoys partying. Metallic colors, like metallic blacks, blues, and silvers, really give off a party vibe. These can be a great option to convey your fun-loving personality.
Go for an edgy look with black polish.
If you want to give off the punk rock, edgy vibe, black nail polish can be great. When paired with things like leather, hoodies, and band t-shirts, the black polish can appeal to your rebellious side.
Pick bright colors for an energetic look.
A variety of bright colors can give off an energetic look. Pick oranges, greens, and yellows if you want to emulate energy. Bright pinks can also work for an energetic look.
If you want something both bold and energetic, go for a bright orange or green. These are somewhat unusual colors that can add a touch of quirkiness to your look.
If you want something very bright, you can even go with white polish.
Choose muted colors for a softer look.
If you want to give off a serene demeanor, look for softer, more played-down polishes. Shades like light purples and pinks have a feminine, soft feel. You can also try pastel shades of blue.
Show off sophistication with darker polish.
If you want to look sophisticated, choose a deep polish with berry tones. A deep purple polish or a wine red polish can really reflect a classy personality.
Deep polishes look great when paired with former outfits, like evening gowns.
Go for bright red to look bold.
Red is traditionally thought of as the color of confidence. If you want an overtly bold look, opt for a bright red polish. This can be great for an event where you want extra confidence, like a first date.
For example, try something like candy apple, true red, or red-orange color.
Different Brands of Mini Nail Polishes
Here is a sampling of the many mini nail polishes available.
Orly
Orly's Mani Mini Nail Polishes launched in fall 2006 and continue to be an in-demand retail item. The smaller bottles are available in 48 shades, 24 of which are new, and come in handy as gifts or for last-minute fixes. The Mani Mini's are a third of the size of the full-size bottles and feature Orly's award-winning Gripper Cap for easy opening and application. Colors include Red Carpet, Shine, and Gumdrop.
Essie
Essie's mini nail polishes are a third of the size of the full bottles and are great for clients who like switching polish colors often. The petite bottles always make special appearances for new collections and special gift sets throughout the year. Treatment sets are also available in mini sizes, perfect for clients with multiple nail concerns. Colors in the fall 2010 set include Limited Addiction, Sew Psyched, Merino Cool, and Little Brown Dress.
Jessica
Jessica's popular Custom Color shades are available in convenient half-sized minis and in an array of standout finishes and textures. All of Jessica's minis are created with the same formaldehyde-, toluene-, and DBP-free formula as the larger bottles. Colors include Casablanca, Blush, Classic Beauty, and Midnight Affair.
Color Club
Color Club mini nail polishes are perfect as add-on sales to freshen up polish between salon visits. They are offered in four packs and are in demand during October for the Breast Cancer Awareness packs and Halloween kits, as well as during the winter holidays. Their small size also makes them great for clients who travel. Color Club's collection includes 36 miniatures available in full size from the regular line, 34 Eco Chic shades, and 20 specialty colors for limited edition packs. Colors include Revvvolution, Jewel Tone Blue, and Riviera Ruby.
Nubar
Nubar's mini nail polishes launched in October in response to client requests from all over the world. The minis are available in 48 favorite shades year round and weigh in at about half the size of the full-size bottles. Techs can market these as travel polish, retouches, and for home care. Some of the shades available in Nubar's mini collection include Geisha Blaze, Mali-Blue, and Oh Baby Pink.
Prolana
Prolana's lacquers are available in 36 mini bottles, ranging from white and light French Manicure shades to best-selling pinks, reds, brilliant neons, cool blues, turquoises, and greens. The minis are available in open stock or on a 36-piece salon or store display, great for gift giving or marketing as touch-up polishes. The lower price point will also help encourage clients to purchase one, two, or a few.
LCN
LCN's mini nail polishes have been available for more than 10 years, created to offer clients economical options for wearing (and carrying) seasonal "it" colors. The smaller bottles are also more purse-friendly and are great retail items for nail techs who use LCN's permanent gel polish. As the nail grows out, the client can use the matching polish to mask the growth until she returns for a fill. LCN's current colors include Fascinating Grey, Under Cover, and After Party.
OPI
OPI's minis are available in cute packs of four, with each little bottle weighing in at about a fourth of the size of its full-sized counterpart. The sets include some of the best shades from each collection and give clients the opportunity to sample the newest colors without breaking the bank. OPI's Burlesque Collection Little Teasers set includes Rising Star, Take the Stage, The Show Must Go On, and Ali's Big Break.
SpaRitual
SpaRitual's vegan minis are available year-round in 48 permanent shades, all topped with the smooth grip Plum Cap to prevent slips. Each mini is a third of the size of its full-sized counterpart and features a shorter brush for easy application. As retail items, the minis can be marketed as stocking stuffers, impulse buys at the counter, or as merchandise at the tech station or checkout. SpaRitual's colors include Can You Dig It, Radiant, and Idyllic.
Conclusion
Mini nail polishes are the perfect way to try new colors without making a big commitment. They're also great for taking on vacation or for when you want to change your look but don't have time for a full mani/Pedi. Get your favorite mini nail polishes that will give your nails a pop of color!