The Interview: Nails.INC founder Thea Green on innovation, staying ahead of trends and building customer loyalty

Premium brand Nails.INC is known for its innovative products and trend-focused approach. With a wide range of high-quality nail polishes, treatments, and accessories, the business strives to blend luxury with convenience, promising salon-quality results at home.

In this interview with TheIndustry.beauty, founder Thea Green MBE tells us about the defining moments in Nails.INC’s success, how the brand stays ahead of trends and continues to innovate in a rapidly evolving market, its approach to maintaining customer loyalty, and more.

Former fashion editor Thea Green MBE founded Nails.INC in 1999, inspired by the speedy, efficient nail bars she discovered during her work trips to New York City - an experience she hadn’t encountered back in the UK. Yet even in the US, she noticed that these services lacked fashionable, high-quality nail products. Inspired by this opportunity, Green returned to the UK determined to fill the gap - and Nails.INC was born.

Since then, the brand has become one of the UK's bestselling nail brands and grown into a global success. In 2014, Nails.INC expanded into the US market, and now enjoys widespread distribution across major retailers including Walmart, Target, Sally Beauty, and CVS. Its growth was further accelerated in October 2024 when it was acquired by Pacific World Corporation, a New York-based private equity firm, to support its continued growth across North America.

"The business was an instant hit, which was incredibly exciting," Green tells TheIndustry.beauty. "There have been ups and downs over the years, but we have seen a 79% increase in revenue over the last five years, and we now sell in more than 20 countries - so growth is still going strong."

Throughout her journey, Green has celebrated numerous milestones for the brand - from developing innovative new products and forging high-profile collaborations with global names like McDonald’s, Victoria Beckham, Magnum, and Marks & Spencer, to securing prime advertising in New York’s Times Square - not to mention her MBE!

Central to its success over the past 25 years, Nails.INC has continuously evolved with trends, ensuring that it remains innovative and relevant in a dynamic market. "Trends have always been important to us as a business," shares Green.

"We aim to dictate trends rather than follow them, constantly striving to improve and make our customers' lives easier. Over the years, we’ve seen many trends and had an exciting run of innovative, first-to-market products. For example, the paint can spray nail polish and innovative nail polish remover pot.

"We also launched a super food range into the nail treatment world, which I think still aligns very well with today’s trends, as people are increasingly aware of both their own wellness and the planet’s health. We’ve worked hard to create products that are vegan, clean, and as planet friendly as possible."

Most recently, the brand introduced its latest innovation - the first 4-in-1 nail polish that offers a gel-like finish in just one step. Combining a built-in base coat, treatment, colour and top coat, the formulation boasts a new Alkyd resin (film-former) to provide "extreme wear-proof quality". Named It’s Topless, the new nail polish is also highly pigmented, promising "perfect" coverage after two coats of application, and features glass particles to offer the high shine, gel-like effect.

"It’s another first-to-market product and a total game changer. Essentially, it's a gel-effect polish that combines a base coat, bio-peptides treatment, colour and top coat all in one, allowing users to complete a manicure in just minutes. Women have so much on their plates, so we felt we could do our part by simplifying their manicure routine," explains Green.

So, a key part of the brand’s continued success lies in its ability to evolve, make tough decisions when needed, and truly listen to its customers. It's all about maintaining loyalty while attracting new shoppers - consistently keeping them engaged and excited through fresh, innovative product launches.

"We concentrate on our customer’s needs, listen to them and aim to solve their problems. Staying ahead of trends, offering unique solutions and consistently introducing cutting-edge nail technology," highlights Green. "It’s Topless is a great example of this. We’ve recognised how time poor people are, and created a product that fits into that busy lifestyle so they don’t have to compromise on their nails looking great!"

@nailsinclondon Serving major matcha vibes 🍵💅 Nails.INC’s 'matcha mood' is the perfect mix of fresh vibes and effortless cool. Your nails just found their match(a)! 🌿💅 #MatchaMani #NailsINC #ToplessOnTheGo" ♬ original sound - Nails.INC

As for other new launches inspired by the latest trends, the brand is embracing the popularity of 'jelly nails' with its Jelly shades and 'soap nails' through its Super Dew Quad. It has also joined the matcha movement with a new Matcha Mood Duo.

Another driver of Nails.INC's growth is its focus on customer retention through loyalty rewards, exclusive online offers, and curated product bundles that keep customers engaged.

Additionally, partnerships with major retailers such as Selfridges, Boots, Superdrug, Cult Beauty, and various international stockists help expand its reach. Complementing this is a vibrant presence on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, which also deepens customer engagement and reinforces brand loyalty.

So, what's next for Nails.INC? "We are looking to solidify our presence in the US and plan to continue to lead the field in nail care innovation," shares Green. With a expanding global customer base, a strong focus on innovation, and powerful digital presence, the British brand is perfectly poised to do just this!