“Color is my day long obsession, joy & torment”
—Claude Monet
‘To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield’. Lord Tennyson
On a hot summer day in 2003, I was in my driveway painting my nails. Although an otherwise ordinary event, I was struck by the thought of why I couldn’t find a quality nail polish that came in bright colors. I wondered why the large companies only made nail polish in traditional colors of red and pink. I thought of contacting them and asking why. And then I thought, hey, it can’t be that difficult starting your own company, why don’t I do this myself? With that Piggy Polish began. It really is as simply as that.
The name Piggy Polish was chosen as I liked the sound of it and I like wearing polish on my toes. I knew what I wanted Piggy Polish to be, I just didn’t know how to get there. Asking for help was the first step, accepting help was the second. Starting with just an idea is tough, yet I wasn’t the first person to invent nail polish ~ ancient Egyptians were way back in 600 BC. I never questioned the risk involved as I believed I was creating a company and a product that was fresh and relevant and that people would love. There are so many decisions that go into the process of not only starting a company, but learning the industry and breaking into a world that only huge corporations could compete in. Or so a thought. I had so much help along the way, and there are a few fun facts about Piggy Polish that I believe you would like to know. Such as…. the glass, cap and brush come from Italy, as I couldn’t find any in the USA. The glass is then brought to New Jersey where it is screen printed with our company logo. From there we ship all components to a filling company in New York where it is labeled and filled with our specific shades and formulation. I’ve questioned a lot of people about nail polish and the one thing that always comes up is the odor, so I know what a hot topic that is. Although due to the nature of the product, nail polish can’t be completely odor free, but we are working on it. That’s where the ‘strive’ comes in. I started out with the typical ingredients that went into nail polish, and tweaked them a bit. As I studied the industry I learned of other ingredients, healthier ones, that were found to be just as effective. That’s where the ‘seek’ comes in. I can proudly say that way back in 2008 I was one of the first professional grade nail polish companies to change to a formulation that contained no DBP, toluene or formaldehyde.
Being a literature major in college, I wanted clever and meaningful names for the chosen colors. Names that meant something to perhaps only me but I hoped would resonate with others or at least make them smile or think. I wanted a product that meant more than just ‘another nail polish’. I want my company to be a trustworthy, I-know-what-this-company-is-all-about kind of place. I wanted to create the whimsical side of beauty, the side that dared to be imperfect. Nails should be fun and I wanted people to look for a company who’s ethos matched that. That’s where the ‘find’ comes in. It’s such a simple thing, painting your nails, yet it makes such a big difference in how we feel. Nails should be an every day, every morning routine, much like brushing your teeth.
I hope that you enjoy wearing nail polish. I hope that you love our products. I hope that you ask questions and seek answers. I hope that you pay attention to ingredients and demand a quality product.
Piggy Polish is made in the USA and will never compromise on quality, safety, remaining cruelty free, monitoring our environmental footprint and above anything else, standing firm in being true to who we are. Who we truly are. That’s where the ‘not to yield’ comes in.
With love from Grand Haven,
Julie