Is nail art dead? The kids over at Fashionista predicted so five months ago, and we didn’t want to believe it. Turns out, they were on the money. But this isn’t merely their own opinion, or someone on staff with a personal vendetta against nail art (hey, it could happen…?) This is based on facts and figures, namely, data published today on Advertising Age that points to the whole category being down year on year.
Coty (owner of Sally Hansen and OPI), Revlon, and L’Oreal all saw steep sales declines during October and November, particularly on “special effects” polishes like crackle top coats. According to Nielsen data from Deutsche Bank, nail-polish sales fell 10% and 13% for the four weeks ended Oct. 26 and Nov. 23, respectively. While Ulta and Sephora are continuing to have strong sales, special effects lines of drug store brands all need to face the music. Based on what we saw on the Fashion Week runways, and what big brands like Zoya are releasing, we’re staring down a winter of neutrals, pastels, and classic colors. “Nail art” is going simple – a metallic feature nail or a matte topcoat, as opposed to a hand full of crackle and caviar.
Do you agree? Are you over nail art or are you still rocking your special effects?
