Hey guys! I hope you're doing well! I really am exciting to be interviewing indie polish creators. We've seen so many new nail trends because of them & I can't wait too see what they have in store for us next! Since indie polishes are very popular right now I figured there's probably a lot of customers/fans who would love to get to know the person behind all their favourite creations. So that's what I'm going to be trying to help you do!
Questions are BOLD & the creators response will be in the regular font.
Please tell me a bit yourself. (What's you're name? Are you a Cat or dog person? Etc)
I go by Angie, but my full name is Angela. I was born and raised in Virginia Beach and now moved a whole three hours north to Fairfax, VA where Dam Nail Polish was born. By day, I'm a data analyst but dream of one day making nail polish as my only job. I have a degree in Information Technology and another one in Psychology. I once thought I could be a counsellor of some sort, but it turns out I'm better with computers. I'm married and we have a baby girl and an adopted mutt named Snickers.
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| Dam - Amethyst |
What is your nail polish brand & how did you come up with the name?
For lack of creativity, I just used my maiden name since it had a nice ring to it. I'm sure almost nobody knows this, but it's definitely not pronounced the way you think it would be. It's Vietnamese and rhymes with Tom :)
What year did you start your brand & what motivated you?
I started in September 2014 and it all started with Pinterest. I was just browsing through who knows what and stumbled upon a pin on how to make your own nail polish. Of course I've been obsessed with nail polish for a majority of my life, so this sounded awesome. All of a sudden the stars aligned and I was on my merry way to mixing nail polish like a mad scientist. I think I dreamt about different glitter combinations for a month straight after that.
Do you remember the name of the first polish you made &/or sold?
Ahh yes, you never forget the first nail polish you sell. It was a pretty pink with holographic micro glitters in it and somebody all the way in Alaska gave her a home. I forget the name, but it was definitely Christmas themed. I still have a picture of that bottle somewhere :)
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| Dam - Aquamarine |
I'll usually find a new pigment or glitters and create a couple polishes with a similar finish. Like they'll all have similar glitters in it or they'll all be holographic or thermals. I always thought about mixing and matching, but I know when I go shopping for polishes, I like bottles within a collection to share a similarity with each other.
What is your all time favourite polish that you created?
Blushing Nudie or formerly Blushing Beauty - this gorgeous red/coral thermal that turns to a light pink/nude color. My supplier stopped carrying the materials for Blushing Beauty so I knew I had to figure out a way to recreate it! I was so sad and at a complete loss when I kept failing to find the right color combos to make it! After a few months, I finally figured out the right combo and Blushing Nudie was born!
What are your 3 top sellers of all times?
Blushing Nudie/Blushing Beauty - Red/Coral cream thermal that turns light pink/nude when warm
GURRL Can I Holo? - Ultra silver holo with crazy strong holo effect
I Pink Not - Black/Dark purple thermal with silver glitters that turns pink when warm
From your personal experience what are some pros & cons to being a indie polish creator?
GURRL Can I Holo? - Ultra silver holo with crazy strong holo effect
I Pink Not - Black/Dark purple thermal with silver glitters that turns pink when warm
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| Dam - Garnet |
There are definitely some good pros, such as having an unlimited amount of nail polish and getting to make any color your heart desires. Buying tons of glitter is always a fun process. When I get them in the mail, I just to pour it all out and just swim in it.
Some cons are definitely the lack of time to keep your fingers looking nice. I always test out my polishes myself and that leaves me with patchwork fingernails, with each finger a different color.
Some cons are definitely the lack of time to keep your fingers looking nice. I always test out my polishes myself and that leaves me with patchwork fingernails, with each finger a different color.
Where is your brand based? Do you ship internationally?
We're based in Fairfax, Virginia and yes we do ship internationally. Currently, we only ship internationally on my Etsy site, but will be adding more countries to my main site in the future.
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| Dam - Gurrl Can I Holo |
What's your favourite mainstream brand?
I'd have to say OPI. I used to go get polish from Sephora once a week from their OPI line until it was discontinued :(
What's your favourite indie brand?
Powder Perfect
Is there anything else you'd like my readers to know?
Thank you for taking the time to get to know me and my brand! Please feel free to reach out to me via Facebook or Instagram if you would like to get to know me better!
