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)
My name is Joanne and I’m definitely a cat person, I have two orange tabby cats named Ginny and Luna. I’m a thirty-something living in New York City. Way back in middle school my friends and I would franken our own polishes out of drug store brands (Revlon Street Wear ftw!). Fast forward to adulthood, I found my way in to the indie polish world sometime in 2012 through a coworker who was a nail enthusiast. Outside of indie polish I love to read, hang out with my cats (I know, I’m so cool), and enjoy all of the varieties of food that NYC has to offer.
What is your nail polish brand & how did you come up with the name?
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| Daphine Polish - Peach Cobbler |
My brand is Daphine Polish. Daphine is a nickname I picked up in middle school and it stuck with me through most of high school as well. When it came time to pick a brand name, I knew it would be unique, what I didn’t know that it was hard to pronounce! Just in case you’re curious, it’s DAH-feen.
What year did you start your brand & what motivated you?
I launched in July 2013 (wow almost 4 years). I had started making polish as a hobby and I received some positive feedback on the colors I had developed so I thought I would try my hand at a business. My goal was make some beautiful polishes that I would want to wear and that would make other people happy.
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| Daphine Polish - Something Blue |
Do you remember the name of the first polish you made &/or sold?
The first polish I made is Surf and Sand, and it’s still available in my shop! It was inspired by an image prompt in a polish maker group I was in on Facebook.
When creating a new polish, what's your inspiration process?
It’s different every time but usually I begin with a theme and make polishes relevant to the names I have chosen. Sometimes it’s just sitting down an experimenting with different colors and glitters to see what comes out. Other times I have a finish in mind when I start, like a collection of crellies or shimmers.
What is your all time favourite polish that you created?
That’s very close to asking which child is your favorite! I do love At the Stars and Something Old, which I created to wear for my wedding, is close to my heart.
What are your 3 top sellers of all times?
My three top sellers are Surf and Sand, At the Stars, and Drop in the Ocean.
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| Daphine Polish - Goodnight |
From your personal experience what are some pros & cons to being a indie polish creator?
Pros are the community and the creativity. Indie polish has been my own personal creative outlet and it’s also fantastic to experience the creativity of other brands. I love collaborating with other makers and I hope to do more in the future. Indie polish is a big world if you’re in it, but relatively unknown from the outside. The indie polish community is full of enthusiastic people who just hands down love polish. Meeting some of those people in person have been highlights of being a maker. For me indie polish has also been a gateway in to indie bath and body products, perfume, and scented wax melts and I love being able to support other small businesses.
One con would be all the non-creative elements of operating. There is a lot of background work that goes in to running even the smallest business. I did a lot of research and received some great advice before I sold my first polish. My annual inventory count is not something I look forward to but it must be done.
One con would be all the non-creative elements of operating. There is a lot of background work that goes in to running even the smallest business. I did a lot of research and received some great advice before I sold my first polish. My annual inventory count is not something I look forward to but it must be done.
Where is your brand based? Do you ship internationally?
I am U.S. based, and I do ship internationally.
What's your favourite mainstream brand?
Orly is doing some great stuff right now, and I love older OPIs.
What's your favourite indie brand?
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| Daphine Polish - Lullaby |
It’s impossible to narrow down, there are so many great makers out there. To name a couple, Pahlish is always putting out beautiful collections and Cupcake Polish is my go-to for holos.
Is there anything else you'd like my readers to know?
I’m planning on attending Polish Con NYC in April and I would love to meet up with fellow polish lovers before/during/after the event!
