Amanda Collier was frustrated with the selection of polishes from her favorite nail brands. Ske always found herself looking at a color and thinking “this would be perfect if only….” Amanda decided that if she couldn’t buy what she wanted in stores, she would make her own. As a Graphic Designer, she is super knowledgeable about paints and color.
In August 2011, her nail polish adventure began, and Nerd Lacquer was born. She formulated a few bottles and sent them to friends. At their urging, she created labels for her polishes and started selling them on Etsy. After only an hour of her store opening, she made her first sale. To her delight, the customer purchased all nine shades from her collection. To date, Amanda has sold around tow-thousand bottles. In addition to Etsy, Nerd Lacquer is also sold in Canada at Harlow & Co, SG Nails in Singapore and just this January Think Geek has started to carry her line.
The polish collection is in a word, stunning. Sparkly, bright and unlike anything you have ever seen. All are named in adorably nerdy ways. From No Medal For Chewie, to Hyperspace Bypass, to Data Squirrel and Webinary. Between the cute names and innovative colors, there is something for everyone.
My favorites include the luminous Gorramit, a bright yellow base with orange-red flecks, and It’s Just A Flesh Wound, which is a deep dark black base with black, red, gold and silver glitter.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Amanda and took the opportunity to ask her a few questions.
Describe Nerd Laquer’s mission in six words or less.
“Unique sparkly polish for geeks everywhere.”
Now that Nerd Lacquer is carried in stores online, will you close your Etsy store?
“I hope to eventually have NerdLacquer professionally manufactured, in which case I’d transition over to an independent retail site at nerdlacquer.com… but that’s going to take a while!”
What is your favorite Nerd Lacquer?
“Oh geez, just ONE? It’s a three-way toss-up between Event Horizon (TEAL 4EVA), Don’t Blink (grey is second in fabulousness only to teal), and Hyperspace Bypass (a true yellow! not gold! and not a streaky chalky creme!).”
Any advice for removing glitter polish? It can be stubborn sometimes.
“A lot of people recommend the “soak-off” method — saturate cotton balls in remover and wrap them onto your nails with aluminum foil for half an hour. In my own experience, soaking a large cotton pad in remover and holding it over my nails for 4-5 minutes will make it slide right off! Half an hour seems excessive and also needlessly rough on your skin. Though, okay, sometimes the giant glitter bits want to stick around, but you can just flick them off with a thumbnail. Don’t even ask me what kind of state my rug is in. Suffice it to say my vacuum cleaner holds the sparkliest bag of dirt in the universe.”
Amanda is unveiling a new trio in February which according to her is going to be “so boss!” Personally I cannot wait to get my hands on them and nails wrapped in them! So what are you waiting for? Pick up a bottle or two (or all) of Nerd Lacquer and get ready to have your mind blown!