What All Goes Into the Price of a Polish?

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knasarae

knasarae

The K Is Silent
O.G.
Apr 23, 2007
33,233
848
#1
Of course we always associate higher price with higher quality, but that isn't always the case. For instance, yesterday I bought a Sinful Colors polish on sale for 99 cents. It's gorgeous, the formula was easy to work with and was a one coater. As of now, my nails still look perfect. Even at regular price of $1.99 that's cheap. And I'm pretty sure I've seen it mentioned that Sinful Colors are 5-free.

So how can they be so cheap? :shrugs:
 
#2
I'd say just about anything above the $15.00 point you are mostly paying for the name, Chanel, Nars, DL ect. There is also fancy packaging, Nfu Oh for example. Mostly I think they just charge what they know they can get away with.
 
#4
One cost you have to remember you're paying for is 'R&D', i.e. all the batches they make to get the color they want to release. I know some brands can be neurotic about getting colors just right and matched to what they envisioned (RBL, maybe Cult Nails), whereas other brands may pay more for talent/creative minds to consult or design their lines (Chanel, Dior, other fashion houses, etc.). So while it doesn't cost these companies $18 or $25 to make each polish, you have to remember it might have cost them $$$s in R&D to get the colors they want, and they're selling price has to allow them to recoup their investment (R&D) and then earn a profit.

This is not to say lower priced brands like Sinful Colors don't do a lot of R&D to make their lines, but that this could be one area that causes such a difference in pricing.
 
#5
nordysgal said:
One cost you have to remember you're paying for is 'R&D', i.e. all the batches they make to get the color they want to release. I know some brands can be neurotic about getting colors just right and matched to what they envisioned (RBL, maybe Cult Nails), whereas other brands may pay more for talent/creative minds to consult or design their lines (Chanel, Dior, other fashion houses, etc.). So while it doesn't cost these companies $18 or $25 to make each polish, you have to remember it might have cost them $$$s in R&D to get the colors they want, and they're selling price has to allow them to recoup their investment (R&D) and then earn a profit.

This is not to say lower priced brands like Sinful Colors don't do a lot of R&D to make their lines, but that this could be one area that causes such a difference in pricing.
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Good point.

So what about dupes? Like Sinful Colors has come out with at least two OPI Collection dupes that I am aware of (Texas and PoTC). Do they still have to do all that R&D to reproduce the color or do they just buy the OPI and run it through some type of "mass spectrometer" (I watch waaaaay too much NCIS :laugh:)?
 
#6
knasarae said:
Good point.

So what about dupes? Like Sinful Colors has come out with at least two OPI Collection dupes that I am aware of (Texas and PoTC). Do they still have to do all that R&D to reproduce the color or do they just buy the OPI and run it through some type of "mass spectrometer" (I watch waaaaay too much NCIS :laugh:)?
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Nooo, not mass spec! Nooo moreeee chemistryyy.

I think Sinful Colors can afford to charge way less because most people won't shun $1.99 polishes.

It's probably less perfecting a unique and awesome color, and more oh this color's close enough, let's slap on a label and sell it.
 
#7
knasarae said:
Good point.

So what about dupes? Like Sinful Colors has come out with at least two OPI Collection dupes that I am aware of (Texas and PoTC). Do they still have to do all that R&D to reproduce the color or do they just buy the OPI and run it through some type of "mass spectrometer" (I watch waaaaay too much NCIS :laugh:)?
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I am willing to bet higher end brands are not paying that much more for research and development because they are ALL about the profit. Clothes and shoes? Yes. Polish? Not so much. Because you better believe we would be seeing Tom Ford for Red Dragon (lol)

I would definitely say name branding is a huge portion of the cost.

I do think other brands get the competitors stuff and then create a formula for them and charge way less.

Like when you go to the Walgreens and buy medicine (I've been sick so this all on my mind lately) there are the two brands. The name brand and the store brand. The name brand can demand more for their pricing because of all of the money that they have spent in the past on, well, branding. Whereas most people think, eww "no-name brand stuff":blah:
 
#8
thegoreprincess said:
Nooo, not mass spec! Nooo moreeee chemistryyy.

I think Sinful Colors can afford to charge way less because most people won't shun $1.99 polishes.

It's probably less perfecting a unique and awesome color, and more oh this color's close enough, let's slap on a label and sell it.
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But I love Major Mass Spec! :laugh:

jimmyshoogirl said:
I am willing to bet higher end brands are not paying that much more for research and development because they are ALL about the profit. Clothes and shoes? Yes. Polish? Not so much. Because you better believe we would be seeing Tom Ford for Red Dragon (lol)

I would definitely say name branding is a huge portion of the cost.

I do think other brands get the competitors stuff and then create a formula for them and charge way less.

Like when you go to the Walgreens and buy medicine (I've been sick so this all on my mind lately) there are the two brands. The name brand and the store brand. The name brand can demand more for their pricing because of all of the money that they have spent in the past on, well, branding. Whereas most people think, eww "no-name brand stuff":blah:
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Yea that's true. Though I definitely buy the Walgreen's version cause I'm cheap! That's money I can spend on nail polish, lmao
 
#12
And how do these little companies like Maria at Cult Nails get started? How do they get their ingredients? Or do they pay someone else to do the manufacturing and if so, how do they "personalize" their colors, etc.?

For example, I was messing around last night and made the green Franken using polishes I already had - like the ChG Trendsetter that was horrid on me - added some royal blue and some gold shimmer and some other greens, etc. - but if I were going to start a NP company, obviously, I wouldn't do that. Assuming you'd have to state all the ingredients, find suppliers for bottles, etc. I was totally surprised when I clicked on Cult Nails FB post of their 4 new polishes that are coming out and basically saw the green one I'd just created.
 
#13
irishlass1029 said:
And how do these little companies like Maria at Cult Nails get started? How do they get their ingredients? Or do they pay someone else to do the manufacturing and if so, how do they "personalize" their colors, etc.?

For example, I was messing around last night and made the green Franken using polishes I already had - like the ChG Trendsetter that was horrid on me - added some royal blue and some gold shimmer and some other greens, etc. - but if I were going to start a NP company, obviously, I wouldn't do that. Assuming you'd have to state all the ingredients, find suppliers for bottles, etc. I was totally surprised when I clicked on Cult Nails FB post of their 4 new polishes that are coming out and basically saw the green one I'd just created.
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It is just like a cooking recipe. I called myself wanting to make my own hair product line so I started paying attention to ingredients and trying to come up with a similar version to what I was use to using but tweeking to my liking.

However, me stirring up shampoo and conditioner in my kitchen would not be the route that I would want to take so I started looking to manufacture the products to mass produce . Basically you take your recipe to them and they can help you (or not) to tweek it and then they produce it and package it.

Or you can get the manufacturer's to create a formula for you. Manufacturer's offer different packages to you. Of course the more you want produced the less it costs per bottle to make.

Compared to starting a brick and mortar business going to product, polish, etc. route is a lot less expensive but the risks are WAY higher but payoffs are much better if you can get a good buzz going.
 
#15
ophelia87 said:
I'd say just about anything above the $15.00 point you are mostly paying for the name, Chanel, Nars, DL ect. There is also fancy packaging, Nfu Oh for example. Mostly I think they just charge what they know they can get away with.
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I have heard that holo pigment is pricey as well. As far as Nfu-oh goes, at headquarters they charge less for simple cream and jelly polishes and more for holos and flakies, seems like it's the distributors that determine what price to sell them for.
 
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