Beauty balms, or BB crèmes, are typically associated with the face, skin or hands. But Orly International Inc. thought it was time to create a product to preserve nails, so it introduced its own BB Crème earlier this month. For $15, a consumer can pop open a bottle that looks just like a package of nail polish and apply one or two coats of the peach-tinted treatment onto his or her nails. The idea is that the new cosmetic treatment will smooth the surface of the natural nail, while hydrating to prevent breakage, brighten the surface and protect from damaging ultraviolet rays. And according to the company, this is the first time a BB crème has been made exclusively for nails. “The BB crème concept has been very strong in cosmetics and we saw a need in the market to bring the same technology to a nail product,” said Jeff Pink, chief executive of Orly of Van Nuys. “It’s been a very successful launch.” Orly and other top nail care brands that carry gel manicure lines have struggled in recent years to combat new research that questions whether lamps used to set the gel could cause skin cancer, similar to the lights used in tanning beds. While Orly’s BB crème makes claims to prevent damage from UV rays, Pink said the product was not designed specifically in response to the questions about skin health. The BB crème has UV absorbers that prevent yellowing of nails but it does not act as a sunscreen. While consumers mostly associate Orly with its more than 300 nail polishes, Pink said the company has been successful with other product lines such as exfoliating scrubs and cuticle oil. Many beauty brands have successfully transitioned to add-on products outside of the real core of their brands, according to Brad Masterson, spokesman for the Professional Beauty Association. So it is possible Orly could realize solid profits with the BB Crème. “Professionally focused beauty brands continue to drive innovation in the beauty category,” he said. Among Orly’s competitors are top nail care brands such as OPI Products Inc. in North Hollywood, owned by Coty Inc. in New York, and Essie Cosmetics Ltd. in Astoria, N.Y., owned by French cosmetics giant L’Oreal Group. To keep up, the company releases more than 50 new nail polishes annually. “The message I convey to my team at Orly is to be aware of the competition but focus on the next innovation,” Pink said. – Stephanie Forshee
