The History of Orly Nail Polish

It all started when Orly founder Jeff Pink met Jeff Sperling, a beauty supply store owner in Van Nuys, and paid him to let him work at the shop and train him in the industry. He then opened his own beauty supply store in Tarzana. Pink began developing relationships with the up-and-coming beauty and nail salons around Los Angeles and realized that most existing nail products were targeted at department stores, not salons. After learning that manicurists wanted a nail strengthening product to offer their customers, Pink worked with an East Coast businessman to create one. He called the product Romeo, and it was such a success that he began developing more nail treatments, including the Ridgefiller, which Orly still produces today. Pink often sold nail polish to Hollywood studios and frequently heard directors complaining that it took too long for actresses' nail polish to be changed to match each outfit they had to wear on set. According to Pink, he created the French manicure to alleviate this frustration. (It is worth noting that some say he simply popularized it). Eventually, he began selling what he called the Natural Look Nail Kit under the Orly brand name, which he had established in 1975 in Los Angeles. Interestingly, he named the company after his wife. Orly also offered nail polishes in an array of colors. In the early 21st century, Orly became one of the first brands to remove formaldehyde from its formula. Today, Orly remains a popular nail care brand and offers nail polish in over 250 shades as well as various nail treatments and French manicure kits.