Jeff Pink on Orly, nail care & colours

Recently, founder of Orly, Jeff Pink, jetted over from the brand’s HQ in Los Angeles, California, to visit London. Scratch’s Kat took the chance to meet him and talk about his esteemed career with Orly, product developments and challenges within the nail industry. Read the full interview in the April issue of Scratch!

How do you develop products?

JP:I’m still involved in the product development side at Orly; I always want to do something that hasn’t been done before! Since starting the company, I’ve never been particularly involved in the finances or the sales; I love to create new products, colours and looks.

We have a team of three chemists in the company that work between the colours and the care products. The head of the lab, Dan Werner, and I work closely together to develop new innovations for the brand.

When it comes to the process of product development, you have to have a target: what you want to achieve. Then comes the hardest part – the ‘how’! This is what happened with GelFx Builder In A Bottle. I knew what I wanted to create, but I didn’t know how. It took me a while to figure it out!

 

What improvement in salon life would you like to see?

JP:Technicians should not be scared of sales. As the professional, you sit across from your client for at least an hour. You have the chance to talk about anything – why don’t take the chance to talk about maintenance? Manicurists should suggest retail products to their clients. Those sales make a big contribution to your business.

I also think there is room for improvement in terms of in-salon hygiene. I would like to see the professional taking care of not only the nail, but also the skin on the hands and feet. All three work together – you can’t just do one without the other.

 

What are your thoughts on education?

JP:Education is a fundamental part of our industry. If you teach a student the right technique with the right product, they are set up for the rest of their career. Education is always something we promote. At Orly, we have about 25 ambassadors, constantly flying around the world showcasing products and techniques.

 

How does a collection come together with colours and names?

JP:Back in the early days of Orly, I was directly involved with naming the collections as we were such a small company at the time. Today, my team does an amazing job selecting out the names. I get so excited to hear them. My daughter, Shanee Pink, joined the company three years ago and now heads up the team that pick the shades and collections. When I learn to trust someone, I learn to trust them all the way!

Around 15 years ago, we had the Wedding Collection. It saw pastel and French manicure tones and was a successful collection for us. But then, to be different, this lead on to the Divorcee collection! There were shade names such as One Night Stand and Take Him To The Cleaners! It was funny, and also very successful.

 

You recently reveal the Color Lab. Tell us more about it…

JP:We wanted to introduce this idea of allowing customers to create their own custom colours in Orly’s famous formula. This has seen the opening of a pop-up store in Beverly Hills, LA – Orly Color Lab.

Using an iPad in store, visitors can completely customise their colour, before naming the polish anything they wish. The team in the lab then mix the colour there and then! It has become the PR of the company; it’s been so popular with influencers, bloggers and journalist alike! We’re currently trying to automate the mixing process, but there’s a lot of different aspects to consider.

 

What does the future hold for Orly?

JP:Orly is being shaped by the new generation. I want to let them do their own thing and not be afraid. Younger generation can sometime be a bit hesitant; I use to take a lot of risks because I like to do things differently. The future is always ahead of us, as long as we enjoy and live the world.

Orly products are available in the UK via Grafton International – www.graftons.co.uk