Meet the family-run nail brand with care & colour at its heart
By Emma Hobday | 06 September 2021 | Brands, Feature
Abby Jay Barton has a love for the beauty industry in her blood. Her mother owned a nail and beauty salon when Abby was a child, and so from a young age the future owner of Cally Cosmetics was immersed in the sector that she would eventually dive into.
Her career kicked off at the reception desk in her mother’s salon before Abby became a qualified nail technician at 19 years old. Now, she’s co-founder of her own brand of nail products.
“The journey to where I am today has been incredible, as I have had opportunities like working on TV sets, magazines and doing nails for celebrities,” Abby reveals. “My passion is producing beautiful creations, whether for clients or for the commercial sector.” The talented tech also runs the Abby Jay Nail Academy, at which students can hone skills in builder gel, L&P acrylic and gel polish application.
The academy led to the creation of the Cally Gel Polish line. “I wanted to develop products that I could use in my students’ kits, and products that I could confidently endorse and share with everyone,” Abby comments. “The birth of my daughter, Cally, give me the desire to chase this dream, as after being on maternity leave I was ready to give it everything I had! I wanted to teach Cally that no matter what happens in life, you can overcome it and achieve your goals.”
Keeping things in the family, the brand is named after Cally and features 56 gel polish shades and three builder gel shades alongside cuticle oil pens, nail lamps, nail files, gel mixing palettes and nail art brushes.
“The ethos for Cally Gel is simple,” smiles Abby. “It’s Cally cares – our brand has been built on the success of listening to what our customers want, and we’ve used this feedback to develop our products. We wanted to produce high-grade professional products available to everyone in the industry, whether you are just starting out, or a well-established professional.”
Customer service and relationship is the brand’s main focus, with Abby reaching out to her customers to ask them what they would like to see next from Cally Gel. “On several occasions we have asked what new shades they would like to see, and we have gone away and produced them! We love that communication, as we want our customers to have a say in our development and be part of the company’s growth.”
Cally Gel launched with a bang in March 2021, with Abby quickly becoming overwhelmed by the sheer amount of website traffic and online purchases on the first day. The brand has had to restock several times in 2021, with the Passport collection being especially popular.
“I’m very proud of our Passport collection as the narrative behind it was that customers could transport their manicures to 16 beautiful locations around the world. It also represented a time of when travel was restricted, so we wanted to bring the sunshine to our customers,” Abby smiles.
“The Starlight collection is a follow up on from the Passport collection, and was launched to celebrate life and freedom and having a good time. These products are amazing in regard to how the colour transforms in the light – they are so versatile and visually stunning, they have to be seen in person to understand.”
Abby’s love for the nail industry is plain to see. “I love the Cally Gel community that has started to grow before my eyes, and the customers who have made the decision to try something new and buy our products, for them to then become our regular customers.
“There are so many opportunities to grow in this industry, and I think it’s a career for everyone who is interested in it, no matter where you are in life. It enables you to build a bright future and meet some lovely people along the way… there aren’t many career opportunities like that!”
The plan for the future of Cally Gel involves cementing the brand as a prestigious but affordable option for customers. “Our future production plans include releasing 20 to 30 more gel polish shades and extending the gel builder lines. Most of all, we want everyone to enjoy watching us develop, and to join us for the ride!”
Want to try your hand at winning the Starlight collection bundle from Cally Cosmetics? Just click here!