Leighton Denny MBE returns to run namesake nail brand
By Helena Biggs | 11 June 2020 | Movers & Shakers, News
Multi award-winning nail technician and brand founder, Leighton Denny MBE, has returned to the helm of the Leighton Denny Expert Nails brand following a five year break.
Founded in 2005, the brand is now manufactured by Prestige Nail Care and Leighton’s return coincides with LDEN’s 15th anniversary on 30 June.
Leighton took a step back from day-to-day management as chairman and creative director in 2015 and went on to create other, multi award-winning brands – Lip Dual, Light & Dark Fragrance and Sun Believable.
Over the next 12 months, Leighton will be taking over control of the brand and licences as well as new business partnerships.
Leighton Denny MBE judging the Scratch Stars Awards 2019
“This brand is my DNA and was born of almost two decades very literal ‘hands-on’ salon experience,” Leighton comments. “I worked in my own salons across the country every day and consulted with clients about their nail issues and problems while doing countless treatments. This helped me understand the confusion consumers had regarding their nail care – and the psychology of their choices and that there was a great need for education.
“I saw how customers used tools and that the ‘one product fits all’ mantra did not apply to nails. I also worked as a consultant and ambassador on some of the biggest global brands – Max Factor, Cutex, Marks & Spencer, Crabtree & Evelyn – and saw that there was a gap in the market for revolutionary prescription nail care. There were four main nail problems and I developed four solutions which were easy to understand and therefore to self-select for the consumer. My concept for my nail brand was skincare for nails, recognising different nail types, and it was a game-changer for the market.”
Leighton is focused on re-injecting the core DNA of his brand and concentrating on the customer, on education, on innovation, on spear-heading NPD and shaking up the nail market.
“I feel reinvigorated and so excited to get going again,” he continues. “I’ve had an exciting roller-coaster journey with my business partners to get to this point and we all learned a lot from each other, but now it’s time to take the brand to the next level.
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“When I created my on-line store, LDB, it was one of the earliest platforms using social media to communicate directly with our customers. Technology means I can have the same ‘sit down, hands-on’ experience I had with my original salon customers and it allows me to understand my customers and their needs which in turn helps me to educate them on my brands.
“I have an open dialogue with customers and will bring that knowledge and experience back to Leighton Denny Expert Nails – to be educational, open, honest, creative, ground breaking and full of my heart and soul with which it was originally created. And continue to be a huge success!”