Interview: Meet The Founder Of This Socially Responsible Nail Salon In Singapore

Nails & Good Company Singapore

Recently, we had the chance to meet with Zoe, the founder of Nails & Good Company, a nail spa that is committed to providing socially responsible nail care services to their customers and the community.

The thing that stood out the most about Zoe’s nail salon was the fact that they heavily emphasize the use of less-toxic nail polish, which is something that is greatly overlooked. So keep reading to learn more about ways to get stronger and healthier nails!

On what inspired Zoe to start Nails & Good Company

Zoe was inspired to start Nails & Good Company when she realised a need for a healthier nail salon environment, to which everyone can benefit from. “Everyone is so conscious about what they eat and the kind of products that they are using, so I felt that there wasn’t enough awareness about healthy nail care in Singapore,” she said.

Ever since Zoe was young, she always wanted to create a business that would have a positive impact on society. So naturally, she jumped on the opportunity to open her own nail salon with a cause.

On realising the importance of using less toxic nail products

Zoe related an interesting story to us, about how her Mum was actually the one who unintentionally helped her realise the importance of using less toxic nail products.

“My mother rarely does her nails but there was this one time where she had to do her nails for a certain event, so I accompanied her to the nail salon. Once we got there, she immediately backed out as she was very turned off by the strong fumes coming from the nail salon. Seeing the way she reacted really shocked me.” she explained.

As Zoe is someone who does her nails on a very regular basis, seeing the way her mother reacted made her realise how oblivious she was to these smells. With that, she came to realise how unhealthy nail salon environments can be for both nail artists and customers–prompting her to do a lot of research on toxic nail polish, which is what eventually kick-started her business!

On the harmful toxins that people should look out for in nail polish.

“Nail products are actually categorised this way: 3-free, 5-free, 7-free or even up to 13-free. The reason why I actually recommend 5-free is that when products are at least 5-free they’re safe for pregnant women and children to use,” Zoe mentioned.

She also added that the top 5 chemicals are: Formaldehyde, Toulene, Camphar, Dibutyl Phtahalate (DBP) and Formaldehyde Resin, which are often added in nail polish to make them shine brighter and last longer.

Zoe also educated us on the fact that repeated and prolonged usage of cheaper and unregulated nail polish can lead to a variety of problems like headaches, skin sensitivity, nausea and yellow-stained nails, which is why it’s important for us to use less toxic nail polish.

Special nail care tips for people who want to grow stronger and healthier nails.

Zoe explained that the nail care tip she always gives customers and friends is to have a balanced diet! “Our nails are actually made out of the same stuff that you could find in your hair which is keratin, so anything that’s good for your hair is actually good for your skin as well,” she added.

Zoe also recommends people with very weak and brittle nails to take this supplement called Biotin, which is a vitamin B supplement that promotes the growth of strong and healthier nails. She went on to tell us about how her mother has been taking this for 1-2 months now and that she can really see a vast difference in the strength of her nails.

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On the latest nail art trends.

“One of the most highly requested nail art designs is actually mismatched nails, meaning 2-3 different colours on the nails but there are customers who are really funky and choose 5 different nail colours,” Zoe said.

She also mentioned that another commonly requested nail art is the minimalist nail trend, which she believes is Hollywood-inspired.

Common misconceptions or elements that people are ignoring about nail care.

When asked about some of the common misconceptions about nail care, Zoe told us that most people think that since our nails are made out of dead cells, it doesn’t matter what we put on them. But in actual fact, our nails are porous and whatever liquids that are on them are actually absorbed into our nails!

On starting her own nail business in Singapore and the struggles she faced.

“Starting a new business in Singapore definitely hasn’t been easy, it’s tough but very rewarding and I am very thankful for all the support that I’ve gotten from my friends and family,” Zoe revealed.

She also explained that as an entrepreneur, she has to wear many different hats. Sometimes her day-to-day duties can range from the nitty-gritty things like cleaning, fixing or moving things around to paperwork and problem-solving.

“It’s very challenging, but I think that it’s helped me experience a lot of personal growth, and it has helped me to become a much stronger person,” she added.

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Now that you know picking your nail polish is just as important as picking your meals, it’s time to give them (and your local nail artists) a little more love!

With love,

Steph