Buff Wants You to Break Up With Your Nail Salon

Katia Beauchamp founded Birchbox, a monthly beauty subscription service, in 2011, and her newest venture, Buff Beauty, makes its case through packaging first. The idea is that, historically, nail care has been about covering nails with polish. But Buff’s endgame is a bare nail; it’s a skincare routine for your nails, hands, and feet that’s built for in-between moments. 

The brand’s core products are packaged in a trio of squeeze tubes that feel more like skincare than nail care. It’s a stark reminder that the world of nails has felt largely unchanged for decades. The design is the antithesis of what currently exists on the market; it’s neither medicinal nor sterile. Instead, it’s cheerful and looks like a treat, not something you’d use because you need to.