Nail Polish Business Booms In Weak Economy

 While many U.S. businesses are suffering in the weak economy, one industry has been picking up speed.  Women are now spending more money on their nails. They are getting more daring - straying from the basic shades of red and painting blues¹, greens and even animal prints on their nails. Those in the business of nails and nail color are  profiting from the trend. 

 

In a factory north of Los Angeles, glass bottles are filled, boxed and then shipped to more than 100 countries around the world.  This is the home of OPI, a company that produces nail polish for women from the United States to Asia, from the Middle East to Latin America.

 

Suzi Weiss-Fishmann is executive vice-president and artistic² director. She says women are getting more adventurous³ with their nails.

 

“You can really be kind of that conservative professional and wear blues and greens and any color and dark shades year round," she said.

 

Many women in the U.S. are experimenting with nail art. 

 

“I was blown away by the nail art that I saw. I couldn’t believe it," said customer Judy Gabor.

 

Judy Gabor plans on getting glitter on her nails at Marie Nails, a salon⁴ where many nail artists are trained in Japan.  Marie Ueno has salons⁵ in Japan and the U.S.  She says nail art has been popular in Japan for a decade.  It became trendy in the U.S. over the last few years.

 

“American people like impact, impact design," she said.

 

Impact design is the specialty⁶ of The Naja. She creates 3-D nails using unconventional objects, like hair extensions, paper clips and even staples⁷. The Naja has decorated the nails of stars like Lady Gaga. She says celebrities⁸ made nail art mainstream⁹. 

 

“Nail art is really for every woman. It’s like the new lipstick¹⁰. Everyone is using their nails as their accessory," said The Naja.

 

The obsession¹¹ with decorated nails has become big business.

 

“I actually have made more money than I ever have the entire time of the recession," she said.

 

Business is also booming at OPI.

 

“It’s tremendous. I mean our sales have been double digit¹² growth for the past five years," said Suzi Weiss-Fishmann.

 

Many consumers say when money is tight, it's much easier to spend $5 to $10 on nail polish than on something more expensive.

 

“If you’re trying to get a new outfit¹³ or a new accessory or something, it’s probably going to be more expensive but you can just spice up your look with the nail polish thing, with these things, for a way cheaper price," said Kathryn O’Sullivan.

 

Kathryn O’Sullivan and her friend Samantha Berendt are college students.  They decorate their nails at home with a variety of inexpensive colors and do-it-yourself nail art sold at stores.

 

“More and more people are doing it. I like it. I think it’s more fun," said Berendt.

 

Industry experts say nail laquer is the fastest growing product in cosmetics¹⁴ because it's an affordable¹⁵ indulgence when times are tough.

1 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

2 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

3 adventurous   

adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的　

参考例句：

• I was filled with envy at their adventurous lifestyle.我很羨慕他们敢于冒险的生活方式。
• He was predestined to lead an adventurous life.他注定要过冒险的生活。

4 salon   

n.[法]沙龙；客厅；营业性的高级服务室

参考例句：

• Do you go to the hairdresser or beauty salon more than twice a week?你每周去美容院或美容沙龙多过两次吗？
• You can hear a lot of dirt at a salon.你在沙龙上会听到很多流言蜚语。

5 salons   

n.（营业性质的）店( salon的名词复数 )；厅；沙龙（旧时在上流社会女主人家的例行聚会或聚会场所）；（大宅中的）客厅

参考例句：

• He used to attend to his literary salons. 他过去常常去参加他的文学沙龙。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Conspiracy theories about Jewish financiers were the talk of Paris salons. 犹太金融家阴谋论成为巴黎沙龙的话题。 来自互联网

6 specialty   

n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长

参考例句：

• Shell carvings are a specialty of the town.贝雕是该城的特产。
• His specialty is English literature.他的专业是英国文学。

7 staples   

n.（某国的）主要产品( staple的名词复数 )；钉书钉；U 形钉；主要部份v.用钉书钉钉住( staple的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The anvil onto which the staples are pressed was not assemble correctly. 订书机上的铁砧安装错位。 来自辞典例句
• I'm trying to make an analysis of the staples of his talk. 我在试行分析他的谈话的要旨。 来自辞典例句

8 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

9 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

10 lipstick   

n.口红，唇膏

参考例句：

• Taking out her lipstick,she began to paint her lips.她拿出口红，开始往嘴唇上抹。
• Lipstick and hair conditioner are cosmetics.口红和护发素都是化妆品。

11 obsession   

n.困扰，无法摆脱的思想(或情感)

参考例句：

• I was suffering from obsession that my career would be ended.那时的我陷入了我的事业有可能就此终止的困扰当中。
• She would try to forget her obsession with Christopher.她会努力忘记对克里斯托弗的迷恋。

12 digit   

n.零到九的阿拉伯数字，手指，脚趾

参考例句：

• Her telephone number differs from mine by one digit.她的电话号码和我的只差一个数字。
• Many animals have five digits.许多动物有5趾。

13 outfit   

n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装

参考例句：

• Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
• His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。

14 cosmetics   

n.化妆品

参考例句：

• We sell a wide range of cosmetics at a very reasonable price. 我们以公道的价格出售各种化妆品。
• Cosmetics do not always cover up the deficiencies of nature. 化妆品未能掩饰天生的缺陷。

15 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。