My journey into nail art began back in 2012. While unwinding from a late night cooking shift, I was scrolling YouTube and stumbled across a tutorial on "how to watermarble nails". Amazed at the possibilities of using just nail polish to create designs, I fell down a rabbit hole of new discoveries. A journey that would change my life.
Through themed Facebook challenges I connected with like-minded enthusiasts from around the world. We shared our creations and inspired each other. I started a nail art blog in 2013 and found I had a passion for hand-painting intricate designs or just for a laugh, sticking quirky things to my nails! The whimsical, playful side of using nails as a canvas captured my imagination and it brought me joy to make others laugh. Nail art reignited the enjoyment and pleasure I felt as a child when engaging in creative activities and getting lost in "making things".
Not long into my nail art journey I discovered the technique of stamping and like many newcomers, I found myself frustrated and pondering this invention!
In 2012 we used rock hard stampers, metal scrapers (shudders at the thought), often poorly etched plates and had limited options for stamping polish. One “stamping polish” that was (and still is!) available turned out to be acrylic resin, this gave people migraines due to it’s strong smell along with other health issues. The dismissive attitude of the brand, which suggested opening a window, just wasn’t good enough. I saw a need for a stamping polish which was genuinely 100% nail polish and safe to use.
In early 2014 I qualified as a nail technician but this field was not my cup of tea. Determined to turn my love of nail art into a job, I wondered....could I actually make a polish that stamped and was safe to use?! With a full ingredient disclosure I set out to create a product that would not only meet but exceed the expectations of the nail art community.
So in October 2014, "Hit the Bottle polishes" was born. A play on words that prompts a smile, echoing the fun and playful side of nail art. A name that encourages self-care by inviting you to reach for a different kind of bottle.
In 2021 Hit the Bottle earned a place in the "Indie Swatch Awards - Hall of Fame" by being voted "Best Stamping Polish" for 3 years in a row. Our "Keepin' it Peel" peel off base coat had 2 years at No 1 before the Indie Swatch Awards were retired. What started out as a dream to make stamping polish has grown into me learning vector software and designing my own line of stamping plates.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. Happy stamping!
