Heritage

A DECISIVE DISCOVERY

Who would have thought the nail care industry’s most innovative company would get its start with a chance discovery in a dentist’s office? That’s where Dr. Stuart Nordstrom, a practicing dentist, got the idea for a new nail enhancement product: A patient remarked that the material used to prepare temporary caps smelled like the material used to sculpt porcelain nails. The result was SolarNail™ Liquid, the industry’s first-ever monomer formulation for greater nail strength and flexibility—and the first product to deliver natural, non-yellowing nail color. SolarNail™ was a transformative event. It changed the future of the nail industry. It changed the future of the Nordstrom family. And to this day, together with a growing team of passionate professionals, CND has continued to change the industry for the past 34 years – now in 65 countries worldwide.

GETTING AHEAD OF THE INNOVATION CURVE

For some, SolarNail might’ve proven to be a one-hit wonder, either licensed to an established player or allowed to dwindle into obscurity. For the Nordstrom family, SolarNail proved to be an invitation to expand into an entirely new area of imagination and involvement. Building on a foundation of hard work and smart chemistry, the fledgling company pursued and achieved one innovation after another—an uninterrupted succession of advances that continues, virtually unabated, to this day.

MAKING PEOPLE A PRIORITY

With every new breakthrough came growth: Throughout the 1980s alone, the company doubled its revenues every year. Recognizing that leadership over the long-term would require more than entrepreneurship and sheer panache, the company evolved into a sophisticated marketer and a truly disciplined enterprise — while never losing sight of the one-on-one connection with the professional that lives at the heart of the industry. In the unforgettable images with which it has introduced new products, CND opened a window to a world of beauty in which the nail plays an important role. Widening this window still further, the company has looked beyond product to people, focusing on the real needs and aspirations of the Nail Professional. Co-founder Jan Nordstom-Arnold, in particular, has championed the company’s commitment to education and advocacy.

EXCELLENCE THROUGH EDUCATION

Through the courses and workshops of its Creative Academy to its respected master technician programs, CND has advanced the state of the industry through training as well as technology. Over the years, the company has earned a reputation as the most user-friendly, knowledgeable, and well-equipped educational resource in the industry. As the Nail Professional’s advocate, CND has increased Nail Professionals’ knowledge of products and procedures, enhanced their credibility with customers, and helped them to build stronger businesses. Noted for their high level of consistency, the company’s Education Ambassadors work closely with Nail Professionals worldwide, not only in academies but also in salons, at tradeshows and, in conjunction with distributors. Among the hundreds of thousands of Nail Professionals who have benefited from CND educational programs, today more than 10,000 are certified Masters in either Liquid & Powder Enhancements, Gel Enhancements, or Natural Nail Care. More than 1,000 are Grand Masters — consummate experts in all three areas.

START WITH SCIENCE

For all its people skills, CND has remained solidly science-based. Beyond marketing savvy, the company understands that chemistry remains a core competency: the promise CND makes to professionals is grounded in performance. At a time when other companies outsourced their research capabilities, CND invested in a custom-built multi-million-dollar Research & Development facility. Time and again, the company’s R&D resources have proven their worth, delivering new levels of effectiveness backed by tangible proof — with groundbreaking brands such as RETENTION+® Liquid & Powder, BRISA® Gel, SPAPEDICURE®, SPAMANICURE®, Scentsations™ lotions & washes, and SOLAROIL®.

In 2009, CND launched Colour & Effects, a range of professional quality nail polishes with endless possibilities. The following year, in May 2010, CND revolutionized the nail industry with the introduction of CND® SHELLAC® brand 14+ day nail color after nearly five years of development in its state-of-the-art laboratory. The three-part system wears flawlessly for 14+ days of high gloss shine and cures in a UV lamp for zero dry time. “Our chemists invented a modern solution to the normal polish inconveniences that frustrate women. CND® SHELLAC® brand is fret-free and convenient,” says CND Co-founder Jan Arnold. “Women can finally get their time back.” Combining the best features of a polish with the best features of a gel, CND created a fully removable hybrid nail color that completely changed the industry landscape and reaffirmed CND’s position as the leader in technology, color and innovation.

Since the launch of CND® SHELLAC® brand 14+ day nail color, the company has continued on this path of trailblazing innovation with the introduction of BRISA® Lite Removable Gels for perfecting and enhancing the natural nail. Most recently, in May 2013, CND announced the launch of VINYLUX® Long Wear Polish System, Polish Reinvented. This unique two-part system boasts a self-adhering Color Coat and a Top Coat that utilizes new ProLight Technology™ for increased durability with exposure to natural light. For the first time in over 60 years, CND has altered the formula of what we consider “traditional” polish and created ground-breaking color that yields seven-day chip-free wear.

CULTURE EQUALS CONTINUITY

To this day, CND has fostered a strong culture of honesty, integrity, trust, respect, communication and accountability. This solid foundation has helped the company to excel, both within the category and within its corporate family of brands: CND has earned respect as a star performer in the portfolio first of Revlon and then of the Barcelona-based Colomer Group. With a vision toward the future and over 80 years of history, the Colomer Group evolved into a convergence of over four dozen brands worldwide. Each marked by an unwavering entrepreneurial spirit, Colomer’s brands together comprised a complete offering of hair, cosmetic and nail products for consumers and professionals. In August 2013, it was announced that Revlon had agreed buy the Colomer Group to expand its portfolio of professional brands, including CND. The acquisition closed in October 2013, officially making CND an extension of one of the strongest consumer brand franchises in the world..

FORWARD TO NEW FRONTIERS

More than 18 years ago, CND pioneered nail artistry on the runway and defined nails as the ultimate fashion accessory – In 2013, CND updated its tagline to “Nails. Fashion. Beauty.” Forging alliances with well-known designers and collaborating on countless shows at New York Fashion Week and across the globe, the company brings new appreciation to the role of the nail in the total beauty picture. As it looks to the future, CND continues to expand on its vision of nails as part of a more inclusive concept of beauty, fueled by ongoing innovation and advocacy for the beauty professional. Around the world, CND ensures a lively exchange of ideas and practices across borders and continents. And back in Southern California, one of the beauty industry’s most inspired teams finds new ways to expand on the nail’s potential and promise.