Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Vista, California, CND is the world leader in professional nail, hand and foot beauty, including SHELLAC® Brand.
Who would have thought that the nail care industry’s most innovative company would start with a chance discovery in a dentist’s office? This is where Dr. Stuart Nordstrom, a practicing dentist, got the idea for a new nail enhancement product: a patient observed 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 monomeric formulation for increased nail strength and flexibility and the first product to provide 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. Building on a foundation of hard work and intelligent chemistry, the fledgling company pursued and achieved one innovation after another-an unbroken succession of advances that continues, virtually unabated, to this day.
Jan Arnold in an interview: <CND was born out of a challenge taken up by my father, a dentist with a chemical vocation: when one of his patients, a manicurist by profession, brought to his attention the strong similarity between the smell of dental filling products and those she used for nails, the idea of combining the two worlds to create something new and revolutionary began to make its way into his mind. Thus was born SolarNail Liquid, the first monomer for nail reconstruction. My father then turned to us, his children, announcing that he had good news and bad news: the good news was that he would give us the gift of his formula, the bad news that, in order to develop its potential, he would provide us with nothing else. To convince the bank to disburse the first funds to us, I carried out a reconstruction directly on the employee and convinced her! Success soon came, supported by our continuous pursuit of innovation and cutting-edge science>
In the 1980s, the company doubled its revenues each year. Recognizing that long-term leadership would require more than entrepreneurship and sheer panache, the company evolved into a sophisticated marketer and a truly disciplined enterprise, never losing sight of the one-on-one connection with the professional who lives at the heart of the industry.
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®14+ day nail color after nearly five years of development in its state-of-the-art laboratory. The three-part system wears perfectly for more than 14 days of gloss and cures in a UV lamp for zero drying time. “Our chemists have invented a modern solution to the normal Polish inconveniences that frustrate women. CND® SHELLAC® the brand is convenient and affordable,” says Jan Arnold. “Women can finally get their time back.” By combining the best features of a polish with the best features of a gel, CND has created a fully removable hybrid nail color that has completely changed the industry landscape and reaffirmed CND’s position as a leader in technology, color and innovation.
Since the launch of CND® SHELLAC® brand 14+ day nail color, the company has continued this path of pioneering innovation with the introduction of BRISA® Lite removable gels to perfect and enhance 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-adhesive color coating and a top coating that uses new ProLight™ technology for increased durability with exposure to natural light. For the first time in more than 60 years, CND has changed the formula of what we consider “traditional” enamel and created a revolutionary color that produces seven-day chip-free wear.
More than 18 years ago, CND pioneered nail art on the catwalks and defined nails as the ultimate fashion accessory. In 2013, CND updated its slogan to “Nails. Fashion. Beauty.” By forging alliances with well-known designers and collaborating on countless runway shows at New York Fashion Week and around the world, the company brings a new appreciation for the role of the nail in the total beauty picture. Looking to the future, CND continues to expand its vision of nails as part of a more inclusive beauty concept, fueled by continuous innovation and advocacy for the beauty professional. Around the world, CND ensures a lively exchange of ideas and practices across borders and continents. And in Southern California, one of the beauty industry’s most inspired teams is finding new ways to expand the nail’s potential and promise.
