Against today’s beauty landscape of strategic M&As promising a one-way ticket to brand survival in an oversaturated market, remaining independent is no simple feat. But maintaining the “independent” label for 50 years, while also continuing to stay relevant? That’s largely unheard of. And yet Orly has, somewhat quietly, done exactly that. This year, the Los Angeles-based nail-care brand celebrated its 50th anniversary. 

Founder Jeff Pink established the brand in 1975, after listening to nail techs’ product frustrations while running his beauty supply store in the San Fernando Valley. He first entered the market with Romeo, an all-in-one nail strengthener named to take on a popular system at the time called Juliette; and Ridgefiller, a treatment targeting uneven nail ridges.

Even if you’ve never encountered Orly’s now-iconic nail treatments or its expansive lacquer selection on the shelves of major retailers, you’re familiar with the nail giant’s game. After all, Pink is the father of the famed French manicure. The classic style, defined by a natural-looking nail color with white polish lining the tip, was created as a time-saving solution to accompany Hollywood actors’ frequent wardrobe changes. Jeff soon coined the name “French manicure” after the style popped up on Paris Fashion Week runways.

Orly has evolved over the last 50 years, but its product ethos has remained steadfast: “Keep it simple and solve real problems for nail techs,” Orly Vice President Tal Pink (who is also Jeff’s son) told Fashionista over email.

There’s no straightforward roadmap to follow when it comes to securing longevity in the beauty industry, but Tal noted that his dad would emphasize innovation as Orly’s secret weapon: “Innovation is your hack, because if you provide a product that is different enough and superior to others, you’ll gain a reputation through word of mouth.”

For Tal, however, “commitment is key.” “You have to have the stomach to weather the ups and downs,” he continued. Sustainably scaling is also a skill for beauty brands to master if they seek longevity, as playing the long game — rather than chasing immediate success — prepares the business for a lasting presence.

When it comes to Orly’s retail strategy, the nail-care brand has learned to prioritize communication and collaboration. Orly has worked with Ulta for more than a decade, as the beauty retailer was one of the earliest to bet on professional nail care in a retail environment. With more than 80 SKUs stocked at the retailer, Orly’s offerings span its core polish shades, confetti finishes and its full range of treatments.

In a more recent move to expand its reach, Orly also hopped on the growing trend of beauty brands linking up with sports teams. To name a few, Glossier is the official beauty partner of the WNBA, E.l.f. Cosmetics is the National Women’s Soccer League’s official makeup and skin-care partner and Charlotte Tilbury partnered with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. And, as of August, Orly joined forces with the L.A. Sparks to become the team’s first-ever official nail-care partner.

“Together with the Sparks, we’re showing the next generation that beauty and athleticism aren’t opposites: they’re both bold expressions of strength, identity and self-belief,” Tal said.

Like any half-century-old company that has weathered everything from recessions to major technological advancements, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. Orly nearly went bankrupt twice in its history, as it fought to maintain relevance against an ever-growing slew of competitors and stalled on embracing the digital age.

“When the social media revolution hit, it took us longer than it should have to leave print behind and go all-in on digital,” Tal shared. “It felt like we had to reintroduce ourselves from scratch, and the focus wasn’t always on performance.”

After relying on print trade magazines for advertising, Orly had to rethink how to market itself in the digital-first era. When emerging nail brands led with vegan, cruelty-free and “non-toxic” positioning, Tal recounted that Orly had to clarify that it was also vegan, cruelty-free and formulated without “toxic” ingredients. “There was this built-in assumption that newer automatically meant better,” he reflected.

Navigating today’s economic uncertainty has also taken a toll on the entire beauty industry, but Orly enjoys a small respite from some of the major tariff shocks as it formulates and manufactures all of its products in-house at its L.A. facility. Per Tal, bringing Orly’s manufacturing in-house was one of the company’s “boldest moves,” but it’s paid off.

“While global pandemics, tariffs and supply chain disruptions have impacted our raw material suppliers, we’ve been able to maintain pricing and avoid major production delays,” Tal shared. “It’s certainly still more expensive to produce products in the U.S. even when you factor in tariffs, but it’s very much been part of our DNA and [a] point of pride for my father to be able to walk from his office to the factory floor in 30 seconds.”

As for the biggest challenge Orly faces today? Navigating shifts in consumer behavior, especially when it comes to capturing younger audiences. Gen Z gravitates toward press-ons and DIY nail enhancements, leaving traditional polish struggling to remain desirable. But Orly isn’t shying away from the fight: It’s launching new offerings, focusing on specialty finishes that target an online consumer and adding experiential elements to the brand.

“Making it to 50 years without outside investors in this industry is almost unheard of,” Tal said. “We’ve been through everything, booms, recessions, TikTok trends, and we’re still here because we never lost sight of our values. And it feels like we’re just getting started.”

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