After a battle with Crohn’s Disease and an unfulfilling stressful law career, Bethany Jennene decided it was time for a career change. Bethany left her top LA law firm and traded her law degree in for making vegan nail polish in her home. What started out as hobby making non-toxic nail polish, this beauty entrepreneur created a non-toxic nail care and wellness company to promote physical wellness and self-care.
We are so excited to partner with Sainte Nèl, formerly known as Taupe Coat for the Winter Makeup Lovers Box and for you to try their classic red 10-Free Nail Polish (K-St). Find out more about this affordable luxury wellness company and its purpose to support women avoid the negative effects of toxic in nail salons.
How did Taupe Coat get its start?
I started making my own vegan nail polish at home more than a decade ago, because at that time, there were very few brands creating vegan polish. Several years later, I decided to dip my toe in entrepreneurship and figured I should pick something I loved - nail polish.
What were you doing before you started Taupe Coat?
Before and when I started Taupe Coat, I was an attorney in Downtown Los Angeles, where I represented Fortune 500 companies in civil lawsuits. My job was very stressful and not fulfilling, it didn’t align with my values. That’s why I left the practice of law and I now spend my days creating nontoxic nail care.
What’s Taupe Coat’s brand’s purpose?
Taupe Coat was created to offer non-toxic beauty products that promote physical wellness and self-care. We want our customers to feel confident in their physical appearance without having to sacrifice their health by using polish with harmful chemicals in it.
We love that you’re 10-Free. Please give us a brief description on what 10-Free means and how important it is for us to use.
10 free nail polish does not contain the 10 known most harmful chemicals traditionally found in nail polish. These 10 include ingredients like camphor, formaldehyde, and toluene, and are known to cause respiratory issues, disrupt the hormonal cycle of women, and potentially cause cancer.
Using non-toxic nail polish is important for two reasons. First, the chemicals in polish easily get inside your body both through inhalation and from contact with your skin. Second, our nail technicians are exposed to massive amounts of nail polish and they are more likely to suffer the negative effects of toxic-laden polish than we are as consumers. Taupe Coat is a brand built on supporting all women. For us, that starts with how we’re treating ourselves and the women in service spaces.
How many colors do you offer?
We rotate shades throughout the year based on the seasons and what our customers are in the mood for. We generally have about 10 different nail polish varieties at once.
What are your top 3 nail polish colors?
Our 3 Best Selling shades are K St. (the one included in the Winter Edition Box, Carbon Copy, a lavender that works all year round, and Over It, a muted blue with violet undertones.
How long does Taupe Coat last?
With a top coat, all Taupe Coat polish you should be able to get 4 days of wear before any chipping. I personally like to “re-up” my top coat every 2-3 days because it helps me get a week or so before I need a polish change.
In addition to nail polish, what other products do you offer?
Besides our polish, we have an assortment of plant-based nail care products. Our best-selling non-polish product is Succulent, our acetone free nail polish remover. Instead of acetone, we use plant-based ingredients to dissolve away the polish. This is gentler to your hands and extremely moisturizing.
What’s next for Taupe Coat?
Taupe Coat’s name is changing! Coming in January 2023, we’re launching the next phase of Taupe Coat: Sainte Nèl, a non-toxic nail care and wellness brand. Along with vegan nail polish, we’re expanding into vegan gel polish and more. We’re calling Sainte Nèl, the rich auntie of Taupe Coat. Our customers can expect the same high-quality non-toxic products, but with a more elevated feel. Visit www.saintenel.com for more information.
Those who get the Winter Edition Makeup Lovers Box will get a bottle of Taupe Coat Vegan Nail Polish. What is the one thing you want them to know?
I am on a mission to expand the use of non-toxic nail care products. About 90% of all women use some form of nail care product and we all deserve to have a toxin free experience. It's not difficult to make cleaner products, the larger brands have just not cared about us. So, I want to encourage everyone to find a non-toxic brand they love, even if it’s not Taupe Coat, and use that. There’s no reason you have to sacrifice your health for your personal care.
To keep up with Taupe Coat/ Sainte Nèl you can follow them on Instagram.