Who’d think a $15 bottle of red-black polish would set the cosmetics world on fire? In 1994, Chanel debuted its Vamp nail polish on fashion runways, and the following year, the rich, bold shade took in more than a half-million dollars in consumer sales. At one point it was the fifth best-selling nail polish in the world and is still being sold today. (In fact, Jessica Chastain wore it to this year’s Golden Globes.) Although similar shades had been available from professional polish makers prior to Vamp’s launch, its unparalleled success spurred both consumer and pro polish manufacturers to introduce blues, greens, and other non-traditional shades — paving the way for “grunge” polishes, neons, and colorful pastels.
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