There are plenty of things that it makes sense to rent, not own. An apartment in a seller’s housing market. Bicycles for a day at the beach. A designer wedding gown that would be well out of your price range otherwise. But a bottle of nail polish? Ashlene Nand thinks so. The entrepreneur has launched an $18/month membership to Lacquerous, a website that works like Netflix for luxury lacquer. After joining, each member creates a “Lust List” from the season’s hottest nail colors and brands (like Chanel, Dior, Butter London, and LVX), then receives three at a time in the mail. After returning them, the subscriber is sent three more. NAILS spoke to Nand about the polish rental concept.

Q: Where did you get the idea?
A: I wanted to try luxury brands and I couldn’t find anywhere to do that. In department stores, it doesn’t make sense because you can’t paint your full hand, and Sephora carries limited brands. What’s a girl to do?! Enter: Lacquerous!

Q: There are concerns about the cleanliness of sharing polish. We agree with you that the polish itself can’t be contaminated due to its composition, but what about the bottle?
A: I understand that concern as it relates to other cosmetics but nail polish is different. It’s unlike any other beauty product in the way that it is made and what it contains. Women have been sharing nail polish for decades. Of course, we clean our bottles, inspect them, and encourage our customers to do the same if they have any concerns. Think of Lacquerous as a nail polish club and our members are a community.

Q: But it might not be obvious that you’re wearing a designer polish, as there are a lot of similar shades out there. Why should people splurge on renting designer polishes?
A: It’s true luxury. People who appreciate luxury know it’s not about the logo across the chest or the bag or the shoe. It’s about quality and knowing that you have the best.

For more information or to join, visit www.lacquerous.com.

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