“I grew up working in nail salons after immigrating to the U.S. from Korea. I loved the creativity of nails. The colors, the tiny works of art, and the way something as simple as painting your nails could bring people together and make them feel good.

Years later, I became a chemist and earned my PhD. When I looked at nail polish through the eyes of a scientist, I was surprised by how little the basic chemistry had changed. Conventional nail polish still relies on volatile solvents that create the familiar nail-polish smell, while many newer water-based alternatives replace those solvents with plastic film-formers.

I started Anew because I believe, deep in my bones, that we can make nail polish differently.

Instead of simply trying to make conventional nail polish a little less harmful, we went back to the materials themselves. Anew Polish is made primarily with water and uses biomaterials in place of the conventional plastic film-formers found in many nail polishes. Our patent-pending technology is the result of years of chemistry, experimentation, and a belief that nature can be our ally in designing better products.

Today, we’re starting with one of the groups I care most about: kids and the parents who want to feel good about what they’re putting on them. Kids should be able to experience the fun, creativity, and joyful self-expression of painting their nails, and parents shouldn’t have to choose between that fun and the ingredients they feel comfortable bringing into their homes.

Anew isn’t about being perfect. We’re transparent about where our technology is today and how we’re continuing to improve it. At Anew, progress matters more than perfection.

Changing something as ordinary as nail polish may seem small. But the products we surround ourselves with every day add up. Every time we choose something better, we help create a different kind of future.

Small changes lead to bigger changes.”