Miss Frankie
We sit down and talk nails with Kara Jeffers, founder of plant based polish Miss Frankie.
We love Miss Frankie. Can you share with us the story behind the brand?
After working as a professional manicurist and salon owner, I started Miss Frankie to offer a polish that’s passionate about long-term nail wellbeing. Our healthy nail polishes utilise an innovative ten-free formula – that means it doesn’t contain the common toxic ingredients found in many varnishes and it allows penetration by air and water. The result is healthier, happier nails. Plus, they’re safe to use when pregnant or on kids. They are also cruelty free and vegan and there is no compromise on quality. Our polishes apply smoothly to produce flawless, even coverage, and are chip-resistant, long-lasting and fast-drying.
Miss Frankie believes good things do come in little packages, so we have taken the time to make a product that not only performs well but looks beautiful, too. Miss Frankie is proudly Australian made and owned. We are a licensee of the Australian made logo which is displayed on our packaging. We also are on the Choose Cruelty Free list (yes that little bunny logo you see on all our pink boxes). Choose Cruelty Free is Australia's only independent body that certifies cosmetics, personal care and household care items that have not been tested on animals.
Describe your typical work day?
It most definitely starts with coffee. Thank goodness lockdown life is over and school is back. I drop three kids at school, who are eleven, nine and six years old. I then come home and pack all my online orders followed by invoicing for my wholesale accounts. There is always something going on when you are growing a business from marketing and PR to product and packaging development. I am a one woman show at the moment and my days go fast. School pick up at 3:30pm and then I usually come home and pack all my wholesale orders. Never a dull moment!
How did you formulate plant based nail polish that works?
Nail polish formulas have improved so much over recent years which I think has been driven by the demand of savvy consumers who care about what is in their beauty products. There is no need for those chemicals to be present in nail polish formulas any more. We work with an amazing manufacturer who understands our ethos and is keen to help us achieve our high standards in producing quality polishes.
What challenges have you faced as a business owner?
We are fully self funded and it definitely is not easy. We had a small amount of savings and ended up selling one of our cars to fund our first range of colours. There are many costs involved in starting a business, not just the actual product but packaging, labelling, graphic design - and it adds up quickly. And even now, every bit of profit we get goes straight back into the business to enable us to keep growing.
How do we break up with gels?
Going back to natural nails is not an easy process. It takes time and commitment. Once you remove your Shellac or Acrylic nails your natural nails will generally be quite bendy and flaky. First up, you need to start using a great nail hardener daily for at least two weeks. Once your nails are strong again, book yourself in for a good mani and then you will be able to maintain and paint your nails at home.
How can we protect our nails with Miss Frankie treatments?
Our Restore Me nail hardener is perfect for those going back to natural or who have trouble growing their nails. Cuticle oil is like a good face serum for your nails. Keep it next to your bed, in the car or on your desk and apply a few times a day. If you like a clean natural look, a couple of coats of base or top coat applied once a week will keep your nails looking neat and manicured.
Tips to achieve the perfect manicure at home?
Making sure you have all the right tools is a good start. A good nail file, a buffer and of course the polishes. File and buff your nails and then make sure you wipe them back clean with nail polish remover to remove all grit and allow polish to adhere in the evening. Start with a base coat and then apply two coats of polish. Apply the first coat thinly, don’t worry too much if it is not perfectly even as the second coat should fix this. After your second coat is applied, allow a few minutes for it to set then apply your top coat to seal the polish and give a long lasting shiny finish.
Top colour for Spring/Summer 2021/22?
Pastels and brights for Spring/Summer. We have just released our limited edition mini gift sets. One is Colour Me Sorbet – a collection of the perfect pastels and Time to Sparkle with a pop of corals, pink and a little rose gold glitter for Christmas!