Meet the New Breakout Nail Color Line From a Cult Jewelry Designer

After years of full-blown nail-art hysteria, recent times have ushered in another extreme: bare, polish-free fingertips. And while there’s something to be said for no-fuss hands that seem just at home in a ’90s Calvin Klein ad as they do in the present-day Vogue office, sometimes it’s hard not to miss the satisfaction of freshly lacquered nails. Here to bridge the gap is a new line of varnish for the “color averse” from Jess Hannah—the 25-year-old Californian behind J. Hannah, whose sculptural jewelry creations have amassed her an Instagram following of 205,000.

           

Frequently asked about the sleek gold and silver bijoux she dons, Hannah decided that well-groomed, manicured nails were a must but was disappointed with the polish options on the market. “[The salon] never had the right ‘me’ color,” she remembers. “I want my colors muted and to blend in”—a sentiment that led her to dream up an 11-hue, seven-free collection, launching today, that offers quiet takes on even the boldest of shades. See Ghost Ranch, a soft, brick red inspired by the Southwest—a far cry from the fire engine and cherry apple tones we’re accustomed to—or Blue Nudes, a subdued midnight lacquer that borrows both its name and tone from Henri Matisse’s series of cutouts.
But those who have eschewed polish altogether will find themselves most taken with the four nude choices, which Hannah insists are, in fact, not nudes at all. “It’s really about understanding the subtleties that make them different,” she says of the quartet: Himalayan Salt is a pale peach; Chanterelle, an earthy beige; Marzipan, a milky yellow; and Agnes, a soft ballet pink reminiscent of Agnes Martin’s serene striped paintings.
“The sentiment behind my line is classic—not a bold statement piece that’s going to go out of style,” Hannah remarks. In other words, like her jewels, one J. Hannah hue will last a lifetime—but at only $19 per bottle, we suggest buying a few.