I first met Kitiya Mischo King at a local beauty event (surprise, surprise) but when I heard the news she was launching her own luxury nail lacquer line, I knew I had to snag her for Beauty & The Biz. The super beauty blogger turned entrepreneur explains how she turned her problem in to a pretty sweet nail polish line (Pss.. her luxury nail lacquer collection launches November 1st! You can sign up for exclusive VIP access to shop the new line here).
What inspired you to start a luxury nail lacquer line?
During my pregnancy I had the hardest time finding non-toxic and fashion-forward nail polish. I actually didn’t polish my nails during the first six months of my pregnancy. It was during that time that I decided to that I would launch Mischo Luxury Nail Lacquer, a 5FREE, non-toxic, cruelty-free nail lacquer collection.
Tell us about the line.
The line is 5FREE, which means it contains no formaldehyde, no formaldehyde resin, no toluene, no DBP and no camphor. These are all harmful toxins responsible for causing birth defects, reproductive issues and cancer. Toxins such as these should be nowhere near your nails.
The formula is easy to apply, chip-resistent and delivers perfect shine. The debut collection, called The Fashion Week Collection, is made up of seven shades inspired by the fashion weeks around the world (New York, London, Milan & Paris) and the beauty superstars who work tirelessly backstage to make designers’ visions come to life!
Check out a sneak peek at the collection after the jump!
What was the process like creating this nail polish line?
Creating the formulation itself was very challenging because I wasn’t willing to compromise on ensuring only non-toxic ingredients were used. After many months of testing samples, I finally landed on a formulation I was pleased with. Because I love fashion, the shades are all inspired by the runways.
Describe what a typical day looks like for you.
I have so many moving parts going on in my life right now, that no day is the same for me. I am a wife and mother to a 22 month-old, and I also have a 9-5 job. Before everyone rises, I am already up answering emails and checking my to-do list for the day. After that, I make breakfast for my family and shortly thereafter my son is off to daycare and I am at work. Because most of my manufacturers are on the west coast, I usually break at lunch to make calls to ensure deadlines are being met. After I leave my 9-5, I head to the gym or yoga and then home to prepare dinner and relax with my family. Once my son is bathed and we’ve finished our storytime. and my family is settled in for the night, I begin work on the brand again. And because my brand is a start-up, I work at least one weekend day on the brand, as well.
What’s your work motto?
I love this quote by Sheryl Sandberg: “Speak Up. Believe In Yourself. Take Risks.” This is my life at the moment!
What else is on the horizon?
While the current focus is on the nail lacquer collection, I also plan to unveil a color cosmetics collection next Fall.
What advice do you have for aspiring beauty entrepreneurs?
The first step is to make a commitment! Then take action and stay focused and hang on tight for the roller coaster to come. It’s important to keep pushing through during the good and tough times.
Photos courtesy of Kitiya Mischo King
Beauty & The Biz is dedicated to beauty entrepreneurs, businesswomen (or men), makeup artists and every beauty professional in between. As a consumer, we’re exposed to beauty products through endless advertisements, magazine and blog features and online reviews. I’m interested in the story that can’t be told on the back of the box, and I hope you are too! Read my first Beauty & The Biz post with Ada Polla of Alchimie Forever.
Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity, Kara! I am very appreciative!!!