On Friday, June 21 Olive & June debuted a surprise summer collection with four new colors for fans of the junk free nail polish brand and its West Coast salons. Ahead of the brand’s scheduled fall release, the summer collection has 7-free shades inspired by besties of O&J, including two shades named for Black tastemakers Blair Imani and Christiana Hooks. It’s a fun assortment of shades for those all-important hot weather DIY manis (that are my jam right now).
The BI shade, named after writer and advocate Blair Imani, is a coral hue that dares to be as punchy and impactful as its namesake. Imani made waves when she came out as a queer Muslim woman on national television in 2017. Since then, she has used her voice to spread inspiration and hope at several public speaking engagements, and penned two novels, including Modern HERstory: Stories of Women and Nonbinary People Rewriting History, published last year.
“Blair Imani has inspired me since the moment we met. Her love of life and all things nails makes her a perfect polish muse,” said Sarah Gibson Tuttle, CEO & Founder of Olive & June.
Imani is also the official ambassador of Muslims for Progressive Values, a progressive Muslim organization that supports the LGBTQ+ community, and she works with several LGBTQ rights organizations such as GLAAD, It Gets Better, LOVELOUD, and Tegan & Sara Foundation. She was also part of ESSENCE’s #work100 list in 2017. She’s an inspiration for so many things, it’s no wonder it has trickled into beauty.
The CNH shade is like blue jeans and nail polish had a baby. It’s a statement shade named for Christiana Hooks, a statement maker, and an O&J OG. The producer and production manager’s resume boasts work with the best of the best in the industry, including Ava Duvernay, Oprah Winfrey, and The Carters (yes, Jay and Bey). You want to be draped in Christiana’s color if you can get your “hooks” in it.
“Dressed up or dressed down, this super versatile statement shade is always there for you. Christiana was our very first hand model on our very first shoot ever,” said Gibson Tuttle of her friend. “Her nails are goals and so is her sunny vibe!”
She’s not only a brilliant beauty with enviable skin, but she’s a style influencer in the making. It’s only fitting that she would be the muse for anything fashion and beauty. With the way the initial six shades of the brands polish sold out twice in the first ten weeks of launching, you better scoop these gems before they slip through your fingers.
The Olive & June summer 2019 nail polish collection is available now at olivejune.com, and retails for $40 for the entire set (which includes a clear top coat), or individually for $8.