Rising to fame from the #BookTok TikTok trend, bestselling author Colleen Hoover collaborated with nail company Olivia & June to release a limited-edition spring collection of nail products on Feb. 28. This new nail line consists of 8 nail polishes, 17 glue press-on nails, 3 tab press-ons, and a manicure set inspired by Hoover’s bestselling books, namely the colors of her book covers and references to her stories for the names of the products. This spring collection of nail products from Olivia & June and Hoover is now available online at the Olivia & June official website and soon, to be sold exclusively at Target.
Sarah Gibson Tuttle, the founder of Olive & June, told beauty, fashion and wellness media brand Glossy that this partnership came together organically through being tagged on Instagram in posts featuring Hoover’s book covers. Accordingly, Hoover found Olive & June at Target and the two quickly connected over Instagram once they realized their shared passions for books and manicures and their consumer bases, both primarily Gen-Z.
In the same newsletter, Hoover discussed how the idea for this partnership kicked off.
“‘We began noticing the trend of matching manis and my book covers more when they went viral during Covid. When Sarah and I became ‘Instagram official’ with our friendship…the trend grew. People tag both of us in photos showcasing their matching manis and books.’”
Hoover has gained massive traction among Gen-Z with her top-selling romance novels, such as It Starts With Us, It Ends With Us, and Verity—even outselling the Bible in 2022 with eight of her books crowding the 2022 Top 25 Bestsellers List, found in a Publisher’s Weekly article. However, some people dispute Hoover’s popularity, stating her books are overrated, while those of her fanbase remain steadfast in their support.
Junior Elif Celik, who has read Hoover’s books, said, “I think Hoover’s fame is very well deserved. Her work is amazing and she should get all the hype she is currently getting.”
Similarly, Olivia & June has garnered fame through Instagram and has collaborated with large companies such as Beats and Megababe before Hoover. As stated in a Reviewed article, Olivia & June has built up a reputation claiming to have a long-lasting gel polish that has a thin consistency like traditional polish, alongside being cruelty-free, vegan, and free of seven controversial ingredients found in other polishes.
Senior Priscilla Kim, who is an avid nail enthusiast and makes press-on nails herself, commented on what makes good nail products.
“Personally, I like thicker gel polishes. This way, I don’t have to put on as many layers in order to get the color I want and it gives shape to my nail easier.”
However, Kim said for press-ons, there’s a different standard. “Small businesses that hand paint your press-ons will always be better than store bought just because it will be personalized to your nail size, and they do a better job at making sure the vibe that you want from nails is there.”
