Media Attraction:
If you are on TikTok or IG, and you have seen celebrities and influencers getting their nails done, they are most likely at Glosslab. Glosslab is the new “it” spot for manicures and any celebrity sightings.
The Business Model:
After going to Glosslab and trying their services myself, I have to say that the ambience is particularly welcoming. When I stepped into their new Tribeca location, I was greeted with a beautiful bright mural on the wall as well as a huge selection of their nail polishes.
What makes Glosslab so different from many nail salons is their subscription-based model as well as their waterless nail service (you might say they were ahead of their times in terms of sanitation).
The membership is $135 a month for unlimited manicures. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a very good deal to me. In NYC, a good manicure can cost you anywhere between $35-60 depending on polish used, and pedicures can cost $45-60. That’s $80-120 total per session. On average, your nails grow out enough to have to get them redone bi-weekly. On this subscription model, you would actually be saving a lot of money per year!
Glosslab offers a variety of nail polishes (normal dry, fast dry, and gel) with many colors to choose from. They also recently released some of their own polishes as well as a fan favorite quick gel nail polish remover.
The CEO:
The CEO, or should I say She-E-O, Rachel Apfel Glass is an alumni of both Cornell and Columbia. After graduating from Columbia business school, she went into venture capital. While working her full time job, she was hustling on the side to raise capital for her own company. Through her venture, she was able to raise $3 million dollars in seed funding. Currently they have salons in West Village, Tribeca, and Flatiron, but they are about to expand to four new locations.