In June 2022, The New York Times reported that #BookTok, a phenomenon on TikTok, had helped authors sell 20 million printed books in 2021. Of course, TikTok is also known for its great influence on the beauty industry, in nearly every category. On TikTok, the two worlds have long intersected, mainly through readers matching their manis to their latest reads. According to Spate, the hashtag #booktok, when paired with a hashtag related to nail art, has 42.2 million total views. Meanwhile, the hashtag #NailsOfTikTok has 7 billion total views, with 156 million in the last 30 days; #NailTok has 8 billion views, with 139 million in the last 30 days; and #BookTok has 232 billion total views, with 3 billion views in the last 30 days.
On Wednesday, Olive & June launched a collaboration with author Colleen Hoover, whose novels outsold the bible in 2022. They include “It Starts With Us,” “It Ends With Us” and “Verity,” to name just a few. She has, at times, held six of the top 10 spots on the fiction bestseller list. The product collaboration encompasses eight nail polishes, 17 new press-on styles and three versions of the brand’s newest offering, its tab press-ons. Outside of the brand’s e-commerce site, the collection will be exclusive to Target. Hoover is Target’s bestselling author — her novel “It Ends With Us” has sold over 1 million copies at the retailer in two years.
The collaboration came about organically, said Sarah Gibson Tuttle, founder and CEO of Olive & June. She noted that, long before she connected with Hoover, Olive & June was frequently tagged in posts alongside books, including Hoover’s many popular novels.
Hoover discovered Olive & June organically, at Target, Gibson Tuttle said. She eventually posted about the brand on her Instagram stories. Olive & June then made a TikTok about Hoover’s post in February 2023, in which it paired its existing shades to Hoover’s book covers. “I screamed out loud when I found out about [the post] because I’m a huge reader and I love Colleen’s books,” Gibson Tuttle said. And then we started DMing and talking. … We talked about our communities, and it was clear [that both Hoover’s and Olive & June’s] consumer fanbases over-index on Gen Z. It felt like the perfect moment to create nail collections for her books, allowing [people to create] the ultimate book cover ‘nailfies.'” Gibson Tuttle said she immediately knew she wanted to pitch the partnership to Target.
For her part, Hoover first observed the book-manicure crossover trend on Instagram. “Creators on Instagram love to share aesthetic photos and stories of their books when they post book reviews. When holding up the books, their nails are generally in the shot. Naturally, most of us love it when our nails look good, so the matching mani trend started happening organically,” Hoover told Glossy. “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 [based on] a mutual love of manis and books, the trend grew. People tag both of us in photos showcasing their matching manis and books.”
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Hoover added, “Just as writing is a creative expression of mine, nail art and nails in general bring me that same sense of joy and excitement. I love when my nails are done and feel like a better version of myself when I look down at my nails and they are beautifully manicured.”
The collection was inspired by the covers of four of Hoover’s novels: “It Starts With Us,” “It Ends With Us,” “November 9” and “Heart Bones.” Some are more obvious representations, such as the Spinning Pinwheel press-ons which nod to the pinwheel on the cover of “Heart Bones.” Others are more based on color schemes. Gibson Tuttle said that the covers had to be translated into “a finish and a nail that people really want.”
Gibson Tuttle added, “How do you create [something] wearable, but also as literal as possible for Colleen’s true fans?”
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“I learned so much about the [product development] process, from color swatching, product formulation and packaging design to marketing execution,” Hoover said.
The collection’s endcap at Target features both Hoover’s novels and the nail products, allowing shoppers to bring the TikTok trend to life. It’s “highly disruptive and very visually pleasing,” Gibson Tuttle said of the display.
Olive & June has been thoughtful about its partnerships, Gibson Tuttle said. Its past partners include E.l.f. Beauty, Beats By Dre and TikToker Riley Hubatka. “We use partnerships to further the ability for everyone to see themselves in the brand, because our mission is beautiful nails for everyone,” Gibson Tuttle said. “We’ll only do a partnership if it’s authentic and it feels like we’re serving the customer in a very unique way that they would be excited about. You can see that through the diversity of partnerships we’ve chosen. … It can’t just be, ‘We’re gonna pay you to talk about Olive & June.'”
Of the marriage of nails and manicures, she said, “I think the elements of [lockdown life] that people want to continue are to read a ton and to continue to take care of your nails in a way that you have ownership over.”
To celebrate the collaboration, Olive & June will host its largest-ever event, dubbed “Mani-Fest,” in Dallas on March 4. Tickets for the consumer-facing event, held at The Statler, a Hilton hotel, will cost $30. Hoover and Gibson Tuttle will both be at the event which will also feature aura readings, vision boarding, bouquet building and a BookTok panel.
Spate Trend Watch: Geode nails are exploding on TikTok
Geode nails — or nail art inspired by gorgeous geodes — have emerged as a TikTok trend, amassing over 231,000 average weekly views, marking a month-over-month increase of nearly 1,400%.
Enthusiasts are learning from tutorials demonstrating the step-by-step process of creating geode nail art. The allure lies in the creativity showcased, with creators experimenting to achieve a multidimensional and crystalline effect.
Several videos offer tutorials for crafting amethyst geode nails. The color palette includes delicate pinks, vivid blues and regal purples, mirroring the natural hues found in geodes. The top videos highlight intricate designs, such as purple amethyst geode nails.
“The surge in tutorial interest underscores a consumer longing for at-home beauty solutions — be it personal interest, [the desire to] learn new techniques or the convenience of DIY. In response, brands can play a role by offering products that streamline DIY nail designs. They can also extend expert guidance through virtual tutorials, empowering individuals to effortlessly bring the salon experience into the comfort of their homes,” said Yarden Horwitz, co-founder of Spate.
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