Mother's Day gift guide

Hello and once again, happy Friday to you all!

Shown Above (l-r): 113-Pearl, 103-Nude, 122-Lilac, 116-Orchid Pink, 124-Violet, 106-Cobalt Blue.

With Mother's Day now just over two weeks away (Sunday 15th March), it's really time to step the gift ideas up a notch and get shopping before it's too late.

Here at Vivien Kondor, we have a huge range of gorgeous individual nail polish colours and gift sets that we feel would be the perfect gift to allow mothers to give themselves a little pamper this Mother's Day. 

If you (or your mother, for that matter) are bored of the pretty average flowers or chocolates choice you're faced with every year, this might be the perfect opportunity to try something new.

Below we have carefully chosen six of our polishes that we feel are ideal for a Mother's Day gift. But don't forget, we have 42 nail colours in our current collection, so don't take our word for it... Have a browse of our brand new website or check our products out on Amazon.

Remember that right up until Mother's Day absolutely all Vivien Kondor products are on sale in the Amazon store, so there really is no better time to treat yourself or your mother to some Vivien Kondor treats!

113 - Pearl:

Pearl really is exactly that, an elegant pearly white. This is a very sophisticated colour, and much more understated that a bright white.

Shown above is two coats of 113-Pearl with one coat of 101-Top Coat, Base Coat & Hardener.

103 - Nude:

Nude is the perfect colour for 'barely there' nails. If you can't bare the thought of going without nail polish but don't want a colour that stands out too much Nude is the one for you. We think this is just right for professional, understated work nails.

Shown above is three thin coats of 103-Nude with one coat of 101-Top Coat, Base Coat & Hardener.

122 - Lilac:

A pretty, feminine pink, Lilac is a gorgeous colour for spring time and will go with almost anything! If you're looking for something girly that is not too overpowering in colour, you may have just found it in Lilac.

Shown above is two coats of 122-Lilac with one coat of 101-Top Coat, Base Coat & Hardener.

116 - Orchid Pink:

Orchid Pink is quite possibly one of the classiest colours in our current collection. This pretty pink is stylish whilst remaining elegant and sophisticated. This is one of our top picks for Mother's Day nail colours!

Shown above is two coats of 116-Orchid Pink with one coat of 101-Top Coat, Base Coat & Hardener.

124 - Violet:

Violet is one of our more unique colours, and we love it here at VKHQ. It does photograph to look much more pink than it is to the naked eye. This polish combines tones of purple, pink and blue and catches the light beautifully as you move. We have received many complements about this shade already, so this colour comes highly recommended!

Show above is two coats of 124-Violet with one coat of 101-Top Coat, Base Coat & Hardener.

106 - Cobalt Blue:

Cobalt Blue is a classic royal blue that can be worn as a fun polish or as part of a more sophisticated look. This colour is perfect all year round and was one of the hottest colours of the A/W 2014 season!

Shown above is two coats of 106-Cobalt Blue with one coat of 101-Top Coat, Base Coat & Hardener.

Shown above (starting at the top and working clockwise):113-Pearl, 103-Nude, 122-Lilac, 116-Orchid Pink, 124-Violet, 106-Cobalt Blue.

Don't forget, if you want to give something extra special this Mother's Day, we have eight gift sets of three, six and nine polishes available on our website and on Amazon.

Our gift sets are beautifully packaged and make the ideal gift!

Photo Credit: La Chic Boutique

Remember that absolutely all products including our gift sets are currently on sale on the Amazon store, see for yourself here.

There has never been a better time to purchase Vivien Kondor products, so go ahead and make your mother proud!

We would love to see your choices of gifts and generally hear feedback and comments about our products, get in touch on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and don't forget to hashtag #vivienkondor.

Have a wonderful weekend - and happy shopping!

The Vivien Kondor London Team

Do good things really come to those who wait? Lauching a new brand into the cosmetics industry

Hello!

Another week is drawing to an end - has anybody else noticed the days gradually getting longer? It's making us really excited for Spring.

As another year begins to get comfortable, it's gotten us thinking about how far Vivien Kondor London has come, about where we want to be and how realistic and achievable our goals as a brand are.

Spring is the best time of the year for a fresh take on things, and a great time to think about where it is you are going. The madness of Christmas and New Year are over, and you are beginning to settle back into a routine and accept the arrival of a new year. What better time to reflect and set yourself new goals then the arrival of springtime?

We all know that nothing really worth achieving comes easy. It is a lesson that parents, siblings, grandparents and teachers alike have drilled into us our whole lives. Fitness goals, academic goals, working towards a promotion at work, working on building friendships and relationships... the list goes on. These are all perfectly reasonable and manageable goals, but they all require a significant amount of work. It is unreasonable to sit back and expect things to happen around you as you wait patiently. We've all heard the saying 'good things come to those who wait', but when we're chasing dreams, does that really cut it?

The cosmetics industry is competitive and over-crowded, with new brands emerging regularly and trying to fight their way through the competition and up to the top level with the established brands.

The 'big names' dominate, and hog the attention of customers, leaving very little opportunity for new brands to be heard. Nobody wants to waste money on products that will not last or they will not enjoy, therefore people find comfort in the familiar, remaining with brands and products that they are either already using or are already aware of (be it from advertising or a recommendation they have seen online or heard from a friend). 

It is absolutely crucial here, to bear in mind that the dominating brands are those that have earned their right to be where they are. All cosmetics brands started in the same place, and we have all had to gradually climb up the ladder, gaining and losing customers on a regular basis and learning from mistakes made at the beginning.

Those that seem to receive the most attention from the public, do so because people know who they are as a brand; they are recognisable. Whether the brand has done this due to many years gaining a reputation, or one genius marketing campaign that launched them into the mainstream, is irrelevant. Once a customer recognises a brand or product, there is no way they are going to be the only one out of their friendship group who hasn't tried it.

It is crucial when launching into the cosmetics market to be prepared to face criticism. This is true of almost any situation that involves trying something new. 

With billions of people on the planet, you've got absolutely no chance of pleasing every single one of them. Don't focus on that. Take criticism well and learn from it, but take it as a good sign when you find somebody who likes your products. It only takes one good review for other people to gain interest.

Lack-of-interest and a slow start is almost inevitable. If you're expecting to launch a brand and be the top seller on Amazon in a fortnight, you're going to be disappointed.

In terms of blogging, social media outreach and general word-of-month, it is most definitely about quality, rather than quantity. The volume of people you reach out to is not so important. It goes without saying to reach out and speak to as many people as possible, there is absolutely nothing bad about getting your name around, however it is much better to reach 10 people who are actually interested in your brand, your products and what you have to say, rather than 100 who really aren't interested or even listening to you.

Although it is important to recognise that the quantity of people you are reaching out too means nothing if they are not the people you need to be targeting, the way you are searching for and approaching possible interest is something to think about.

Explore every avenue available to you; social media, blogs, exhibitions, seminars. Go to as many meetings as you can cram into your day and meet as many people as possible.

It is extremely important to not just talk to people. Particularly talking at people. Don't constantly attempt to force your products, your ideas or your views onto them. Say what you have to say, but don't overdo it.

Remember to listen. Really listen to what another person has to say. Paying attention will go a really long way, you never know how useful it will be one day that you paid attention to what breed their family dog is. It is always a positive you will notice in somebody else, that they paid attention to you, so why not do it yourself?

Possibly the most important and easiest thing to do when launching a new brand or starting a new business; always reply. Emails, texts, missed calls with or without voice mail messages - reply to them all. Always get back to the people who have tried to get hold of you - not only is it common courtesy (and you wouldn't want your parents to know you were being impolite would you?), you never know what opportunity could arise from taking five minutes between meetings to to return somebody's call.

When you really begin to think about it, there are a million situations where you could quite easily take a step back and hope things will happen if you think about them for long enough, but is that really what you want? Do you want to leave it to fate or do you want to be able to say that you really worked hard in order to achieve something? 

There are probably some times where it is best to not make a move and to stay where you are. And surely the saying 'good things come to those who wait' didn't spring from thin air, there will be a reason behind it.

That being said, we don't really like waiting around at Vivien Kondor London, we dream huge dreams and we run after them as fast as we can, good things have come to us and we certainly didn't wait around for them.

Photo credit: La Chic Boutique

We're very interested in this topic here at VKHQ, and we have been discussing our views all week. 

What do you think, do good things come to those who wait or do you have to go out and chase them? What experiences have you been through and how have they helped to shape your opinion of this?

We'd love to know what you think, don't forget you can reach us by heading to our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages. And in the meantime, have a great weekend!

Love,

The Vivien Kondor London Team

Valentine's nailspiration and special announcement

Hello and happy Friday to you all - hopefully your Friday 13th hasn't been an unlucky one!

Only one day to go until the day that is either loved or loathed arrives - Valentines day.

Unfortunately for you anti-valentiner's out there, we're really feeling the love here at Vivien Kondor London this year, and we wanted to show some of our favourite colours for February 14th.

... Cupid would be proud!

Starting at the top right and moving clockwise: 136-Red Glitter, 118-Rose Pink, 115-Crimson, 111-Shiny Maroon, 122-Lilac and 109-Blood Red.

We have hand-picked six of our favourite colours for this years day of declarations of love, some classic and expected, and others a little different in order to spice things up.

122 - Lilac:

A classic nail colour with a twist. Lilac is a delicate baby-pink with hints of light, lilac purple. Cute, girly and pretty, this is our pick for first date nails!

Perfect for: a casual day-date.

118 - Rose Pink:

Rose Pink is the ultimate Valentine's pink nail. Bright, hot and deliciously pink, there is no way you are blending into the background with this colour!

Perfect for: making a statement at an evening meal.

115 - Crimson:

Crimson is one of our more experimental colours, and we really do feel it's paid off. A gorgeous and unique blend of reds, purples and pink, crimson will catch the light every time you move and is perfect if you are looking for something a little different for your nails this V day.

Perfect for: adding a little extra to a simple outfit.

136 - Red Glitter:

As you know, we love a little bit of glitter here at VKHQ, and there is no chance we'd let this day pass without incorporating some sparkle somewhere! Keeping it classic and romantic with a deep red base, Red Glitter builds up beautifully to create full coverage with just the right amount of sparkle.

Perfect for: evening drinks in a fancy bar.

111 - Shiny Maroon:

Not really into the whole valentine thing but have a date tomorrow? Shiny Maroon is for you. Keeping with the romantic theme this red, shiny polish has a gentle dusting of shimmer that catches the light, however the deeper shade gives this a much more mysterious feel.

Perfect for: completing an edgier valentine's look or seeing some live music in a local venue.

109 - Blood Red:

How could we have possibly written a Valentine's nail polish guide without including the timeless classic that is Blood Red? Classy, sophisticated yet sexy and absolutely perfect for Valentines Day, a classic red nail needs no explanation.

Perfect for: absolutely any Valentine's situation - you cannot possibly go wrong with a staple red nail!

All swatches shown above were painted with two coats of Vivien Kondor polish and one coat of 101-Top Coat, Base Coat & Hardener (except for 136-Red Glitter, this was painted with three coats of polish for full glitter coverage and one coat of 101-Top Coat, Base Coat & Hardener).

When we say we're feeling the love here at VKHQ - we really mean it! 

In honour of Valentine's Day and Mothers Day in March we are having a HUGE month long sale on Amazon.

Absolutely all products have been reduced - there is no better time than now to treat yourself to some Vivien Kondor goodies!

Sale prices are as follows:

Individual Polishes: £1.49

3x Polish Gift Set: £6.49

6x Nail Polish Gift Set: £12.49

9x Nail Polish Gift Set: £18.49.

Aren't we good to you...!?

Have a great Valentine's Day and a wonderful weekend to you all!

Love,

The Vivien Kondor London Team

Spring Fair International 2015

Another Friday has come around - the first in February; so don't worry, the first miserable four(ish) weeks of the year are over and done with, and Spring is well and truly on the horizon!

To welcome in Spring, and a new year of buying, product launches and openings of new retail outlets, the i2i Events Group present Spring Fair International - an exhibition aimed at anybody who wants to see what the retail and distribution sectors have to offer - at the beginning of each year, and this year was no different.

This was Elegance by London's (owners of Vivien Kondor London) first time at Spring Fair International, so with great excitement and enthusiasm, we loaded up the car (and a van... we had a lot of stuff) and headed up to Birmingham to set up camp at the NEC for the next six days.

This was a fantastic opportunity for us to show off our brand-spanking-new products.

We took with us all 42 nail polishes from our current collection, our nail polish remover in all four colours, and all 8 of our gift set collections.

(All of which are available on Amazon - check it out here.)

We have had some wonderful feedback from the general public, be it bloggers, social media followers or family and friends, but we were very intrigued to see how Vivien Kondor London would be received by retailers and wholesalers alike.

If these people liked our products (which of course we were hoping they did) that would be the first step towards being stocked in physical stores and allowing us to reach out to more people and broaden our market and horizons.

Thankfully for us, the products were received very well. 

People loved the packaging; and the logo and gift sets were also a huge hit.

Phew - what a relief!

The next step for us is to keep in contact with the people that we met at Spring Fair International, build professional relationships and send our products out to see how well they sell!

This is such an exciting time for Vivien Kondor London, and we are so honoured to have been received so well after only launching our first collection in November - go us!

We are so happy that we decided to participate in Spring Fair International this year. It is a fantastic place to meet people, show off your products and find out first hand how the retail market is shaping up for the next year.

There are demonstrations, free samples, business-building tips and seminars and hall after hall of companies and brands exhibiting their products proudly - it really does make for an eye-opening day even if you're only going for a bit of a wander round!

We are sure to be back at Spring Fair International next year, but for now we only have a small amount of time to prepare for our next exhibition - Cosmoprof in Bologna, Italy!

We are hugely excited to be taking Vivien Kondor London oversees for one of the biggest cosmetics exhibitions around, and Spring Fair International was the best place for us to test the water in preparation for jetting off in March.

2015 is shaping up to be an amazing year for Vivien Kondor London.

We can't wait to see where we'll go and how we'll be received.

Keep an eye out for new product releases and exhibition news on our social media sites below, we want you to be there at every stage with us - without you we wouldn't be able to do what we're doing.

Twitter - Facebook - Instagram

A HUGE thank-you to each and everyone of you.

Have a great weekend!

Love, 

The Vivien Kondor London Team