Bubble, Evereden and Petite ‘n Pretty have prioritized Gen Alpha when it comes to skincare or color cosmetics—but the leveled-up nail category is mostly uncharted territory. That’s when Le Mini Macaron cofounder and co-CEO Christina Kao recognized a gap in the market. She realized if the longstanding brand pivoted its target demographic, it could encounter even greater success.
Luckily for former couple Kao and business partner François-Xavier Humbert, the brand developed a strong foundation since launching in Shanghai shortly after the two started dating. Kao, a former marketing professional with global experience, and Humbert, a former purchasing manager in beauty, wasted no time setting their project apart from other nail entities on the market.
Built on easy, at-home gel manicures for the masses, Le Mini Macaron is characterized by a 1-step system with a photo-friendly mini LED lamp shaped like a macaron. Since launching in 2015 with the quintessential Instagram user in mind, the brand acquired a community of consumers they call their Chéries, whose core nail routine at home is based on Le Mini Macaron. The brand boasts 220,000 Instagram followers and 62,000 followers on TikTok.
Shoppable everywhere from Nordstrom and Ulta Beauty, to Target and Urban Outfitters, Le Mini Macaron celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. Introducing its first collection of traditional air-dry polishes called Le Sweet, the superfood-infused selection offers 28 shades of popping, high-performing pigment, from Matcha Latte neon green, to Mango vibrant orange. The selection also includes rich neutrals, ranging from Rose Buttercream to Espresso. Each polish is $10.
“While color and care polish lines exist, they simply aren’t ‘cool’ when you’re talking to the TikTok generation,” Kao explained for this article. “What I see out there tends to lean more functional or technical. We wanted to offer a good-for-you formula that will help care for your nails, but presented our Le Mini Macaron way—which is through vibrant, fun, trend-led shades and social storytelling. We’re not sacrificing the color story for the care story.”
While the new launches will specifically target the younger generation, the brand’s expansion isn’t limited to one demographic. From care, to color, to formulas, there’s essentially something for everyone.
“We felt it was time to transition from being a gel brand, to becoming a nail brand,” Kao said. “This line extension is major for us, and there were a few reasons for us to take this step. This is nail polish infused with superfoods, and we bring this to life through rich imagery and stunning graphics of blueberry, spinach and avocado. Through this storytelling, the entire line is inspirational, aspirational, joyful and just really cool. I think this is the heart of our brand. It comes through with the product and packaging design, but it also really comes to life when you look at our social media, video content and the creators we partner with.”
The ergonomic collection—which can last up to 9 days on nails with use of Le Sweet’s top coat—is designed with ease in every capacity. “We developed the signature macaron cap to be removable, which offers the option to paint with a tighter grip if desired, or you can keep the cap on for a wider grip,” Kao explained. “Also, the brush was specially designed to fit into the curve of the nail bed, making it much easier to apply the polish on both the dominant and non-dominant hand.”
Staying True to Le Mini Macaron’s Original Consumer
An avid gel lover herself, Kao is big on maintaining her gel manis for two to three weeks. But when she does give her nail beds a rest, she doesn’t want them looking bare.
“I still like to wear a bit of color,” she said. “It really made sense to bring classic nail polish into the range because this is a great option when you’re in between gel manicures. We realized in launching Le Sweet, it really comes down to being able to give our consumers more choice. If you're looking for an instant-dry, longer-lasting mani, you’ve got our gel polish. If you’re looking for a simple application, no extra tools, and quick and easy removal, you now have Le Sweet.”
In addition, she added, “We tend to get compliments from media and influencers about our gel colors, and how they’re so vibrant, fun and on-trend. We wanted to make these shades available in classic polish. At the end of the day, there are many people who just won’t do gel. We want to reach them, too. This is also about being more inclusive.”
How Will Le Sweet Resonate With Gen Alpha, Specifically?
According to an industry report, 53% of U.S. social media users age 12 to 14 say they’re interested in interacting with beauty brands online. The same demographic is spending nearly $300 a year on makeup, skincare and fragrances.
As we’ve seen with brands like Drunk Elephant—which notoriously caused commotion among the youngest generation—beauty products are today, what baseball cards and POGs were to millennials and Gen X.
Following a market research dive into Gen Alpha and the beauty and personal care market, “It’s clear that [beauty] products satisfy a young person’s desire to be part of a creative and exciting digital community,” explained Jodi Katz, CEO and founder of Base Beauty Creative Agency. “It also proves that this cohort has a huge appetite for ‘collecting.’ Many of these products aren’t even being used, they are to be admired. The same needs are being satisfied by the trend of tween boys purchasing expensive fragrances.”
The issue with this seemingly wholesome hobby has been that these products can actually be detrimental to the young people consuming them. Realistically, what business does a Protini Polypeptide Cream or A-Passioni Retinol Cream have sitting on an 11-year-old’s counter? And, who can disregard the hefty price tags?
“Advanced skincare products are expensive and not safe for young skin,” Katz said. “The nail category offers young people a way into the dynamic and exciting world of beauty that’s literally at their fingertips. It’s affordable, easy to access, collectable, creative and community-driven."
Kao recognizes the access the youngest generation has to information she and her peers didn’t have as youths.
“Gen A has grown up digitally native, and they’re highly exposed to beauty tutorials and product reviews on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube,” Kao explained. “They may not have in-depth knowledge of product formulations yet, but they’re really aware of clean beauty trends due to social media, and also the influence of their parents. I think our Le Sweet ingredient story and good-for-you formula will speak to both them and their parents.”
Ultimately, it’s a wise business decision to stay on top of a generation that’s only rising in impact.
“Our retail partners talk to us a lot about Gen A, so it was natural for us to think about how to speak to them,” Kao said. “This generation is so hungry to play with color. They really want to emulate what the older generations are interacting with. We really feel our Le Sweet line is a great entry point for them into the brand, but then later they can incorporate the gel manicure sets and various nail art accessories into their beauty routine, too.”
In terms of strategic marketing, the brand began testing Gen A influencers for the first time in Sept. 2024, with Ella Garcia (@EllaGLife) as its first trial. The creator’s YouTube short, which capitalizes on the “balletcore” trend, garnered 412,000 views in just one month.
Additionally, the Le Sweet PR box offers a rebrand from Le Mini Macaron’s past mailers. “With its unique design, we’re leaning on this item for ‘scroll breakthrough’ on Instagram and TikTok to help garner earned social awareness,” Kao said.
The cofounder feels so passionate about the new development that she’s also bringing in marketing by way of her own LinkedIn and Instagram accounts to share business angles on the launch. But that’s not all, as the innovator teases an “incredible collab” with a hyper-growth beverage brand. “We’re so excited about this,” she said. “Stay tuned!”
