UN/DN Laqr

"I don't like to just stop at clothes when it comes to expressing who I am. Nail polish serves as a true vessel of self-expression—I can express myself one way today and do it all again tomorrow with something different. When I do my nails, that's me wearing my own thoughts and making a statement. To me, polish is not just a color, it's an intention. Every color has a purpose."

UN/DN Laqr (stylized in all caps, pronounced Undone Lacquer) is a nail polish brand founded by Machine Gun Kelly, in partnership with beauty brand incubator, Unlisted Brand Lab. In his vision, he wanted it to be "accessible" for everyone, embracing inclusivity, and stripping away gender norms. In an interview with Allure, he reported, "Many of the men in Greek mythology were warriors or soldiers or gods who had used their strength, and then there was Cupid, who was poetic and beautiful. I wonder what a world of Cupids [would] look like instead of just people falling into what they think we have to be as 'men.'" Strength comes in how you honor your word, not what you literally can do with your hands. That's an art."

About
"Born from the creative mind and founded by Machine Gun Kelly, UN/DN LAQR champions self-expression. We know attitudes (and colors) can change almost daily and embrace this message through nail polish, a beauty category built on self-expression without commitment. UN/DN LAQR is here to create what creates a conversation." (Official website)

Background
The formula is 9-free (Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Toluene, Xylene, Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), Camphor, Parabens, Ethyl Tosylamide, Triphenyl Phosphate), cruelty-free (not been tested on animals), and certified vegan line (no animal ingredients). A chemist guessed the use of adipic acid, neopentyl glycol, and trimellitic anhydride copolymer.

Machine Gun Kelly wrote on Instagram of working on the line for quite some time, later saying it had taken a year to develop. He explained in a press release, "A lot of my music was for the introverts, for the people scared to be vulnerable. I know that a lot of people don't have the external courage to start conversations with people. I'm like that—I'm super shy when it comes to starting conversations. But when I went and got coffee, one of the first times when I actually had my nails done, I went to the counter and the guy was like, 'Wow, your nails are so beautiful.' It makes you want to be open to the conversation. You spend time taking care of yourself and paying attention to a detail and then somebody else appreciates that detail. [It's] for sure a social connection."

In an exclusive interview with W magazine, Baker told them he began experimenting with nail polish in middle school, during a "emo phase", where he painted his nails with Sharpie. He recalled his "craziest nail design" to be at the iHeart Awards, with "six-inch acryllics with chains hanging from them". What inspired him was, "Routines of self-care weren't common the way I grew up and for the men I saw. Self care puts you in a position to go about your day, being confident and having your head high. You have an idea of who you want to be that day. And that might be the day that you go out and make a life-changing decision or get a job that changes your life forever. Or put on a show that people don't forget. And if you're not doing that self-care, then you're an open source for anyone else's energy. You can become whatever they want you to be."

Candy Harris, founder and chief executive officer of Unlisted Brand Lab, stated, "It's been an honor to work with Machine Gun Kelly to transcend the nail polish category and foster a cultural shift that has been a long time coming. This is just the beginning, we are setting out to bring a new voice to beauty with a lifestyle brand that will spark a conversation well beyond the color drops."

His professional nail artist, Brittney Boyce, said the shade Mary Jane was her favorite: "Green is having a moment right now, and this polish in particular allows for so much creativity with the nail look, from a full color nail to a twist on a classic French manicure. However, I truly love all of the shades launched within the UN/DN range—with such a large variety, the possibilities for nail art and self expression are endless."

Website
The website was launched on December 2, 2021, featuring ten classic shades and five top coats. Colors are categorized in red, blue, pink, black, purple, gray, orange, green, and white. Taglines read: "Don't huff the paint", "Details matter, Perfection doesn't. Don't be precious, chip the paint", and "Self-expression starts here". Names include Bad Tendencies, 25 to Life (named by Megan Fox), Slippery When Wet (likely named after Bon Jovi's album), and Nothing (Matte)rs. There are also eight trio polish sets, and three essential kits that include six polishes and two nail art brushes.