Safety Nails: The polish that saves lives Ways to organise polishes

Back in 2014, there was talk of a safety nail polish that would soon hit the streets. The safety element came from the fact that the polish would change colour if it came in contact with date rape drugs such as GBH and Rohypnol.

Undercover colours

According to research found on the company’s site, one in six women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. A poll carried out by ITV in England found that one in 10 people have had their drinks spiked at parties or bars. These numbers therefore label the rape culture as an ‘epidemic’ and solutions to the problem tend to suggest education is the best route.

With the safety nail polishes announced, a girl would only have to stir her finger through her drink and the polish would change colour with the presence of common date rape drugs.

The idea received plenty of opinionated keyboard warriors tapping away their views on the product and some weren’t necessarily positive. Many took the approach that we should be working to stop rape as a whole, whilst others thought the idea discriminated against men who need the protection as much as women. Assessors also honed in on the fact that not all rape and sexual assault happens in bars, nor does it always require drugs. However, the scholars were unlikely to think their product was the end of the culture entirely, but they did want to help in their own way. So they kept inventing.

Almost three years later, the 4 male engineers from North Carolina State University are ready to launch their Undercover Colors line, thanks to the huge amounts of funding they’ve received from their supporters.

Whilst there are already products and technology that can test drinks for you, the guys wanted to produce something that was easy to store and use in someone’s everyday routine. They combined classic cosmetic product theories with modern chemistry to create the polish that will fit nicely into any girl’s usual beauty regime.

The company is currently working with a small tech business – Pd.Id – that creates technology to detect date rape drugs. With this in place, Undercover Colors are now working harder than ever to raise the funds they need to set out their prototypes. So far, the company has had $5.5million worth of interest and are planning to launch their products in 2017.

Would you use the Undercover Polishes, and how can they affect your beauty business? Safety of clients is certainly something to consider when creating a business and offering products to people from all backgrounds. Perhaps adding the polishes to your nail lists will enable clients to opt for the safety varnishes, or topping up their colour with a clear safety polish can give them the subtle safety they’re looking for.