It was in college when Theresa Williamson knew that owning her own nail polish line would be her fate. From that moment on, she focused on creating the now non-toxic brand, Polish and Co. Williamson chats with EBONY.com about her journey to becoming a Black beauty entrepreneur and her current nail trend obsessions! 

EBONY: How did you get your start in this industry? Where did the idea to own Polish and Co. come from?

Theresa Williamson: I’m a veteran in the nail care business and I’ve also been a licensed cosmetologist for the last 11 years. It started off with my four friends in college. We bought each other Christmas gifts and mine was a nail kit. I eventually started doing nails in college. I ended up going to cosmetology school, and 23 years later, I decided to do a nail polish line that was non-toxic.

EBONY: I’m obsessed with nail polish, and what I really liked about the product was that it’s so rich and creamy. The packaging is also so chic.

TW: Thank you! I wanted a bottle that was cute and not like any other brands. I wanted it to be different. Being in the nail industry, you see so many bottles over the years. I love that it’s flat and can fit in your makeup pouch easily.

EBONY: Is the brand going to be in retail stores any time soon?

TW: Right now, we’re focusing on the smaller boutiques and getting it out. But we are hoping to be in retail stores soon.

EBONY: What is a makeup item that you can’t live without?

TW: My faux eyelashes. I buy them by the bulk.

EBONY: What do you feel true Black beauty is?

TW: True Black beauty to me is pure. Almost like a woman with no makeup. She’s just pure, beautiful and natural. I live in North Carolina, so I see this a lot. And of course this is the new trend everywhere. It’s makeup, hair and maintenance.

EBONY: How do you feel about the booming trends of extreme nail art and designs?

TW: I really do like them all. The extreme nail art is not something I do all the time, because I do nails full time. I also service my customers in my salon full time, and to be honest, I just don’t have that customer requesting the extravagant nail art. Mostly because I deal with more of a professional market. But I love it when I see it in magazines. I actually started out doing a lot of those designs; it’s really just a trend coming back around.

EBONY: Speaking of your salon, can you tell readers the name and where they can find more information on your brand?

TW: Well, the website for the nail line is Polishandcompany.com. The name of my salon is Hints, and I’m located in Greensboro, North Carolina. We’d love for EBONY.com readers to stop by when they are in town!