Photography By Patrick Lanham

“I’ve been a stylist in the fashion industry for more than 25 years and color has always been something that I work with and around every day. And I’ve always been obsessed with nail polish color,” says Kathy Ferrara of K. Ferrara Color. 

That’s how Ferrara, 53, came up with her nail polish line– an easy fix to what she says women struggle with: choosing the right color. The choices are as simple as 12 colors, with only one option available in each shade.  

Ferrara says, “There’s so many neutrals, there’s so many reds, and these corporate women I work with and style would ask me all the time, ‘Well which do you like? What should I be wearing with this?’”

After about a year of researching and perfecting the color choices, Ferrara found a manufacturer in Los Angeles, CA. Together, they created a “5 free” formula, which means it’s free of the five most harmful chemicals in many polishes and cosmetics. And with help from local designer, Julie Heller, and packaging also done right here in St. Louis, K. Ferrara Color launched online last summer. Expect new colors this spring and maybe even a line for children next.

Pictured colors: "Evelyn" and "Kathryn"

“The [polish] names are women in my life who are strong, inspiring women, and a lot of those women are actually in my family. Ruth is my beautiful holiday color and that’s my grandmother’s name,” says Ferrara.