International Bird Rescue and Dimension Nails have launched a line of four limited-edition vegan nail polishes named after birds that hold special meaning to Bird Rescue: Blue-banded Pelican, Western Grebe, Elegant Tern, and Bufflehead. For every bottle purchased, $1 goes toward Bird Rescue’s efforts in saving waterbirds in crisis.
Wearing nail polish is a small, yet impactful way to express individuality and can draw attention effortlessly. Whether it’s the flash of color as hands gesture, the sparkle when catching the light, or the contrast against clothing, compliments or inquiries about the polish is a common occurrence. When that color holds significance, small talk can blossom into a meaningful conversation that may have never occurred otherwise. By collaborating with Dimension Nails, Bird Rescue hopes to spark more conversations about bird conservation.
Dimension Nails, co-founded by Stephanie Warren and her father Phillip Warren, aims to add new dimensions in the nail industry by incorporating health-conscious 10+ free formulas, a love for animals through their products, and providing education about veganism with activism at the core, according to their website.
Before producing polish, Stephanie aspired to be a veterinarian. She worked in veterinary hospitals and volunteered at a zoo. Now, her work allows her to combine two passions: her creativity and her compassion for animals. Dimension Nails has an array of collections that represent different habitats and polishes named after wildlife that reside there – from the Arctic to the Mojave Desert. Many of these collections give back to organizations working to save wildlife.
“Anytime I look at collabs, the most important thing is to make sure our values align. After looking into what International Bird Rescue does, I thought we would make a great fit,” Stephanie said in an interview. “Not only did I find the staff members I interacted with to be so kind, the release videos warmed my heart. I knew this collab was perfect for us, and it would also give customers a chance to help this wonderful cause.”
The Bird Rescue nail polish collection is available for purchase on the Dimension Nails website.
From Feathers to Fingertips
Blue-banded Pelican
Blue-banded Pelican polish is a rich medium tone blue crème that is identical to the color of the blue bands of rehabilitated Brown Pelicans released from Bird Rescue. Pelicans are brought in for care for a variety of reasons, from oil spills and food shortages to fishing gear-related injuries. Since 2009, all released Brown Pelican patients are banded with special, highly readable blue bands to aid in sighting and reporting. Reports on these blue-banded pelicans enable us to gather data on returning patients, live sightings, breeding success, travel patterns, and life span. Check out one of our pelican success stories here.
Western Grebe
Western Grebe polish is a bright red sheer jelly, which matches perfectly with the birds’ striking bright red eyes. Western Grebes spend almost their entire lives on the water, building floating nests and carrying their young on their backs. These grebes are common patients at Bird Rescue and come into care due to oil spills, starvation, and a wide range of injuries. They were the favorite species of Bird Rescue’s founder, Alice Berkner. In her honor, we celebrate “Western Grebe Day” every year on her birthday, March 12.
Elegant Tern
Elegant Tern polish is a sheer nude with a white shimmer throughout, similar to the beautiful rosy-pink feathers that develop on their undersides during breeding season. In 2021, Bird Rescue saved thousands of Elegant Tern chicks from drowning after their colony relocated to a hazardous nesting area on a barge. Bird Rescue worked tirelessly alongside partner organizations to rescue, rehabilitate, and release hundreds of these terns. Bird Rescue now leads a multi-organizational task force working to conserve tern species that utilize Southern California ports as critical habitats.
Bufflehead
Bufflehead polish is a deep purple with a green shift. At first glance, male Buffleheads appear to be black and white, but when the light catches just right, the black feathers show a glint of purple, green, and blue. Diving ducks like Buffleheads often come into care during the wintertime for a variety of reasons including storms and predator attacks. Keeping wetland habitats clean and pollutant-free is important for the survival of these beautiful and unique ducks.
