Unlikely Start of Locally Based World-Renowned Nail Polish Maker Revealed

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — OPI is known around the world for thousands of its nail colors. How the company, based in North Hollywood, started manufacturing nail products may surprise you.

Suzi Weiss-Fischmann is the company's co-founder and brand ambassador, responsible for determining the many colors. (OPI prefers to call its polish "lacquer.")

She also leads the creative team that comes up with creative names, including the following:

"I'm Not Really a Waitress"
"Russian Navy"
"You Don't Know Jacques!"
"Show us Your Tips"
"Olive for Green"
"Gelato On My Mind"

"Colors that are trending now are at least two years in the decision making," Weiss-Fischmann said.

OPI started with 30 shades in 1981. Now, the empire makes thousands of shades and puts out more 120 million bottles of nail lacquer a year, shipping globally to more than 100 countries.

"OPI originally was a dental-supply company called Odontorium Products Incorporated. By accident, we realized how popular nail extensions were in the early '80s, and it's very similar chemistry to making dentures," Weiss-Fischmann noted.

"Blue would be the color that's trending - from the palest blue all the way to navy blue. I think it's a color that has real staying power," Weiss-Fischmann revealed. "Wearing nail lacquer today is really self-expressive. It empowers you. When you feel good, you look good. You feel empowered."

OPI recently celebrated its 35th anniversary as a family business. Employees get manicures for free.

Coty Inc., a global beauty products company based in New York, purchased OPI in 2010 for $1 billion cash, Bloomberg Business reported at the time.