The Business Behind Sonakshi Sinha’s Nail Brand
Brand: SOEZI
Co-founders: Sonakshi Sinha & Srishti Raai
Started: May 2022
Category: Press-on nails & nail care
Business model: Digital-first / D2C, later expanding into offline retail
How did SOEZI start?
SOEZI was created after Srishti Raai discovered press-on nails during a trip to the US. When she looked for similar products in India, she felt that the quality and options available were not good enough.
She started working on product development and eventually approached Sonakshi Sinha to try the nails.
Sonakshi liked the product and became involved in building the brand.
The company officially launched SOEZI in May 2022.
What problem did SOEZI solve?
Getting professional nail extensions or nail art at a salon can be:
- Expensive
- Time-consuming
- Difficult to maintain
- Inconvenient for frequent changes
SOEZI offered a simpler alternative:
Press-on nails that women could apply themselves at home.
The idea was to make stylish nails quick, convenient and more accessible.
SOEZI’s Business Strategy
1. Celebrity + Entrepreneur Partnership
Sonakshi wasn’t positioned merely as a celebrity ambassador.
She became a co-founder.
This gave SOEZI:
- Celebrity visibility
- Social-media reach
- Fashion credibility
- Product awareness
- Strong launch publicity
At the same time, Srishti brought the entrepreneurial and business side.
2. Educating the Market
One of the biggest challenges was that many Indian consumers were unfamiliar with press-on nails.
So SOEZI had to explain:
- What press-on nails are
- How to apply them
- How to remove them
- How they look
- How they can be used for different occasions
This made consumer education a major part of the marketing strategy.
3. Affordable Premium Positioning
SOEZI aimed for a premium-looking product without making it extremely expensive.
Some products started at around ₹249, while larger kits could cost more.
This created an easy entry point for customers who wanted to try press-on nails for the first time.
4. Social-Media-Friendly Product
Nails are highly visual.
That makes the category ideal for:
- Instagram Reels
- Beauty influencers
- Before/after videos
- Tutorials
- Celebrity content
- User-generated content
Sonakshi’s own social-media presence gave the brand an additional marketing advantage.
5. D2C → Offline Expansion
SOEZI initially focused heavily on digital sales.
As the brand grew, it started moving into offline retail and kiosks so customers could physically see and purchase the products.
The strategy became:
Online discovery → Social media → D2C purchase → Marketplace → Offline retail
SOEZI’s Growth Formula
Celebrity credibility
↓
Identify a real problem
↓
Create an easy DIY solution
↓
Affordable pricing
↓
Social-media marketing
↓
Educate consumers
↓
D2C & marketplaces
↓
Offline retail expansion
↓
Expand into wider nail-care products
Biggest Business Lesson
SOEZI’s success isn’t simply because “Sonakshi Sinha started a nail brand.”
The stronger strategy was:
Celebrity trust + a real consumer problem + an easy-to-use product + affordable pricing + strong visual marketing + consumer education.
