Cirque Colors

Overview

Cirque Colors produces non-toxic, vegan, and cruelty-free nail polishes featuring unique color formulations such as creme, glitter, holographic, metallic, and thermal finishes. The brand operates as a direct-to-consumer indie company in the nail art market, emphasizing hand-mixed pigments for distinctive shades beyond conventional palettes. It generates approximately $3 million in annual revenue and maintains a small team focused on high-performance products.¹²³

History

Cirque Colors was founded in 2012 by Annie Pham in Brooklyn, New York, to expand beyond the limited color options of traditional nail polish brands, with the name derived from 'cirque' meaning ring or circle, referencing the color wheel. The company has developed its range by hand-mixing personal color inspirations with unique pigments and raw materials. It remains an independent indie brand, releasing collections like the circus-inspired Cirque-Us line featuring Shimmergraphic formulas.¹²⁴⁶

Product Lines

Manufacturing

Products are designed and handcrafted in Brooklyn, New York. Manufacturing occurs in-house by hand-mixing pigments and raw materials.¹²

Notable Products

• Marionette - pastel pink Shimmergraphic with magenta pink-red-orange aurora shimmer and scattered holo.
• Showgirl - deep periwinkle blue Shimmergraphic with pink-green-gold aurora shimmer and scattered holo.
• Cirque-Us Collection Polishes - circus-themed shimmer + holographic formulas in various shifting shades.

Reputation

Cirque Colors is regarded by nail enthusiasts as a reliable indie brand for innovative, non-toxic polishes with unique colors and effects like aurora shimmers. Professionals note its high performance and vegan/cruelty-free status as strengths in the niche market. Some feedback highlights the small bottle size (11ml) as a potential drawback compared to larger industry standards.¹²⁶