LAS VEGAS, United States — A Florida‑based beauty‑tech startup is redefining manicures with technology that lets wearers change their nail colour on demand, eliminating the need for salon appointments or traditional nail polish.
At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 in Las Vegas, digital beauty brand iPolish unveiled a set of smart, colour‑changing press‑on nails capable of switching between more than 400 shades in as little as five seconds.
The demonstration brought a typically style‑focused innovation onto a stage usually dominated by electric vehicles, artificial intelligence and the latest in consumer electronics.
“When you wake up in the morning and you have a beige outfit for work, you change your colour of your nails to beige,” Lance Littell, iPolish’s Senior Vice President of Business Development, told Reuters on Thursday (January 8). “At night, you go out on a date, you have a red dress on, you change the colour of your nails to red. You can do that thousands of times over and over on‑demand whenever you want.”
The product is powered by electrophoretic nanopolymers, an advanced material technology similar to e‑ink used in digital readers, and is controlled via a smartphone app. Once set, the colour remains without further power, allowing users to maintain a chosen shade until the next change.
Trina Fine, a visitor at CES from Chicago, described the nails as a rare example of wearable technology with clear everyday relevance.
“It feels like it’s one of the first wearable tech pieces that I’ve seen have a real application,” she said.
“There’s so many different AI glasses, headsets, all these things that are amazing and cool but it’s not something that solves an everyday problem people have. This is something people love to do, but can’t because it’s too expensive or they don’t do it often because it is hard to go to a salon. So, being able to have a wearable tech that’s got a unique application is something I think is really innovative.”
Despite the excitement, some CES attendees expressed scepticism about the product’s durability in everyday life, questioning how the smart nails will withstand routine activities without damage.
Preorders for the $95 starter kit are now open, with shipments expected in summer 2026, notably around June.
The bundle includes two full sets of press‑on nails, an activation device, adhesive and nail preparation tools, and access to iPolish’s companion app. Individual replacement nails are anticipated to sell for around $6.50 each.
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The arrival of iPolish’s system at CES highlights a broader trend within consumer tech, the convergence of wearables and personal care products.
Analysts say that as materials and electronics shrink and become more efficient, beauty and fashion devices are increasingly adopting technologies first seen in computing and mobile communications.
Whether iPolish’s smart nails will become a mainstream alternative to salon manicures remains uncertain.
Long‑term performance outside controlled demos, customer adoption patterns and practical issues such as fit and durability will be key determinants.
Still, experts describe the concept as a striking example of how technology is redefining everyday personal style.
