With approximately 115000 commercial aircrafts taking flight every single day, carrying 10million to 22million passengers globally, the terminals have now transformed into high potential retail zones, where affluence converges with ample waiting times resulting in dopamine-dipped impulse purchases.
Essie, the USA based global nail polish giant, identified the budding trend of on-the-go beauty solutions, and brought the brilliance of runway nails to the boarding gates with ‘Essie Colour Boutique’ vending machines, back in 2014.
Founded in 1981 by Essie Weingarten with only $10,000 of her personal savings, Essie’s nail paints featured in about 10,000 salons, all within the first year of its launch. As of 2025, the brand is widely recognized in 107 nations, with over 25,000 salons in the USA itself.
The purpose of the Essie Vending machine launch at key airports like the Jet Blue Terminal in New York’s JFK and Oakland International Airport, was not just to grow their nail paint sales; but to align with their mission to ‘connect the world through colours and its infinite story telling possibilities’.
The Concept Behind Essie Vending Machines
Essie’s vending machines are compact kiosks equipped with touchscreen interfaces, carrying a curated mix of 48 classic shades and seasonal favorites that are updated every 4 months. The idea was born from a rising need for convenient, self-service beauty solutions.
With roughly 52% of beauty shoppers saying, they prefer speed and ease over conventional and often time-consuming in-store consultations especially during travel, Essie’s airport beauty kiosks are built for impulse, independence and immediacy. A swipe, a tap; and you’ve got a runway-ready shade.
A swipe and a tap is all it takes to iconic runway-ready shades like Ballet Slippers, Rock-the-Runway and Chinchilli, as well as classics like Baby’s Breath, Blanc and Bordeaux, that have been charming nail enthusiasts since 1981.
The Rise of Airport Beauty Kiosks
Travel retail was valued at $72.51 Billion (USD) in 2025, and projected to touch $145.46 Billion (USD) by 2032 making it one of the fastest growing sectors with immense possibilities for with beauty & cosmetics, that make up nearly 30% of total airport retail sales. On-the-go beauty solutions through smart vending is growing simultaneously with airports leading the charge.
Airports like JFK, LAX, and Heathrow are evolving into ‘aerotropolises’, that are mini shopping cities with premium beauty experiences. For Essie’s nail polish vending, this environment is ideal owing to,
- High footfall: Millions of travelers pass through terminals daily
- Long dwell times: Travelers spend 1 to 2 hours on average before flights
- Emotion-driven purchases: Last-minute self-care before meetings, weddings or vacations
Essie’s kiosks cater to flyers who want a quick fix with luxe products to share on social media, sometimes as iconic finds.
Features of the Smart Essie Kiosks
Essie’s vending machines are sleek, colourful and digitally fortified. Some of the key features of these kiosks that millennial and GenZ shoppers have highlighted include,
- Large Touchscreen displays for easy browsing of collections
- 48 curated shades including limited editions and seasonal picks
- Multiple payment modes including contactless cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay
- Replenishment tracking to keep shelves stocked in real time
What makes these nail polish vending kiosks special is that they’re frictionless, fast and fun.
Why On-the-Go Beauty Is Gaining Popularity
Travelers these days, irrespective of demographics, seek effortless convenience and self-care. According to a beauty survey, 67% of Gen Z and Millennial consumers value beauty products that are instant, portable and tech-friendly.
Essie taps directly into this with
- Touch-and-go beauty for nail emergencies or spontaneous polish
- Self-serve appeal for introverted or solo travelers
- Zero setup; just paint and go, no salon chair required
At the same time, airport beauty kiosks let customers stay in full control of their purchase experience; a key appeal in today’s DIY-driven world.
Customer Reactions & Real-World Usage
Essie’s vending machines have earned enthusiastic traction both online and offline. Social platforms like TikTok and Instagram have featured posts with captions like, “Essie saved my nails before a wedding in Barcelona!”; “Forgot polish, found Essie. My airport MVP.”
Customers have appreciated these nail polish vending machines for their frictionless convenience and fun aspect that gets better with AR powered virtual try-ons, especially in the occasion of pre-interview prep, vacation touch-ups, in-flight self-care, or even gifting en route.
According to internal reports, these kiosks have shown 30% (approx.) repeat user interest in airports like JFK Terminal 4, LAX Terminal 5 and DFW Terminal C, with top-selling shades like Ballet Slippers, Mademoiselle and Wicked.
The Future of Nail Polish Vending and Airport Retail
The potential for growth is high. Experts project that on-the-go beauty solutions through smart vending in non-traditional retail spaces like airports, train stations, hotels etc. will grow significantly, by as much as 22% or more, owing to steep demand for easily accessible and shareable purchase experiences.
Essie’s airport beauty kiosks are already exploring:
- AI-based shade suggestions via digital skin-tone analysis
- Loyalty rewards via QR codes or L’Oréal apps, and
- Geo-targeted promotions based on flight destinations or events
Final Thoughts – Beauty at 30,000 Feet and Soaring
Essie’s vending machines are a clever, consumer-centric move in a world that values speed, beauty and tech-enabled purchase freedom.
By meeting customers that are always on the move, Essie is rewriting the beauty playbook; no appointments, no counters, no delays. Just timeless shades, tech-savvy kiosks, and memorable, shareable experiences.
As travel retail continues to evolve, airport beauty experiences are making luxury the new norm. And with brands like Essie leading the way, the nail polish vending trend is on an upward trajectory to set new standards.
Are you a beauty brand looking to expand your presence and image with ease and effectiveness? Reach Ogmento for functional and eye-catching smart beauty vending kiosks to create impressions that last.
