In 2026, beauty consumers are well familiar with Black Honey’s story. Clinique first released the sheer, plummy lip shade in 1971. But in the TikTok age, new generations of beauty fans have rediscovered the Black Honey Almost Lipstick over and over again, leading the Estée Lauder-owned skin-care and makeup brand to launch shade extensions to the line, like Pink Honey and Nude Honey, and interpret the Black Honey shade in new formats like an on-trend lip liner and lip oil.On Wednesday, Clinique expanded the Black Honey franchise once again, this time to a new category for the famed shade: nails. The Black Honey nail polish is part of a new lineup of limited-edition Black Honey products, which also includes a Black Honey mascara and eyeshadow quad.
“Black Honey has become more than a shade. It’s almost become a personality,” said Anna Vitale, vp of global makeup marketing at Clinique, of the new collection. “It’s not about launching into the nail category. But it’s about giving you a way to experience the shade in a new, unexpected way, and really give you that opportunity to be fully Black Honey, head to toe.”
The limited-edition collection will be available for six months, or while supplies last. Clinique will follow up the launch with global Black Honey activations, including the inaugural “Almost Lipstick Day” on July 28. To promote the launch throughout the summer, the brand will launch a Black Honey billboard in Times Square, partner with an undisclosed “cool” brand and work with creators in and out of the beauty category on Black Honey-themed content.
