Tip & Toes Nail Salon: Rebrand

Project Overview

• Timeline: May-September 2024

• Client: Tip & Toes Nail Salon LLC

• My Role: Designer

• Tools used: Adobe Illustrator, Canva

Rebrand Deliverables: Logo, Business Cards, Service Menu, Gift Certificates, and Promotional Material 

01. The Opportunity

A new chapter for the salon

Following a change in ownership, Tip & Toes had an opportunity to redefine its brand. The existing materials lacked consistency in color, typography, and overall aesthetic, making the salon's identity feel fragmented across different touchpoints.

With full creative freedom, I led a pro bono rebrand to establish a more elevated, calming, and professional identity.

My approach: Rather than redesigning each asset independently, I wanted to establish a cohesive visual foundation first, then apply it consistently across the materials customers interact with every day.

02. Building the Brand

Inspired by nature, designed for tranquility

I wanted the new identity to reflect the experience the salon aimed to offer: a calming, polished environment where clients could relax and feel cared for.

I explored a palette of soft greens, warm beiges, and neutral tones to evoke nature and tranquility without feeling overly ornate. I paired these colors with orchid motifs to introduce a sense of elegance and femininity while giving the brand a distinctive visual element.

Design rationale: The combination allowed me to create a more sophisticated identity without relying on overly elaborate graphics. The colors and botanical details could work together subtly across both print and digital applications.

A logo designed for consistency

The previous logo was an opportunity to establish a clearer foundation for the refreshed identity. I introduced more refined typography and incorporated the new color palette to create a polished, versatile mark.

After creating a base for the core visual identity, I extended these elements across all branding materials, carefully crafting each piece to maintain consistency and enhance the client experience.

Design rationale: I wanted the logo to feel distinctive enough to represent the salon while remaining simple and adaptable across different sizes and formats, from business cards to promotional materials.

03. Bringing the Identity to Life

Service menu — Making information easier to navigate

The service menu was a particularly important touchpoint because clients rely on it to understand available services and pricing. The previous design placed text over an image, which could make information harder to distinguish and read.

By aligning with UX principles, I reorganized the content into clearer groupings and used spacing, typography, and hierarchy to separate service categories and prices. I also removed the distracting background treatment in favor of a cleaner layout.

Design rationale: I prioritized readability over decoration. A menu can look attractive, but it also needs to help customers find the information they need quickly and comfortably.

Business cards — Combining brand identity with everyday utility

I carried the new logo, palette, and orchid motif onto the business cards to reinforce the salon's identity beyond its physical space. I also included space for upcoming appointments and assigned technicians on the back of the card.

Design rationale: Instead of treating the card as purely promotional, I saw an opportunity to make it useful in the salon's day-to-day operations. The appointment area adds practical value for returning clients while keeping the branding consistent.

Gift certificates — Balancing presentation and practicality

The gift certificates extended the new visual identity into a format associated with gifting and special occasions. I used the same colors and botanical elements to make them feel like a natural extension of the brand.

I also designed a foldable format with a detachable slip for the salon's records.

Design rationale: The certificate needed to feel thoughtful and giftable for customers while remaining functional for staff. The fold and detachable section addressed these two needs within one design.

Promotional materials — Introducing the refreshed brand

To introduce the rebrand to existing and potential customers, I designed a series of Facebook promotional posts highlighting the refreshed logo, new service offerings, discounts, and the salon’s elevated branding. These posts emphasized the brand’s transformation and helped engage new and loyal clients with the new aesthetic.

04. Outcome

One identity across multiple touchpoints

The rebrand brought the salon's visual identity together across its logo, service menu, business cards, gift certificates, and social media. Each deliverable was designed to support both the overall brand and a practical customer or business need.

• Established a cohesive identity aligned with the salon's new direction.

• Improved the organization and readability of service information.

• Extended visual consistency across print and digital materials.

• Added practical features to business cards and gift certificates.

  
  

05. Reflection

Making thoughtful design more accessible

Growing up Vietnamese American around relatives who worked in nail salons, I understood how much care goes into running these businesses—and how professional branding can be difficult to prioritize when resources are limited.

This project gave me the opportunity to support a business in an industry I feel personally connected to. It reinforced my belief that thoughtful design is about more than aesthetics: it should communicate a business's values, improve everyday interactions, and make professional branding more accessible to small businesses.

Completing this rebrand pro bono also strengthened my interest in using design to help small businesses bring their visions to life, regardless of their budget.