KOH Cosmetics

KOH Cosmetics is a Dutch beauty brand based in Amsterdam, best known for an extensive range of nail polish and nail-care products sold under the single-word name KOH. It was created by Margreet van Roemburg as a premium extension of Herôme, the nail-care company she had started in the Netherlands in the 1980s [9]. Sources disagree on the exact start date: two independent beauty publications place the launch of the KOH line in 2002 [9][10], while the company's LinkedIn page gives a founding year of 2001 [7] — a difference most likely explained by the registration of the legal entity, KOH Cosmetics B.V., versus the public debut of the consumer line.

The brand remains active. Its webshop ships worldwide, carries a current multi-language catalogue, and continues to publish blog content, including a recent gift guide [4].

⚑ Thinner sourcing. The article relies largely on the brand's own statements (T2–T3). Glowpedia is seeking independent sources.

KOH grew directly out of Herôme, the Dutch nail-care company founded by Margreet van Roemburg in the 1980s. Around the turn of the millennium she added a higher-end line named simply KOH, positioned a step above the original range [9]. The new label took its identity from Japanese ritual and aesthetics: the company describes KOH as "inspired by the incredible wealth of the Japanese way of life and rituals," built on a belief that true beauty is the harmony between body and soul.

The corporate entity, KOH Cosmetics B.V., is registered in Amsterdam at Amsteldijk 150, with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce number 34163942 and the registered activity of wholesale in perfumes and cosmetics [8]. According to its LinkedIn profile, the company employs between 11 and 50 people [7].

The brand frames its appeal around a fusion of Eastern wellness traditions and Western cosmetic technology. KOH describes its philosophy as "rooted in harmony," summarising its values as purity, balance, energy and harmony. Marketing copy addresses what it calls "the modern icon" and presents luxury as "a promise" rather than appearance alone. The company states that its products are cruelty-free [1].

In its early years KOH was sold as a prestige nail-polish brand. One 2011 review noted that a bottle cost slightly more than a comparable OPI polish but roughly a quarter less than luxury labels such as Chanel, placing it between mass-market and high-prestige tiers [11].

Nail polish is the brand's core. Editorial coverage from 2010 onward described a collection of more than 120 shades, sold individually and presented in distinctive cases resembling oversized lipstick tubes, with seasonally varying designs [11]. Beyond colour, the catalogue spans nail treatments and tools — hardeners, nail serums, base and top coats, cuticle care and crystal files — grouped under a "KOH for You" range. A separate "KOH for Men" line, identified by grey packaging, and a body-care line including the Earth's Embrace restoring hand and body cream extend the assortment beyond nails.

KOH has used a multi-channel model combining its own stores, department-store concessions, parfumerie chains and direct online sales. Its flagship "KOH Experience Shop" occupied the second floor of the de Bijenkorf department store in Amsterdam, with a second outlet in the Bijenkorf in Eindhoven. The polishes were also stocked through parfumerie chains such as Douglas and Mooi. By the early 2010s the brand reported distribution into Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and Russia, alongside a webshop offering worldwide shipping [11].

KOH Cosmetics is an active brand. As of 2026 it maintains a working webshop with international shipping and a multi-language interface, an up-to-date product catalogue, and a regularly updated blog [4]. No awards or major press coverage beyond niche beauty-blog reviews appear in the available record.