Sometimes the best business ideas come out of nowhere. For Blinger founder Angie Cella, the idea was literally a dream—she says God told her to make a tool that could fasten gems to hair. Fast forward years later, and Blinger is a staple for anyone who wants a quick, safe way to add some sparkle to their hair or accessories, without using heat or glue.
The Blinger Backstory: Angie’s Unusual Inspiration
Angie Cella isn’t your typical entrepreneur. She’s a single mom with four kids who just wanted to bring a fun idea to life. In 2014, Angie says, she had a dream about a “diamond stamper” for hair. The image stuck with her. What followed was years of trying to turn a midnight vision into something anyone could actually use.
Making it work took grit. Angie spent four years jumping between engineers, chasing down the right design for her jewel applicator—one that wouldn’t hurt hair or scalp. She also found herself in more meetings than she’d ever planned, facing polite skepticism and a mountain of technical hurdles. More than once, she wondered if she’d taken on too much.
What is Blinger and What Makes It Different?
Blinger is a handheld tool that lets you snap gems, crystals, or pearls onto hair, clothing, or crafts. Just load the cartridge, place it near the hair, and squeeze—the accessory attaches instantly. There’s no glue, no heat, and the little gems wash or brush right out. Everything sticks on with a medical-grade adhesive that’s safe for skin and hair.
Kids reach for it at sleepovers and birthday parties, but there’s also a sleeker, more grown-up version for adults who want a little flash without commitment. That ability to span markets is part of why Blinger caught people’s attention.
The Path to Shark Tank: Setbacks, Debt, and a Chance Connection
Getting from napkin sketch to actual product almost wiped Angie out. She cycled through five different engineering partners before landing on a workable version. At one point, she’d piled up $1.4 million in debt, emptied savings, and even sold her house. Her family downsized to a small apartment as she poured every resource into making her vision real.
She finally found a break when she teamed up with a Chinese manufacturer, Sky. Having the right production partner meant the product could be made at scale—and at a high enough quality to appeal in stores.
When Angie and her oldest daughter, Cambria, decided to pitch Blinger on Shark Tank, they were looking for a lifeline. The exposure would help, but they really needed an investor who could help run with the momentum.
Shark Tank Season 15: The Pitch and What Happened
In Season 15 of Shark Tank, Angie and Cambria walked onto the set asking for $200,000 in exchange for 5% equity. That’s a $4 million valuation—not unheard of, but ambitious for a relatively simple beauty tool.
Their pitch was straightforward. Angie showed how the Blinger clicks gems onto hair and how fast the gems come off with a hairbrush. The Sharks got to see both the sparkle and how kid-proof the device really is. The demonstration was quick, but effective.
After some back and forth—mostly about valuations and market size—Barbara Corcoran made a bold offer. She wanted 25% of the company for the $200,000, plus she’d cover any future purchase orders. It was way more equity than Angie and Cambria planned to give up. Still, after everything they’d been through, they said yes.
Inside Blinger’s Product Line: Who Buys It and How Much?
A big part of Blinger’s growth is how it appeals to completely different groups. There’s a pink version—mostly marketed to younger girls, with imitation crystals and a price of $29.99. It sells like crazy at toy stores and during the holidays.
Then there’s the black version, which swaps in actual Swarovski crystals and a sleeker design. It goes for $49 and is aimed squarely at older teens and women looking to accessorize more discreetly—or splurge for an event.
By sticking to these two clear designs, Blinger can appeal to parents shopping for gifts and adults looking for glam. Both boxes come with refill cartridges, and replacement gems are now a line of their own.
Before Shark Tank: The Struggles Almost Nobody Saw
What you don’t see on TV is the chaos before the taping. Angie’s journey was packed with setbacks. She worked with five different engineering firms because nothing seemed to work quite right. If a prototype didn’t stick gems evenly, it was back to the drawing board.
Money problems piled up quickly, especially as development dragged on. To fund new prototypes and manufacturing samples, Angie sold her family’s house. Moving into an apartment was rough, but she refused to quit.
Her efforts to find a trustworthy manufacturer finally paid off when she connected with Sky in China. Good manufacturing is what transformed Blinger from an experiment into a real company, able to fill big orders from toy stores and online retailers.
Sales Explosion: What Blinger’s Shark Tank Episode Changed
Shark Tank can change a company’s life overnight, but not every business actually sees that “Shark Tank bump.” For Blinger, it hit immediately.
Just six hours after their episode aired, online sales reached $77,000. By the end of the week, that number hit $242,000. It wasn’t just a temporary spike either. Blinger kept moving thousands of units a month after the show, helped by celebrity influencers and growing retail partnerships.
A year after Shark Tank, Blinger’s annual sales had grown well past $1 million. In 2025, estimates put the net worth of the business around $1.17 million. That’s based on steady 10% year-over-year growth—solid for a product in a trend-driven space.
Barbara Corcoran’s Playbook: Stay Focused, Not Flashy
A lot of companies race to churn out new products after they get funding. Angie was ready with fresh ideas for follow-up gadgets and accessories right after her Shark Tank deal.
But in her first sit-down with Barbara Corcoran, she heard something different. Barbara wanted her to focus. Instead of creating a whole line of new bedazzling tools, Barbara encouraged Angie to build a strong business around the original Blinger. Hold off on spin-offs until the flagship is truly everywhere.
Taking that advice was tough. As a creative person, Angie loves to keep moving. But Barbara’s reasoning was simple: nail the core product, make it a household name, and maybe then branch out.
Blinger in 2025: A Beauty Trend Still Sticking Around
Two years after Shark Tank, Blinger is still hanging on as a trend in the beauty and accessory world. It’s a hit at parties, proms, and festivals, and the simplicity means people can bedazzle their hair, shoes, hats, or denim jackets in seconds.
Beauty magazines have caught on too. Editors mention Blinger as a best-of list pick for “easy hair accessories,” and it shows up quite a bit on TikTok and Instagram. Part of the appeal is the “wow” factor that comes with seeing someone instantly add a line of crystals down their hair in a matter of seconds.
For a small business, the brand has done a solid job staying in conversation, especially with repeat trending moments. The refill packs have ensured recurring revenue, instead of just a one-and-done sale.
If you’re looking for more stories of businesses growing after big TV moments, there’s a good roundup over on Aureo Business.
What’s Next for Blinger?
Blinger isn’t trying to become the next big tech company, but it has made real space in the personal accessory market. Angie and her team have kept the product line focused—pink for kids and black for adults. That simplicity has kept manufacturing, branding, and marketing pretty streamlined.
Angie’s original story still resonates. When customers buy Blinger, they’re also buying into the idea that one persistent mom, working late nights after her kids went to bed, could push through endless setbacks and skepticism.
Fans still email Angie, saying how their daughters or nieces never go to a party without their Blinger. Meanwhile, the brand continues finding small ways to improve—more cartridge refills, new packaging for stores, and extra instructions for first-timers.
The Takeaway: Slow and Steady Works (Sometimes)
A few years back, no one knew what a “hair gem stamper” was. Angie Cella made it a thing by refusing to give up, sticking to one good product, and listening when it counted.
With steady sales, a growing library of user-generated content online, and a place in the beauty aisle, Blinger has settled into the retail world pretty comfortably. It isn’t flashy or complicated—it just works.
As of this year, Blinger is still on shelves and popping up all over social media. The business keeps growing, thanks to a resilient founder and a product that puts some sparkle in people’s lives, one click at a time.
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