Andy Tullis / The Bulletin

TUMALO — From glitter hoof polish to glitter gel for manes and tails, Kara Billings, president of Twinkle Products Inc., is striving to add a little more sparkle to the equestrian world.

Billings took over the 15-year-old company, which was started by her mother-in-law, Tina Billings, in July.

“At our peak we had about five employees,” Kara Billings said, adding the company averaged about $278,000 in sales per year.

But when the economy crashed, Billings said, Twinkle crashed with it.

The company currently makes nine glitter products, including Twinkle Nail Polish for people, in more than 10 colors that cost from $13.95 to $21.95. They’re sold throughout the U.S., Africa, Canada and Europe, and can be purchased through most major horse magazines, as well as local tack shops, including The Absolute Horse in Bend.

The majority of Twinkle products are made and packaged at Billings Farm off Gerking Market Road, Billings said.

“We developed a base product and then we add the glitter and do the packaging in-house for almost everything,” she said.

Due to the recession, she said, sales decreased by about 50 percent, but now business is starting to increase again. The company is currently averaging $150,000 in sales a year.

“Its been like this for a few years,” she said. “It’s not going down anymore, it’s definitely going back up. We feel very confident that it’s still going to thrive.”

Her plan to get the company back on track is to increase marketing, expand the product line and try to get the use of Twinkle accepted by some of the larger show organizations so it is allowed in competition.

“In the recession we quit advertising. As stores started to drop the luxury items that weren’t selling as well, we kind of fell off the map for a few years,” she said. “So now it’s building it back, letting people knowing we exist.”

— Reporter: 541-617-7818, rrees@bendbulletin.com

Q: Why did you decide to take over the company?

A: It’s been such an important concept to my mother-in-law, and we’re both so passionate about horses. We get to go out and put it on horses for girls. You see little kids’ faces light up, and it’s just so rewarding and it’s so much fun to go out and see that and see a product that you create create so much joy for someone else. You don’t want to see that gone.

Q: Where do you hope to see the company in the next five years?

A: We’re going to work on getting it into the market for other pets other than horses. Right now we’re working on a line for dogs, and then we will start marketing it for human use as well. Everything is already safe for humans and other pets, but people just aren’t aware. People outside the horse market haven’t really heard of us.