History of Nail Paints



Since time immemorial, since the discovery of the tradition of nail painting way back in 3000 BC, the Mongolese, Indian, New Zealand and various other cultures have been using assorted different products in an effort to beautify and lend color to their nails. While the Chinese used a mixture of beeswax, sugar, sap and beetle residue with alum, the Russians used a dye from the nastertium plant. They also used Gold and Tin on their nails to give it extra zing! However, the lower ranks of society was not allowed to apply dark shades and had to contend with lighter shades of nail paints.

Then, During to the 19th Century, the concept of nail polishing took on a whole new aspect. During these times, the nails were lightly colored or tinted with rose fragranced oils and then buffed and polished using a leather chamois piece. Later, the oils were replaced by tinted creams and powders, but the trend of polishing nails continued.

Types of Nail Polish

The 21st century has seen various types of nail varnishes over time. The two main types of varnishes found today are either high gloss mattes or opaque nail paints. These are among the most popular nail polish types for daily wear. The high gloss mattes look great with all types of shades, mainly the lighter versions while the frosted look complements dark nail colors.

On the extremes, high glitter nail polish is increasingly trendy among teenagers who prefer to wear anything with a jazzy effect. While on the other hand, colors like matt blacks, dark blues and greens etc. are widely popular among gothic and punk followers, both male and female. The high-fashion world is also falling in step and such a pallet is no longer restricted to the rebels of society! On a sober note, the French are also known to use flesh tones most often in their popularly known French Manicures. This trend has caught up with the rest of the globe as well. Also popular are the versions of clear vanishes with light invisible tints which give just a hint of healthy color to the nails. However, these polishes are also increasingly popular among men, who are now more conscious of their overall grooming. Among the latest trends, nail designs and nail piercing are also highly popular.

How to repair your Nails and your Nail Paints

Caring for your nails is an important element to good looking and groomed nails. Applying Nail varnish on chipped or broken nails will only make them look worse. You can follow a few simple tips to avoid the most obvious pitfalls and problems encountered when applying nail polish. First and foremost, it is important to keep your hands and nails moisturized at all times. You can use a hand and nail cream to achieve the desired effect. It is also advised to go for manicures once in 2 weeks.

Always store nail paints in a cool place away from sunlight to give them a longer shelf life. When applying nail paint, mix the color evenly by shaking the bottle and warming it up between the hands to let the polish flow freely. Apply Nail Enamel in 3-4 easy strokes and make sure you apply two thin coats letting the first one dry before you apply the last one. For maximum effect, ensure that the paint you use is a good quality one and is not too old. And lastly remember the golden rule; 'never apply fresh polish on old paint'.

Nail Polish in the last Century

It was not till the 1920 that the true nail enamel we use today came into existence, thanks to the discovery of automotive enamel. Since then, Nail Polish has been through various transitions in terms of its chemical content in an effort to make it non-toxic as well as more and more nail friendly, but it's intrinsical form has not changed. Today, most nail polishes are manufactured with some chemical bonding agent mixed with color and dissolved in solvents.