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Jan 1, 1030
The Chinese make it big
Fact 1: The Chinese viewed nail color as a way to indicate wealth and social status.
Fact 2: They created a base mixture of egg whites, gelatin, beeswax and gum Arabic. The shades were made by adding flower petals of the desired color. -
Jan 1, 1040
Gold?
Fact 1: It is said that the southern Babylonians used GOLD to paint their nails. In 4,000 BC
Fact 2: Before then the Indians (of India, not America) made using henna as a nail covering very popular. -
Jan 1, 1500
Incas statrted painting thier nails
Fact 1: The Incas began painting eagles on their nails
Fact 2:Paintings from the17th and 18th centuries include shiny nails
Fact 3: The progression from eagles to shiny nails is unknown -
The French bring it in
Fact 1:Although largely unconfirmed, it is rumored that the French manicure made its first appearance in 18th century Paris.
Fact 2: Colored nails were widely considered unhelthy, which was why the French manicure mimicked the natural nail. -
Nail Polish begins catching on in England and the U.S
Fact 1: Nails were tinted with scented red oils, and polished or buffed with a chamois cloth.
Fact 2: Cookbooks had directions for making nail paints. -
New looks pursued
Fact 1: In the 19th and early 20th centuries, people pursued a polished rather than painted look by massaging tinted powders and creams into their nails, then buffing them shiny.
Fact 2: One such polishing product sold around this time was Graf's Hyglo nail polish paste. -
Cutex incoming
Fact 1: This brand of nail polish was influenced by car paint
Fact 2: Cutex produced the first modern nail polishes in 1917 with the introduction of colored nail glosses.
Fact 3: Once nail polish was refined, it was often used in the place of gloves to cover up the grime underneath the nails. -
Car Paint Revolution
Fact 1: Car paint revolutioneized 'nail gloss'
Fact 2: A French makeup-artist by the name of Michelle Manard had the ingenious idea of adapting these paints for use on nails. She played around with the formula and developed a glossy lacquer similar to the nail polish we use today. -
Revlon!
Fact 1: Revlon was the first company to use car paint as a nail lacquer
Fact 2: The company was formerly known as The Charles Revson Company, until the name was changed in 1932. -
Seeing Red
Fact 1: With the invention of Technicolor tv in 1922 acttresses began wearing bright colorered make-up on-air.
Fact 2: Red was the biggest thing for women. Red lips and nails became the icon of the 50's -
Toning it Down
Fact 1: In the 60's women began to focus on lighter shades.
Fact 2: Pastels became a favorite -
Bold and Brash
Fact 1: Bright colors begean making a comeback with reds
Fact 2: Neon colors were intrduced and made big through iconic women such as Madonna -
Vampin' It up
Fact 1: Vamp was created to emulate the same color as dried blood.
Fact 2: Nail art and acrylic nails also became popular.
