There are three nail salons near me, and they are always well booked with appointments. So what is it about having great nails that make women want to spend their money at nail salons?
For generations, women have been using makeup to boost their mood when they are feeling low. In the past lipstick was usually the cosmetic of choice. Today, nail polish is the mood enhancer used by many, especially as it is an affordable and economical way for women to update their look and keep up with fashion trends. Plus, it comes in a vast variety of colors.
Positive Image
Project a positive image to others and help boost confidence. According to Jayne Demuro, Head of Beauty at Selfridges, a UK company, nails are currently one of the biggest beauty trends. Nail polish provides a quick and prudent update to a woman’s outfit in any season.
A Potted History of Nail Care
If you think manicures are a modern beauty revolution, think again. Research has shown that between 5,000 and 3,000 years ago the ancient Egyptians were decorating their nails with bright colors. Manicures in ancient times involved massaging rich, aromatic oils and incense into their hands, then staining their nails with henna, and applying herbal potions which were thought to strengthen the nails.
More than 600 years ago, wealthy people in China painted their nails with precious metals such as gold and silver, as a symbol of their social status. Male and female members of the Ming Dynasty also used a combination of egg white, wax and vegetable dyes to color their nails.
According to artifacts found in what is now modern-day Iraq, the ancient Babylonians also liked to indulge in manicures. Ancient Babylonian men, colored their nails using kohl. The world’s oldest manicure set was found here and is reputedly made from solid gold.
In Europe during the medieval and Tudor times, neat and well-manicured nails were a mark of status and wealth. Queen Elizabeth I of England was well known for keeping her hands looking beautiful and displaying great nails.
Today, a manicure usually involves a system for hand care, involving softening the hands and cuticles by soaking, cleaning the nails and cuticles, filing and shaping the nails according to the clients’ wishes before painting, or adding fake nails and embellishments.
Automobile Industry to Fashion Runway
The French manicure originated in Paris during the late eighteenth century. It was specifically made to look like natural nail designs, while still having a manicured appearance. In 1916, Revlon™ developed a colorless nail polish which was inspired by paint produced for the automobile industry. During the 1920s women used glossy car paint to color their nails. While in the early 1930s Revlon™ developed a nail polish using pigments instead of dyes. This new nail polish became readily available from drug stores. The French manicure was also very popular during this period and was used in the fashion industry on runway models and in the film industry for the stars. This natural looking nail design is still one of the most popular in salons today.
From Teeth to Nails
False nails were invented in 1954 by an American dentist Fred Slack, Jr. who apparently broke a fingernail while at work and created a temporary repair using dental acrylics. Then, in the late 1970s, Dr. Stuart Nordstrom invented the professional liquid and powder system used in acrylics. He is the founder of CND a well-known brand of popular nail polish.
The Birth of Nail Art
The 1980s brought experimentation with bold patterns and bright colors. Over the years, new textures and embellishments have been added, and further trial and error with nice nail designs have meant some incredible conceptions and textures have resulted. Nail polishes are now available in practically every color, and with nail appliqués, stencils, gems, glitter and other adornments, the possibility for individuality is endless, and so, nail art was born.
Today many women, regularly have manicures. They have become more of a fashion statement than a symbol of wealth or status. The transformation in manicure has evolved from a simple coat of colored polish to miniature works of art, with some having incredible detail. They have become some of the most creative elements in the beauty industry today.
Sales of nail polish reached $768 million during 2012. The majority of customers are female, though more men are beginning to use the services (72% of women, and 52% of men according to Mintel Research – 2012), with younger men in the 18-34 age group reporting having had a manicure or pedicure. Though men still make up a very small section of this beauty population.
Why You Shouldn’t Throw Your Nail Polish in the Trash.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), regards nail polish as hazardous waste, and should, therefore, be disposed of in a hazardous waste facility. However, the department also acknowledges that it is impossible to monitor that correct disposal as being carried out by every household. So please, next time you finish your favorite nail polish, think carefully about how you will dispose of the bottle. Next time I pop into a salon near me, I shall ask advice about the safe disposal of my empty bottles.
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