History of nailpolish

Nailpolish is the finishing touch of your outfit. If your a fashionista then you probably love nailpolish. These days celebrities set a trend when it comes to nails. No wonder that big brands want to collaborate with stars like Katy Perry. But how, why and where did it all start? Let me tell you something about the history of nailpolish:

Grave finds in Egypte, from 2000 year before Christus, show us that they already used nailpolish in those days. Nailpolish back then excisted out of a mixture of henna and crushed leeches, sometimes even their own blood. Cleopatras preference was rust red, Nefertitis liked ruby red more. Egyptians had the regulation: how brighter the nailpolish, how higher the range. Women's in a low range were aloud to paint their nails, but only in pale red.

In China there where per Dynasty different colors in fashion. In the Chinese Mingperiod(1368-1644) the favorite nailcolors were red and black. Having long nails was a sign of well-being. The Ming Dynasty-people showed others that they didn't had to work to have and get a good life. In China the nailpolishes were made out of beewax, gelatine, Arabic gum and plantdyes. Nailpolish in the Minperiod was only ment for the upper class. If you didn't belong to a Dynasty and you had nailpolish on your nail they could hang you anytime.

So, early in the days they didn't liked if others imitated their fashion. This all changed in the 1930s. The substance as we know it is from 1916, when the very first transperant nailpolish came on the market. In 1932 Revlon introducted his first color nailpolish. Young woman all over the world who just discoverd the nailpolishes were setting a trend. Even in Hollywood, stars as Marilyn Monroe and Bette Davis painted their nails red.

These days it's very normal to wear a color on your nail. The formula of nailpolish has actually not changed since 1916. Only now the polishes are better to work with and they dry faster. Because of that there are lots of celebrities and movies who (want to) work with big nailpolishbrand. There are brand that come out every season with new nailpolishes. Nothing is weird anymore. Anything is possible. Nowadays we have neon, glow in the dark, mood, UV and even crack nailpolishes. Nailpolish is not just for girls and woman anymore. Man can wear it too. Thinking of some rockers, singers and scoccerplayer.

Wonder what the upcoming years will change in the 'nailpolishindustry'.

xoxo Stephanie