Black Nail Polish

Fingernail polish (otherwise known as “nail varnish”) has been around for many centuries. Early records of it exist in ancient China and biblical Egypt, where in both countries it was used as a beauty aid. In Egypt, the color of fingernail polish even indicated social status. The wealthier classes used various shades of red, while the lower orders of society wore paler colors. In fact, according to ancient records, Queen Cleopatra wore deep rust red, while Nefertiti, wife of Pharaoh Akhnaten, chose a ruby red.

Interestingly, fingernail polish is evidently a worldwide phenomenon. The Incas in South America painted eagles on their nails, while Native Americans also colored their nails. The materials used for making fingernail polish in ancient China included gum Arabic, egg whites, orchids, and mashed roses. In those days, fingernail polish resembled a colorful lacquer that simply added color to the nails. In more modern times, however, fingernail polish would be applied like paint and then buffed with a chamois cloth to give it a more polished look. When paint producing techniques were improved and automobile paint was invented, these methods were adapted to produce the more modern fingernail polish that we use today.

Fingernail polish is composed of various materials, such as nitrocellulose, combined with toluene, formaldehyde, and other elements. Today, however, some fingernail polish producers would like to ditch toluene and formaldehyde from the constituents of nail varnish as they could prove to be harmful.

If you want your fingernail polish to look good, you need to do several things. First of all, make sure that your nails are clean and filed first. There is nothing more disgusting than a nail with perfect polish – and a line of dirt along the top. Put an undercoat on your nails before you apply the actual polish, as this will protect and strengthen them. When you put the fingernail polish on, “wrap” it on your fingers by painting slightly under the nails, as this will help to prevent chipping. Once you have put on the fingernail polish, cover with a top coat, as this also protects against chipping and once again takes care of your nails, stopping them from turning yellow as a result of wearing fingernail polish.

Today, fingernail polish comes in all colors, from conventional red and pink, to cream, white, ivory, and beige. If you want to look a little more unconventional, you can even buy blue or black. (If you are a Goth, your favorite fingernail polish will definitely be black.)

One of the most popular styles of fingernail polish is called French manicure. The idea is that it mimics natural nail colors. The bottom and middle part of the nail is painted light flesh pink, while the tip of the nail is painted white.

Whichever fingernail polish you choose, you are bound to find it as fingernail polish is so popular and varied these days. But even if the style or color that you wear is particularly modern and in fashion, when you color your nails, you are in fact following a very ancient tradition.