Manicure History: The Evolution of Fashion Nails

History of Manicure

5000 years ago, manicures were already being practiced in India. Since nail polish and all the other tools included in a manicure set were not yet around, henna was what the people of India used for manicure. Mehendi was the term used to refer to henna. Mehendi is a term derived from the Sanskrit word mehandika.

As years passed by, the popularity of manicure spread throughout India. This art of manicure became so popular that it reached China. The dowager empress of China, whose name was Cixi was known for her long nails. Although her nails were artificial, they were always well manicured.

Fashion nails eventually became a craze. Fashion nails refer to artificial nails that people, especially women, wore. These were used by people who did not want to grow their nails long, but still wanted to get a manicure. Attaching artificial nails was a way to achieve an instant manicure, as they extended the natural nails.

In the 20th Century, more styles of manicuring came to exist. Aside from the use of artificial nails, acrylics were also used for manicure. A liquid monomer and a polymer powder are mixed together to form acrylics. Acetone has to be used to remove acrylics on the nails.

UV gel is also used to polish the nails. UV gel is a substance that gets hard when exposed to ultraviolet light. This also makes the nails more flexible and also stronger. This special kind of polish is expensive. To remove UV gel on the nails, filing is required. Organic solvents are not enough to remove UV gel from the nails.

Today, materials have evolved through experimentation. Nail polish contained in small bottles or vials are used to polish the nails. Different manicure styles have also sprouted, including the French manicure, which has been considered one of the most popular.