10 Things You May Not Have Known About Nail Polish

by | Sep 1, 2022 | Style & Fashion

Painting one’s nails has been a part of a woman’s cosmetic routine almost as long as there have been women. In the past 10 years nail polish sales have skyrocketed as nail art became an absolute craze. Whether you like them bright and bold, classy and understated or au natural, here are 10 things you may not have known about nail polish:

1. It is believed that nail polish originated in China around 3000 BCE

2. Originally it was made from a mixture that included beeswax, egg whites, gelatin, vegetable dyes and gum arabic.

3. In Egypt, mummified pharaohs had their nails painted with henna.

4. Invented by a dentist, acrylic nails were introduced in 1978

5. Modern nail polish was inspired by automobile paint

6. Revlon became the first established nail polish brand in 1932 when they released a cream color.

7. Actress Rita Hayworth popularized red nail polish – after movies transitioned from black and white to color, Rita’s bold red nails launched a nail-polish movement.

8. Opened bottles of nail polish only last about two years. Unopened bottles can last forever. But once you open the bottle, some of the ingredients begin to evaporate, which changes the formula and consistency of the polish.

9. Painting your nails is not allowed on airplanes. Apparently people have even been arrested for doing so, although the arrest was usually due to the response to a request to stop, rather than for the activity of painting the nails.

10. Nail polish is considered hazardous waste (which may call to question whether or not we should be applying it to our body). The EPA considers nail polish a household hazardous waste so you should technically toss your unused bottles in a hazardous waste facility and not the kitchen trash can.

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