Nail enamel is another expression for nail polish, or if you live in the United Kingdom, nail varnish. The idea is the same in theory as an enamel or a varnish. Nail enamel is a quick-drying substance that gives nails a colorful shine and lacquered look. It is applied with a clear undercoat and then a top coat to prevent the nails from getting damaged by the use of these chemicals.
Nail enamel comes in a variety of colors and hues. The most traditional colors are red, pink, brown, and rose. But today, you can purchase nail enamel in many other colors, including electric blue, gold, silver, or black, if you are that way inclined. Many nail enamels come in a quick-dry formula, and there are a number of companies, including the most famous, such as Revlon, that advertise their products as being without toluene and formaldehyde, both of which have been used in nail products in the past.
The term “nail enamel” was first coined in around 1905-1910. It is possible that the origin of this name is that it is a reflection of what was then a revolutionary concept in nail beauty. Until then, various natural substances, from egg whites to henna, had been used to decorate women’s nails.
By the beginning of the twentieth century, women colored their nails by using scented powders, oils, and creams and then buffing them with a chamois to give them a shine. This must have been quite an arduous business at that time. But when the car industry came into being, manufacturers developed an automobile paint based on nitrocellulose. Soon, manufacturers discovered that nail polish could also be based on this ingredient. Therefore, nail polish soon became nail enamel, rather like the paint, with a shiny, colored look, rather than the way that nail polish must have looked until then. This new concept is clearly referred to by the terms “nail enamel” and “nail varnish.”
Recently, a new type of nail enamel has appeared on the market. Instead of the traditional bottle with its little brush, there are now nail enamel strips. These consist of dried nail enamel that can be applied to the nails directly. Their advantage is that they save the whole business of applying undercoat, painting the nails, and putting on a top coat, all the while trying to prevent the nail enamel from getting chipped and spoiled. The strips are simply put onto the nail, and they are already dry.
They are meant to last for around 14 days, after which they are taken off with nail-enamel remover. It is best to do this if you find that your nails are growing out from underneath the strips. You may find that you don’t get the positioning quite right or that the nail enamel strip doesn’t fit your nail exactly. If that is the case, you can make “corrections” with a nail enamel pen.
Nail enamel is a popular cosmetic that is timeless. Enjoy it in whichever form you prefer!