This nail polish was made from egg whites, gelatine, and gum Arabic, and colour was added with crushed orchid and rose petals or gold powder. It wasn’t until 3000 BC that the first nail lacquer was created - and this was in China. Yet, around the same time, Indian women were also staining their hands with henna and, in 3,200 BC, Babylonian warriors were painting their nails black and green to demonstrate their power as they headed into battle. Having fingers dyed with kohl or henna was thought to be a status symbol of Ancient Egyptians. These mummies had henna-tinted fingertips, and nails delicately overlaid with gold leaf. In fact, manicures have been a phenomenon for thousands of years in many different places around the globe.Īccording to Nails: The Story of the Modern Manicure, the first documented use of finger bling was on Egyptian mummies dating to 5,000 BC. There is no one culture (or person) that can take credit for the birth of nail art. Then, we’ll discuss the best summer nail art ideas - and the perfect animal purses to go with them. Who took a look at the hard stubs growing out of their fingertips and decided, “I’m going to change the shape of these, and put a smelly, sticky, fabulously colourful substance all over them”? And we’re going to tell you all about how to master that look for yourself.īut first, I have to ask: Have you ever stopped to wonder why we adorn our finger keratin?

There is something sublimely chic and effortless about matching your nails to your handbag. And what’s a great manicure without a fabulous wicker bag to match? I’m not talking about ice cream, though that would be a close second. The sun is shining, the beach is calling, and it is once again time for our favourite thing.

Pinterest summer nails