A symbol of power, refinement, or fashion accessory, nail polish has constantly reinvented itself over time. From the first wax-based lacquers in ancient China to today's bio-sourced polishes, its evolution alone tells the story of beauty. Dive into this colorful odyssey, from Antiquity to today.
From Antiquity to the 19th century: a symbol of power
Long before being a vanity, nail polish was a true social marker. Around the world and over time, nails tell a story of rank, prestige, and power.
Painted nails, a privilege of elites through the centuries
Nearly 3000 years before our era in China, high society women were already applying natural lacquers made from egg white, beeswax, gum arabic, and impatience petals. Under the Zhou dynasty, the practice was so codified that certain shades, like black and deep red, were reserved for empresses. Breaking this rule could be punishable by execution. Ouch!
2000 years BC, the Babylonians colored their nails with kohl: black for the nobles, green for the people. A statuary manicure, in short, used to distinguish social classes.
In ancient Egypt (1500 years BC), queens polished and dyed their nails with henna. It is said that Cleopatra loved reddish-brown nails while Nefertiti preferred bright ruby. Polish became a true royal attribute.
On the other side of the globe, the Incas of the 15th century also had an eye for detail: they decorated their nails with eagle motifs and divine symbols, true miniature works of art! The first nail art was therefore born long before Instagram!
In Europe, it is known that ladies of the 17th century polished their nails with chamois leather and colored ointments.
Two centuries later, in the Victorian era, people relied on home remedies: a bath in lemon juice or vinegar was enough to lighten and make nails shine.
The ancestors of nail polish: when nature colored nails
From the 19th century onward, no solvents or bottles: the formulas were 100% handmade. They used:
- Plant-based pigments (roses, poppies, henna)
- Mineral powders
- Natural resins like shellac.
Manicure became a way of life: women shaped, polished, and nourished their nails with rich creams like cold-cream (very popular) and polishing powders. They also pushed back their cuticles with an orange wood stick, invented in 1830… and still found in our current vanity kits.
From ancient Egypt to the early 20th century, nail beauty was a luxury reserved for high society.
(@Wikimedia Commons)
The invention of modern polish: an American revolution
The history of polish entered its modern phase in the 20th century with the invention of nail polish as we know it today. And guess what? It all started in a garage!
The idea that changed everything: from car hoods to colorful nails
In the 1920s, French makeup artist Michelle Ménard drew inspiration from automotive paint to create a durable, shiny lacquer based on nitrocellulose. Yes, you read that right: the same component used to paint cars… and nails! This marked the beginning of a new era: modern polish, smooth, colorful, and above all, long-lasting.
A few years later, Charles and Joseph Revson, along with chemist Charles Lachman, perfected this formula under the now-famous name Revlon. They introduced a major innovation: a creamy, opaque polish, available in shades matching lipsticks. The lipstick-polish duo became the ultimate glamour must-have.
Nail polish, the star of Hollywood
In the 1950s, polish became a fashion accessory. On the big screen, Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth, and Lana Turner popularized red nails, synonymous with elegance and sensuality. Advertisements of the time praised “indestructible” and “ruby-bright” polishes. The modern woman was now a polished woman!
Born before the war, nail polish became popular thanks to Hollywood actresses.
(@Revlon, @Wikimedia Commons).
The manicure boom
From the fifties to the 2000s, nail polish establishes itself as a must-have in beauty cases. Each decade reinvents manicure in its own way, between innovations, signature colors, and new attitudes:
- 1950s: the iconic, intense, and glamorous red emerges. False nails also appear as cosmetic extensions. For the record, they already existed but for a different use: a Chicago dentist had the idea to prevent people from biting their nails!
- 1960-70s: the trend is pastel colors and glitter or metallic effect polishes, in tune with the Flower Power style. Jeff Pink, a Hollywood makeup artist, invents the French Manicure which adapts to all occasions. He thus meets producers’ demand: to avoid changing polish with every outfit change of actresses.
- 1980-90s: explosion of neon colors and nail art which quickly sparks enthusiasm and spreads worldwide. In Asia, for example, the art of decorating nails becomes a passion and gains many followers. Scented polishes, decorative prosthetics, stickers, rhinestones… fantasy knows no bounds!
- 2000s: dark polishes and rock chic shades take center stage. And then, there are memorable moments: the Chanel winter 2009 runway, where Karl Lagerfeld’s models walk with jade green polish on their fingertips. Breaking the rules and diversifying the palette.
- 2011: a small revolution in manicure with the arrival of semi-permanent polish, an ultra-shiny polish that lasts 3 weeks without chipping. A dream come true…
From the 1980s, nail art became all the rage and polish colors diversified.
(@look8thenails)
Nail polish is reinventing itself in the 21st century
Today, nail polish goes beyond its simple aesthetic function. It has become a reflection of a thoughtful and responsible lifestyle. Formulas evolve, techniques are reinvented, and manicures are part of a more conscious approach, without ever giving up the pleasure of beautiful colors.
Polish in the era of clean beauty
With the rise of ecological awareness, brands are revising the composition of polishes. The trend is towards those that respect the environment and are free from substances known to be harmful to health.
Since 2010, CMR substances (Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, Reprotoxic, in other words toxic for reproduction) have gradually been banned in cosmetics manufactured and sold within the European Union. Ingredients such as formaldehyde, toluene, or hydroquinone, classified as CMR, have disappeared from formulas as well as sensitizing molecules such as methyl acrylate monomers (HEMA and DI-HEMA-TMHDC). The latest, TPO (Trimethylbenzoyl Diphenylphosphine Oxide), was banned in September 2025. In 2013, Europe also said no more animal testing for cosmetic products and ingredients used purely for cosmetics manufactured in the EU.
Next-generation polishes have been developed with the ambition to combine performance, pleasure, and nail care. This is the challenge Manucurist took on with its Green™ polishes and Green Flash™: offering formulas mostly bio-sourced in which solvents or plasticizers derived from petrochemicals have been replaced by plant-based alternatives such as corn, sugarcane, cassava, or cotton. A successful challenge that makes Manucurist a major player in responsible and sustainable beauty.
Cassava, sugarcane, cotton, corn, potato… Next-generation polishes favor bio-sourced ingredients to replace petrochemical components.
Back to minimalism: the nude nail makes its comeback
After decades of flamboyant manicures and extravagant nail art, naturalness is taking back its rights. The trends of soap nails, bare nails and other clean girl nails embody this desire for simplicity and the “less is more” aesthetic: shiny, transparent, perfectly maintained nails, with just the right amount of sparkle. This is THE nude manicure 2.0, both subtle and ultra-chic!
A new vision of manicure
Today, manicure goes beyond simple coloring: it establishes itself as a moment of care and relaxation, a ritual for oneself. The 21st century has opened a new era of nail polish where bio-sourced formulas are favored, respecting nail health without sacrificing style and shine. Care is now at the heart of nail addicts’ concerns. That’s why we developed the Active™ range, bio-sourced polishes, hybrids between care and make-up, which strengthen nails while enhancing them.
Active™ polishes allow you to create an ultra-trendy minimalist manicure while strengthening your nails.
From Babylonian kohl to bio-sourced formulations, nail polish has crossed centuries by adapting to our lifestyles. From a tool of distinction to a symbol of expression, it has become the reflection of our time: responsible and assertive. And, as we know well, a polish is not just a color… It’s a way of being in the world, a gesture as ancient as it is modern, as intimate as it is universal.
Sources:
"Your nails, a whole world", Dr Sophie Goettmann, Actes Sud
History of Beauty - Nail Polish, Virginie Lamort de Gail, Madmoizelle
