Enjoy the feeling of having freshly polished nails? Then National Nail Polish Day is here just for you!
National Nail Polish Day Timeline
Early Chinese Nail Coloring Traditions
Archaeological and textual evidence suggests people in ancient China tinted nails with mixtures of gum arabic, gelatin, beeswax, and vegetable dyes, with colors later used to signal rank and social class.
Henna Nail Staining in Ancient Egypt
In pharaonic Egypt, women and some men stained their nails and hands with henna, with darker, more vivid shades often associated with higher status and later linked to royal figures such as Cleopatra.
Modern Manicure Tools Emerge in Europe
French makeup and perfume experts popularized nail care in the 19th century, including the orange stick introduced around 1830, which became a standard tool for gently shaping and cleaning nails.
First Documented American Manicure Business
Mary E. Cobb opened what is widely recognized as the first manicure parlor in the United States in New York City, helping turn nail care into a commercial beauty service for middle- and upper-class women.
From Tinted Powders to Liquid Nail Enamel
Early 20th‑century nail products in Europe and America shifted from buffing and pastel creams to glossy, tinted liquid enamels, influenced by advances in industrial coatings and the rise of color cosmetics.
Nitrocellulose Nail Polish and Revlon’s Launch
Drawing on technologies used in car lacquer, Charles Revson and his partners introduced an opaque, long‑lasting nitrocellulose-based nail enamel, helping establish modern colored nail polish as a mass-market product.
Rise of Acrylic and Gel Nail Systems
Artificial nail extensions using acrylic monomers and later UV‑curable gel systems became popular in salons, allowing stronger, longer-lasting manicures and transforming professional nail services worldwide.
How to Celebrate National Nail Polish Day
Sometimes, just taking care of yourself and having a little pick me up is all that is needed to get through life with a smile on your face!
National Nail Polish Day is here to offer an opportunity to do just that, with some of these ideas for celebrating:
Make a Manicure Appointment
One of the most natural ways for someone to celebrate National Nail Polish Day would be to make an appointment at a favorite nail salon to get a manicure.
And, just for fun, why not add in a pedicure too?! Remind the manicurist that it is National Nail Polish Day to find out if they are offering an extra discount or deal in celebration of this important event in the life of their industry.
Grab a New Nail Polish Color
Looking for a bright spot in the day? Look no further than a new color of nail polish!
National Nail Polish Day is the ideal time to head out to a local drug store, big box department store or salon to find just the right color that is unique and interesting. Try a color with a fun name, like Tickle My France-y, Shake Your $$ Maker, or Breakfast in Red.
Gift a Friend with a Manicure
Spread the love on National Nail Polish Day by including a friend, sister or other loved one. Those who want to go all out can book manicures together at a local nail salon.
But it’s also great to keep things a bit more simple and gift a friend with a new color of nail polish. And then perhaps offer to give them a little manicure complete with a hand massage to make them feel absolutely loved and celebrated!
History of National Nail Polish Day
While nail polish might seem like a fairly modern invention, historians have found that the idea of polishing one’s nails likely dates as far back as 3000 BC in China or earlier.
The different Chinese Dynasties went through phases of which colors were popular, including silver and gold during the Zhou Dynasty and then to red and black later on. The specific color was even used as a class marker to show rank and dynasty.
Around that time, Babylonaian warriors may have also been dying their nails. Natural dyes such as henna and various vegetable derivatives were often used to produce the color in these ancient times.
The modern art of polishing nails became popular among the wealthy in Europe in the late 18th century. The first dedicated nail salon was opened in Paris in the early 19th century and nail polish eventually made its way to the United States in the late 1800s.
National Nail Polish Day was founded by the nail polish brand, Essie, and the first day of its kind was celebrated in 2017. Now, the day is an annual event and there are surely tons of ways it can be celebrated!
Facts About National Nail Polish Day
Royal nail colors once signaled social rank
In ancient China, nail color was sometimes used as a visible marker of class, with certain hues reserved for the elite.
During the Zhou dynasty, for example, royals reportedly favored gold and silver on their nails, while later periods associated bright reds with nobility, leaving commoners to wear paler or uncolored nails or risk punishment for imitating the upper classes.
Henna-stained nails have a 3,000-year history
Long before synthetic polish existed, people in regions such as ancient Egypt, India, and the Middle East stained their nails with henna, the same plant used for body art.
Archaeological and textual evidence suggests hennaed fingertips and nails were associated with beauty, ritual, and sometimes marital status, creating a tradition that is still visible in contemporary bridal and festival practices.
Automotive paint technology helped create modern nail lacquer
Modern nail polish owes much of its look and durability to early 20th century advances in automotive paints.
In the 1920s and 1930s, chemists adapted nitrocellulose-based car lacquers to create glossy, fast-drying coatings for nails, replacing tinted oils and powders and giving rise to the opaque, chip-resistant polishes that defined the classic red manicure.
The “toxic trio” reshaped safety standards in nail products
Concerns about worker and consumer exposure to formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate, often called the “toxic trio” in nail products, led to scientific reviews and regulatory scrutiny in the 2000s and 2010s.
In response, many major brands reformulated to remove or reduce these chemicals, while states like California conducted testing and published reports that pressured the industry toward clearer labeling and safer alternatives.
UV nail lamps raised questions about skin cancer risk
The popularity of gel manicures brought increased use of UV and LED curing lamps, prompting dermatologists to investigate whether repeated exposure might contribute to skin aging or skin cancer on the hands.
While overall risk for occasional users appears low, researchers recommend precautions such as applying broad-spectrum sunscreen or wearing UV-protective gloves during curing sessions, particularly for frequent salon clients.
Nail salons became a major U.S. employer of immigrant women
By the late 20th century, nail salons had become an important source of small-business ownership and employment for immigrant women, especially from Vietnam, Korea, and China.
Studies of the U.S. nail salon industry show a high concentration of female, foreign-born workers who often face language barriers and chemical exposure risks, which has led labor and public health groups to push for better ventilation, training, and labor protections.
Nail polish is a persistent microplastic in the environment
Many nail polishes and glitter topcoats contain plastic polymers and microplastic particles that can enter wastewater when old polish is removed.
Environmental chemists have noted that these plastics are not easily captured by treatment plants, contributing in small but measurable ways to microplastic pollution in rivers and oceans and prompting calls for more biodegradable formulations.
