Nail Care Rant

Nail Care History

I'm not making this post to provide an intellectual or scholarly history of nail care from the time of the ancient world.  Rather, I just plan to say a few things about the more recent past, times where I have personal and first hand familiarity with nail care.

mani+pedi  It wasn't so long ago that most of us women stayed at home tending the kids and minding the house.  There were manicurists, but they were mainly in big cities and generally something that only "ladies" had the privilege of utilizing.  Those of us stay-at-home moms (the vast majority in those days) did our own nails.  We got our little kits and implements and did the best we could.

Polishes for your nail care colors were available in limited options, usually at the local drug store or grocers.  Department stores carried a better selection of nail care items, including polishes.  However, these were not typically accessible to the masses in our agrarian society.

Good Nail Care

But, my oh my how things have changed when it comes to nail care!  Major metropolitan areas abound in options at almost every corner for manicures and pedicures.  Acrylics have become standard place in nail care and available to the masses not just the stars or wealthy elite.  Just about anyone can drop in unscheduled for decent nail care.  Health and safety issues are regulated and monitored varying by municipality.  It's a whole different world.

And this brings me to the RANT portion of this post.  Ladies, there is absolutely NO EXCUSE to walk the face of this earth with jagged, yellow, curled under toenails in sandals with chipped polish only covering the outside part of your nail.  That's disgusting.  If this is your gig, then wear shoes that are not open toe for goodness sakes.

Another part of the rant happened to me recently.  I had just gotten my nails done and went around the corner to the grocery store.  In front of me in  line was a lady still in her pedicure flip flops so her nails would dry without having a nail care disaster -- ruined polish.  She had just spent a small fortune having all sorts of matching personalized designed done for her acrylic toenails and fingernails.  Yet, she pulled out food-stamps to make her grocery purchase.  Now I don't have a hard time with helping folks.  And I'm all for us gals taking good care of ourselves and doing what we can to be beautiful.  But I do have a hard time making this add up.  $100+ nail care on an ongoing basis and food stamps.... Really?

When it comes to nail care, I'm not letting the guys off here.  Men, if you're going to wear sandals (and lots more of you are wearing them year round it seems), then get a pedicure.  At least get one before the summer.  Your woman is likely to be real appreciative.  I know that the majority of the rest of the world that has to look at your toes will certainly be.

Nail Care Favorites

Okay, this is just for fun.  I polled a few of my best girlfriends for their current favorite nail care colors.   Who on earth comes up with these names?  Wouldn't you love to have dinner or a glass of wine with them?  Ha Ha.  Here goes:

  • Samoan Sand
  • Bitter Bitch
  • I Don't Do Dishes
  • Candy Cane Cutie
  • Wouldyoulikealichtenstein
  • Wyatt Earple
  • Lincoln Park After Dark
  • I'm Not Really A Waitress
  • Orgasm

You got it.  Now we're wearing them and not just having them.  :-)

mani pedi

Okay, if you do want more of a true history you can see what Wikipedia has to say when you click here on nail care.