Fingernail polish is a popular beauty product used all around the world. It has been in use for thousands of years and has been made from many unique combinations of substances. Anyone can buy and use it today, but fingernail polish was once considered an elite symbol of social class and wealth in certain ancient cultures.

Origin
There isn't an exact record of the invention of fingernail polish, but it is believed to have originated in China, somewhere around 3000 B.C. Early batches were made from mixtures of bees' wax, gelatin, egg whites and gum Arabic (a natural product found in the African Acacia tree). Some early Chinese mixtures also included flower petals from roses and orchids, and natural pigments for the creation of different colors.

Upper Class
Members of the Egyptian upper class were also using fingernail polish around this same time; their mixture resembled lacquer paint, and was used to represent money and prosperity. Around 600 B.C., the royal colors of China were metallic, gold and silver---these were also the colors of choice for nail polish. The lower class in China was not allowed to wear polish on their fingers, and could be sentenced to death if they were caught.

Changes
There is a gap in the recorded history and evolution of nail polish that spans from its ancient creation to roughly the 1800s. In this 19th century, nails were being treated with scented red oils and polished with chamois cloth. By the early 1900s, some women were using tinted powders and creams to massage their nails before polishing them with a clear varnish. The varnish was often applied using a small brush made from camel hair. In the 1920s, Michelle Menard was inspired by the invention of new automobile paint, and she used this inspiration to modernize fingernail polish, giving it the look that we are now familiar with.

Modern Formula
Modern fingernail polishes are usually made from nitrocellulose dissolved in a solvent, which are then colored with various pigments or left clear. Fingernail polish companies are sometimes pressured to reduce or eliminate commonly used ingredients that are potentially toxic. In 2006, several companies agreed to no longer use dibutyl phthalate because it has been linked to testicular problems in humans and animals.

Varieties
Fingernail polish currently comes in a vast array of colors, and often provides additional features and benefits. Some of these benefits help to create nails that are stronger, faster growing and less likely to turn yellow. The price for a bottle of nail polish can vary tremendously. A basic formula might cost less than a dollar, while other brands can go for $25 or more.