Cosmetics play a significant role in personal care, with various products designed to cater to different parts of the body. Among these products, there are many options for nail care, which can sometimes be confusing due to the variety of names and labels used for a single product. Nail polish and nail enamel are examples of such terms that have caused confusion among many people.
What is Nail Polish /Nail Enamel?
Nail polish can be described as a type of lacquer that can be applied to human fingernails or toenails to decorate or protect the nail plate. Nail enamel and nail varnish are two more names that refer to the same product. Nail polish comes in a small glass bottle with a twist cap, to which a brush is attached, making it easy for application. The liquid in the bottle adds color to the nails when applied and forms a thin shell-like layer when it hardens and dries.
Nail polish is available in a wide range of colors so that one has the freedom to pair it up with whatever outfit they will be wearing on a particular day. The use of nail polish can be traced back to 3000 BC China, while around 600 BC, the Zhou Dynasty preferred gold and silver colors on their fingernails. During the Ming Dynasty, nail polish was made from a mixture of egg whites, beeswax, gelatin, vegetable dyes, and gum Arabic.
Today, nail polish is made up of a film-forming polymer that is dissolved in an organic volatile solvent. Nitrocellulose in butyl acetate or ethyl acetate is a more common combination. In addition to that, plasticizers such as Dibutyl phthalate and camphor, dyes and pigments such as chromium hydroxide, ultramarine, chromium oxide greens, stannic oxide, ferric ferrocyanide, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, carmine, and manganese violet, opalescent pigments to allow a bit of shimmer, an adhesive polymer to ensure the adherence of the substance onto the nail’s surface, thickening agents, and ultraviolet stabilizers to resist color changes are also incorporated into this mixture.
Nail polish further exists in three modes known as the top coat, base coat, and gel. The base coat, often also called ridge fillers, strengthens the nails while restoring moisture to the nail and is applied before applying the colored polish to prevent nails from getting stained due to colored nail polish. The top coat is applied on the nail after applying the colored nail polish and forms a hardened barrier on top of the nail so that the polish may be resistant to chipping or cracking. Gel nail polish is a longer-lasting nail polish that is applied on the nail like regular nail polish but does not set unless exposed to ultraviolet or a LED lamp. It lasts for more than two weeks and is more difficult to remove than regular nail polish.
What is the difference between Nail Polish and Nail Enamel?
There is no difference between nail polish and nail enamel. Both refer to the colored lacquer that is applied on top of the nail with the aim of giving the nails a colored and more polished appearance while providing protection and strength as well.
Key Takeaways
- Nail polish and nail enamel refer to the same colored lacquer applied to nails for decorative and protective purposes.
- Nail polish has a long history, dating back to 3000 BC China, and has evolved in its composition over time.
- There are three types of nail polish: top coat, base coat, and gel, each serving a specific purpose in nail care.
