History of manicure. Part I. Ancient times
I once published an article about all kinds of “beauty devices,” but how did the history of manicure develop and what tricks did people go to to give their hands a well-groomed look at different times?
The topic turned out to be large in volume, I will break it into several parts and start from the depths of centuries with ancient states. Today, manicure is one of those words that is often used not only among women, but also among men. Manicure is one of the most ancient cosmetic procedures. Its history goes back more than 3000 years.
From the Latin “manus” (hand) and “cure” (to care), or, to put it more simply, “hand care.” In Ancient Egypt, two thousand years before our era, appearance was highly valued. And beautiful and well-groomed hands are a sign of grace and tenderness, people knew about this in ancient times. One of the proofs of this is an Egyptian mummy, when she was found her nails were painted with henna.
The exact origin of manicure has not been determined, but it is known for certain that more than three thousand years ago, in both Ancient Egypt and Ancient China, manicure was the most common thing. The desire for beautiful and well-groomed nails can be traced in various cultures in all eras and among all peoples, from ancient times to the present day. The first known manicure set dates back to 3200 BC: tools made of cast gold were found in Chaldean burials in the southern ruins of Babylon.
In Ancient Egypt, priests were the keepers of recipes for cosmetic compositions for nail care. People who knew how to care for their nails enjoyed special privileges, as can be seen from the tombs of court beauticians, which were filled with various jewelry.
In Egypt in 1964, during archaeological excavations, a tomb was discovered with the mummies of Niankhanum and Hanumhotep - people from the list of the retinue of Pharaoh Nuser, who lived 2400 BC. In these lists they were listed as “guardians and masters of the pharaoh’s nails,” simply put, court manicurists. Therefore, the history of manicure begins its ascent from the most distant times.
The color of nails could determine a person's social status. Only the highest nobility were allowed to paint their nails in all shades of red, orange (sometimes green). Slaves painted their nails only in pale, pastel colors. To make the pastes with which the Egyptians painted their nails (as well as their hands and feet), plant ingredients were used (henna was most often preferred). Queen Cleopatra of Egypt used regular henna to dye her long nails terracotta.
Cleopatra created the first encyclopedia about cosmetics in the mysterious land of pyramids and pharaohs. It was there that, several years BC, cosmetics and nail polishes were created and improved. These recipes have been used all over the world at various times.
Even in ancient times, when men were the rulers of the world, there was no difference between the sexes for manicure. Who said that colored nails are just a symbol of femininity? Colored nails were also one of the main attributes and were like a uniform for Assyrian and Roman soldiers: before battle, they cut their hair and painted their nails and lips.
Ancient Greece was famous for the cult of beauty and therefore special attention was paid to manicure here. There was even a special profession - cosmetologist. He was approached by those who wanted to disguise cosmetic imperfections with makeup (makeup!) or get a manicure and pedicure. Even then, cosmetologists used small scissors to trim nails and always covered the nail plates, but never painted over the lunulae (holes), because among the ancient Greeks they were associated with the Moon, and the Moon with a deity. Well-groomed hands are a must-have for the aristocracy, and therefore neither women nor men could neglect manicure. High-ranking representatives of society always had a slave, whose duties included watching the hands of the owner.
Wooden chest for cosmetics, from the Necropolis. Old Kingdom (27-22 BC, Egypt)
Beautiful manicure 2022: photos, fashionable new designs
Any girl who closely follows the latest fashion trends is always in search of a beautiful manicure. Just for you, we have selected the most unusual, beautiful ideas and manicure techniques that will perfectly suit any look.
In 2022, it’s not difficult to find that perfect manicure for your nails; the Internet will offer you many ideas and bold nail art solutions. But we still tried to choose a manicure that will allow you to stay on trend in 2022.
- Everyday manicure made using stamping technique
- Feminine khaki color on nails
- Immortal classic “double French”
- Cute and gentle manicure with hearts on nails
- Unusual manicure in the style of “brush strokes”
- Bright manicure using a new nail technique using bold inscriptions
- Original manicure with cartoon designs on nails
- Beautiful manicure with star decoration
- Unusual interpretations of marble manicure
- A new and fashionable trend in manicure “different hands”
- New beautiful manicures 2020-2021: photo ideas, fashion trends and nail design trends
Everyday manicure made using stamping technique
Drawings on nails have always been a painstaking, long and careful technique, but stamping has come to replace it, which saves you from the long wait for the desired result. Why stamping is convenient - a girl doesn’t have to go to a nail salon for the service and can do it at home.
After all, stamping is just transferring a finished design from a stencil onto your nails using stamps. The next step is yours, choose any designs to your taste and enjoy the beauty. In 2020, stencils with comics and geometry are trending.
Feminine khaki color on nails
Khaki color will make you look attractive and feminine. But be careful - due to its dark shade, this color is not suitable for all nail shapes. Those with short nails will be decorated with khaki color, and their nails will immediately become visually longer.
Khaki is not so easy to combine colors; the classic options are: milky, black, silver, nude and gray shades. Familiar and ordinary nail art in khaki color quickly gets boring, don’t forget to decorate it with strokes, rhinestones and stripes.
Immortal classic “double French”
- Whatever your look, such a manicure will always look appropriate in any situation.
- French manicure gives you a lot of room for experimentation.
- Choose any finish from glossy to matte.
- The double French manicure combines the “smile zone” and the hole at the base of the nail, allowing you to make your manicure sophisticated and incredibly feminine.
Cute and gentle manicure with hearts on nails
In 2022, the minimalism style is breaking all records, and a “heart” manicure fits in more perfectly than ever. Red small hearts on a neutral background are your ideal solution for a flirty, romantic, attractive look.
Unusual manicure in the style of “brush strokes”
It is worth noting that every year masters manage to surprise us with unusually beautiful types of nail art designs. Let’s move the same type of designs aside and present you with the ideal solution for a manicure in the “brush strokes” style. The “brush strokes” technique can be created in absolutely any colors that you like best. This technique will look laconic and natural on a beige surface.
Bright manicure using a new nail technique using bold inscriptions
Do you want to attract attention? Turn to provocative and bold inscriptions on nails. Do them in bright or neutral colors. We will offer several options to lift your mood and those around you. “There is happiness”, “Go beyond”, “Everything will work out”, “Dreams come true” - such slogans inspire and motivate.
Original manicure with cartoon designs on nails
What girl doesn't love Disney cartoons? A manicure with any characters is the key to a good mood for every day. So, if you decide to fall back into childhood, start remembering your favorite cartoons from childhood. This year, the following are gaining popularity: Donald and Pluto, Mickey Mouse, Sponge Gob, The Little Mermaid, Maleficent.
Beautiful manicure with star decoration
Dear girls, be even more tender and sweeter - decorate a couple of nails with stars. Use a clear, nude matte or silver tone and make the stars black or shiny. Add the ombre technique to make your nails extraordinarily beautiful in 2022.
Unusual interpretations of marble manicure
Marble manicure is a perfect design in itself. It will absolutely suit any look. Use your imagination and create different variations using foil, slider designs, glitter or rhinestones.
A new and fashionable trend in manicure “different hands”
Manicure masters surprise again and explode this year with an unusual solution. For example, where one hand is made in one style, and the second in a completely different one. This type of manicure will make your nails unique and unique. Today’s selection contains super-fashionable solutions for you with new ideas for a beautiful manicure.
Combination of colors and decor in ethnic manicure
The “ornament” nail design is heterogeneous and comes in different types:
- ethnic;
- abstract geometry;
- thematic patterns (floral, animal patterns).
The most popular among the types described above in the new season is ethnic manicure - patterns characteristic of the creativity of the peoples of the world. The original pattern is used to create clothing, home textiles (towels, bedspreads), and decorative elements (carpets, tapestries, building decoration). Since manicure has become an integral part of the lifestyle of women around the world, the fashion for ethnic motifs in the design of nails has spread as quickly as folklore trends in tailoring.
The combination of colors in ethnic nail design depends on the artistic traditions of the nation:
- African patterns combine shades of yellow, orange, brown (for example, the color palette on papyrus);
- Slavic motifs are distinguished by a combination of red, white and black;
- English ethno-drawings are presented in green, blue, yellow, red;
- Australian ornaments are a complex combination of many colors, embodied in the smallest details.
The combination of colors in ethnic manicure can be any, it all depends on which group the intended design belongs to, the imagination of the nail technician and the wishes of the client.
An attempt to combine a complex geometric pattern, rich in details and meaning, with colorful elements (rhinestones, foil, ribbons, etc.) will make the manicure tasteless and tacky.
What is ethno-style?
Bright and bold nail designs have become a reflection of the traditions of different nations. Much was borrowed from distant warm Africa, but there may be elements of ethnicity from different countries.
On the ornaments you can see Russian and Ukrainian, Indian, Egyptian, Greek, Scandinavian, Oriental and other motifs. Ethnic design incorporates bright colors, flavor and the primitive spirit of creativity of our ancestors.
Manicure in this style can be very different. Another name for this is “tribal” design. Drawings can be applied in a variety of colors - the main thing is that they combine well.
Ethnic design can be classified as graphic manicure, as it uses combinations of lines, dots, circles, zigzags and other geometric shapes. The outlines are usually done in black, but you can use any other shade if you like.
Manicure ideas with nail designs
The design with an ornament goes well with oval, square, and almond shapes. In order not to overload your manicure with accents, nail art experts recommend drawing a pattern on one or two nails. In this case, the remaining fingers can be designed:
- French manicure. In the case of ethnic, geometric or situational design, the smile is painted not with traditional white, but with one of the colors presented in the ornament;
- a single-color coating in one of the shades used in drawing the pattern.
To create the desired picture, masters use the following manicure techniques:
- Slider stickers are the fastest and easiest way to get an image;
- stamping Stencils, a stamp and colored varnish - everything you need to form the required pattern;
- hand drawing is a technique that gives a unique image.
Not a new, but still relevant idea for a manicure with an ornament for the winter season - “braids” on the nails. This design imitates the patterns of a knitted sweater, is made with a material called powder (sand, sugar) and is voluminous.
Manicure in ethnic style
Ethnic design can be represented by motifs used by the peoples of the world in embroidery. Among the Slavs, the vyshyvanka (kosovorotka) ornament is considered a current pattern. The item of clothing of the same name is the national decoration of Russians, Ukrainians, and Belarusians.
Egyptian style manicure
Egyptian manicure is performed in the style of African designs. Muted orange-brown tones and fine lines convey the mysterious nature of the Ancient World. Manicure “Egypt”, contrary to the stereotyped idea, is not only and not so much an image of pyramids, mummies and camels. First of all, this is the beauty of ethnic lines.
Floral design on nails
Floral motifs in nail design are always relevant, and their execution in the form of patterns and lines is an interesting trend solution. Examples of works on this topic are in the photo below.
Egyptian style in the interior - exquisite design charm (50 photos)
For most people, Egypt is still a mystery that beckons and entices. Every year, hundreds of tourists go on vacation to the sunny country to not only swim in the cool sea waters, but also study the history of Egypt.
This truly amazing country simply cannot leave anyone indifferent. That is why many tourists, impressed by what they saw, want to decorate the design in the Egyptian style upon returning to their homeland.
And this is not at all surprising, because this style is particularly original and unique.
Main features
Like many other styles, it cannot be described in a few words. This is due to the fact that sometimes it is quite difficult to express in a few words everything that is hidden behind such a broad concept.
After all, it is worth understanding that the interior that was used in richer Egyptian houses is not much like the interior of the small rooms of the poor.
In addition, those elements that were previously considered integral attributes of the Egyptian style are currently practically not used by modern Egyptians.
However, after visiting not only residential buildings, but also museums, you can still find common features that are inherent in this style. In particular, it is difficult to imagine full-fledged Egyptian architecture without high columns, arches, and niches.
The Egyptians pay special attention to the walls, decorating them with paintings or frescoes. They often depict pyramids, the sun, or the majestic Sphinx with a lotus.
The second distinctive feature is that an Egyptian-style room must be decorated with a lot of textiles. The widespread use of carpets is used to cover floors and decorate walls.
Therefore, designers tend to believe that such an interior is in many ways similar to the Moroccan one, which also requires the use of a fairly large amount of textiles with ornate patterns.
However, a significant difference is that the Moroccan style is completely uncharacteristic of the use of geometric patterns and symbols of Egypt.
How to choose colors for a design?
Despite the fact that the Egyptian style in the interior is quite bright, its color range can hardly be called wide.
This is due to the fact that quite neutral colors such as yellow and sand are often used to paint walls. All shades of orange are also used, since this style is characterized by brightness similar to sunlight.
In addition to the colors described above, darker shades that resemble the color of chocolate are quite popular. They are combined with blue and green, which are often used to paint the ceiling.
Since quite a lot of colors and shades belonging to the warm category are used, indoor walls are most often painted white. It brings a touch of calm and is also refreshing and cooling.
For hot Egypt, this is more than relevant, which is why this option for wall decoration is still popular to this day.
If Egyptian-style wallpaper is used, it can be decorated with various intricate and thematic designs.
Accessories and textiles
Since textiles play a leading role in the design of a given style, it should be given special attention. Give preference to products that were made from linen, cotton or the finest wool.
Designers note that carpets decorated with gold thread embroidery look luxurious and expensive, so they should be included in the design. When purchasing curtains or bedspreads, pay attention to what pattern was applied to them.
For Egyptian-style apartments, it is best to use curtains with an Egyptian-themed pattern. However, if you do not want to see any images on them, you can choose a product without a print with wide stripes.
How to make an ethnic design on your nails
You can make beautiful and simple designs on your nails at home yourself. If you do not have artistic abilities and skills, nail art experts recommend stocking up on self-adhesive manicure tapes or pre-cut strips of tape.
To create an ethnic pattern you will need:
- base varnish – preferably white;
- thin brush;
- varnishes for patterns - black, red, green or any desired shades, preferably no more than four;
- base for manicure and topcoat.
Step-by-step instructions for creating a drawing.
- Cover the nails with a base coat of varnish to level the plate and dry.
- Apply white varnish in one or two layers.
- On the ring finger of the left hand, closer to the base of the nail, draw an oval in black, draw 3 longitudinal lines from it - they should not be perfectly even. End each of the lines with two circles of different diameters and “droplets”. Dry.
- Fill the oval: draw a small circle in the center, draw a star from it to the edges of the ellipse. Fill the empty spaces of the picture with color in the same way as shown in the photo below.
- On the middle and ring fingers of the right hand, draw a crescent line at the base, highlighting the lunula. From it, let down “garlands” consisting of droplets and circles, painting them as shown in the picture below. Dry.
- Cover the finished manicure with finishing varnish.
Preparation
Before performing an aqua manicure, you need to make preparations so as not to be distracted during the process.
Lay out all the necessary tools and materials, pour ordinary water at room temperature into the container. Also prepare your nails: remove the old coating, if any, treat the cuticles, give the nails the desired shape and apply a base coat. Painting your nails with white polish will make even a thin layer of color look brighter and richer. The next stage of preparation will be to apply cream or oil to the periungual areas of the skin to protect them from varnish.
The product must be applied carefully so as not to touch the nail plate, otherwise the pattern will not be fixed on it. If you are afraid that the greasy product will get into the water and interfere with your manicure, then you can carry out this procedure after finishing decorating the nail plates and removing excess thin film in order to moisturize the cuticle and skin after removing the remaining colored film. The last thing to do is to stick tape or adhesive tape on your finger, above the nail and up to the second phalanx. This will also protect the skin from unwanted staining.
We recommend immediately sealing all the fingers on which you are planning to apply an aqua manicure, so as not to waste time in the process and not spoil the nails already done.
This will also protect the skin from unwanted staining. We recommend immediately sealing all the fingers on which you are planning to apply an aqua manicure, so as not to waste time in the process and not spoil the nails already done.
Meanings of hieroglyphs
Hieroglyphs are words, phrases and even phrases. Therefore, it is not possible to calculate their exact number. The average number of hieroglyphs in one letter (for example, Chinese, Japanese or Egyptian) is over 62,000.
Feng Shui hieroglyphs and their meaning
There is a belief that these symbols attract their meaning (for example, Feng Shui).
It is believed that if you apply such a sign to a part of the body, clothing or elements of your home, then its energy will attract the desired factor to the owner.
Therefore, before applying a hieroglyph to your nail, carefully study its meaning.
You also need to check the correctness of the drawing several times: one extra dash can change the meaning of the symbol in the opposite direction.
The most common hieroglyphs used in the beauty industry are considered to be Chinese.
Popular Chinese hieroglyphs and their meanings
Hieroglyph | Meaning | Description |
健康 | Health | This sign not only preserves health, but also helps get rid of diseases. |
富 | Wealth | It means an increase in material income, an increase in spiritual satisfaction, and positive vital energy. |
錢 | Money | This sign symbolizes monetary well-being - receiving a bonus, salary increase or career growth. |
愛 | Love | It not only attracts your soulmate, but also promises a strong marriage, the extinction of mutual conflicts, harmony and happiness with your loved one. |
力 | Strength and power | It will give you self-confidence and fill you with energy to accomplish your plans. We are talking not only about physical condition, but also about mental strength, foreshadowing the emergence of new ideas. |
運 | Luck | It promises success in your career and personal life, the fulfillment of long-standing desires, and victory over life's difficulties. |
繁 | Prosperity | Attracts a better life, means the development of old and the emergence of new ideas, improves material and moral condition. |
Marigolds with a taste of freedom
The historical roots of the style go back to the freedom-loving and serene representatives of the hippie culture, who could only leave their mark on the formation of the design. An integral part of this manicure are images of the sun, rainbows, hearts, emoticons and peace signs.
Chamomiles, poppies and various wildflowers, as well as inscriptions in the style of “peace” on the fingers can expressively emphasize the created image and unbridled love of freedom.