From intricate floral designs to shining chrome finishes that rest on sturdy artificial nails, the practice of nail art has exploded in popularity across Haldane, Cold Spring, and the globe. Yet this newfound popularity was a long time coming.
For thousands of years, nail art has been a mode of identity, artistic expression, and social status. Though the origins of this practice are somewhat unclear, according to The Guardian, nail art was seen in Egypt and South Asia as early as 5000 BCE. The Egyptian elite used gold foil and henna to tint their fingertips and nails. Around the same time, ancient Babylonian men colored their nails with kohl while Indian women sported henna.
In some cases, solid gold nails were utilized for combat equipment, suggesting that certain nail art was used less for aesthetic purposes but rather as a complement to warfare. In many societies, nail art was a signifier of social hierarchy: elite circles of the Ming Dynasty, for example, flashed crimson nail extensions, deeply contrasting with Chinese peasants who could not labor with these impractical accessories.
Thankfully, Haldane students are not expected to align with the restrictive customs of the past. Today, students sport an array of chic, flashy, and captivatingly meticulous nail designs. As these intricate customizations may be difficult to replicate without proper equipment, some take their business to professional services.
However, this often comes with its unique set of drawbacks. “When I go to get my nails done professionally, I often find myself unsatisfied with the final product,” sophomore Talulah Yeaple said, “This makes me feel like I can’t justify the high pricing.” Similar sentiments have led several Haldane students to deviate from local businesses and create their own nails.
Ember Mahoney, a senior at Haldane, is one of these students. Mahoney, who has been practicing nail art for the past year, does not currently present her practice as a formal business, but hopes to capitalize on it in the future. Mahoney creates nails for several peers, friends, and family members. “I genuinely enjoy making nails, so I feel okay about selling them for relatively low prices,” she said, “For example, a simple thing like French tips or polka dots would be $10-15, while a set with more intricate designs may be $30-35. I haven’t promoted my art at all, but I have posted a lot of my work on my Instagram, and I intend to create a formal account.”
Similarly, junior Una Lentz has had a passion for nail art and design since childhood. Though Lentz views her nail art primarily as a hobby, she has previously dabbled in its enterprises. She said, “I set up an online store for people to purchase my work and tried advertising through social media.” Lentz admitted that selling online has its difficulties, such as the struggle of communicating customer specifications digitally and adjusting her sets to the varying sizes of her customers’ nail beds.
Nonetheless, Lentz is still open to pursuing her nail art business in the future, both online and at school. She said, “Relationships I have created through school would absolutely help promote my nail art to my peers. Although I wouldn’t create posters or fliers, I think simply word of mouth would successfully publicize my work.”
Lentz continued, “Despite this, if I were to pursue nail art as a business idea, I would like to connect with individuals outside of my community as well.”
Mahoney said that extra time and initial investment were two allowances that anyone wanting to get into nail art should make. She offered advice to other creatives: “All in all, nail art is absolutely worth it if you have the patience to build up your skill set and the willingness to put genuine time and effort into it.”
