Nail polish originated in China as early as 3000 BC. The ingredients included beeswax, egg whites, gelatin, and vegetable dyes. This was the formula for a long time, as those were the only resources to work with.
Nail polish as we know it was changed in 1922 with the invention of nitrocellulose. Except for a few tweaks, it’s the same formula used today. It would be fun to try to invent some new formula, yet currently nothing works as well as the original ingredients ~ we still need it to stick on our nails and to last more than a few hours. Deviating from these two ‘must haves’ simply won’t sell. We’ve all been down the road of trying to invent some new ingredient or create a new additive or try to make it non-flammable. We’ve been down it a time, or two. Some have worked, most have not. So I can’t help but wonder, why are we spending so much time trying to change something that seems to work and that people buy? I think we should be focused more on changing the packaging, as there seems to be so much waste in the glass/cap/brush and who really finishes a whole bottle of nail polish? If we are going to truly be innovative, how about we focus on – and change our mindset – on something that could actually make a big difference?
Don’t worry, world. I’m on it.
With love from Grand Haven,
Julie