The Nail Polish Effect
Image is from a previous Advanced Style/ Ari Seth Cohen collaboration with Karen Walker
Sitting in my favourite nail parlour recently, the woman to my left, in her twenties was having neon pink nails painted by a manicurist brandishing intense orange nails. They spent quite a long time admiring and complementing each other’s choices which made for a brilliant and blinding collision. To my right, another customer in her fifties was having intricate silver nail art daubed onto claret coloured talons and on my way home, I saw a young female traffic warden in a high vis vest with matching high vis canary yellow nails. She looked amazing.
During the Covid 19 global pandemic, sales of nail polish increased significantly. According to EssentialRetail.com sales of premium nail products jumped by 12% in the lockdown week starting March 16 and by 24% the following week, with brands such as Chanel, Dior and YSL doing particularly well. Historically, economic analysts and those in the beauty trade have used a loose theory called The Lipstick Effect to plot social downturns. When we hit an economically challenging period, it’s traditionally been lipstick, an affordable treat and instant lift, that women have invested in.
But not anymore. During Covid 19, beauty sales, including lipstick, bombed with a global decrease of 20% – 30%. This must partly be connected to face coverings; what’s the point of wearing lipstick that you have to hide behind a mask? As our faces became more concealed in public, it seems as though hands and nails may have taken over as focal points for personal expression. From a health and safety point of view, we’ve all become hyper-conscious of our hands during the global pandemic, from not touching others to regular cleaning and sanitising. But, perhaps as a result of all this attention on our hands, nail care has flourished
My first trip to the manicurist at the end of July this year was one of my most memorable post-lockdown moments. Just reading all those delicious names: Pittsburgh Blue, Canadian Maple, Tiramisu Slice, Unicorn Lovely, whisked me to other adventures far from the gloom that emanated from every news channel and radio station. After almost a year of no manicures, having my nails professionally painted felt wonderful and luxurious. Afterwards, I couldn’t stop staring at them and touching their glossy surface. I felt civilized again, my better self. It’s curious how these tips of keratin at the tops of our fingers have so much potential for escapism and joy.
I’m reminded of Sally Bowles, the glamorous night club singer in Christopher Isherwood’s novella Goodbye to Berlin (1937). Immortalized by Liza Minelli in Bob Fosse’s 1972 film, Cabaret, Bowles painted her nails in “divine” and “decadent” colours including green and black. Interesting that those fictional nails were set during the days of the Weimar Republic. In 1932, six million Germans were unemployed and the economy was in shreds. Perhaps, the lipstick effect should be re-named the Sally Bowles Effect.
Nilgin Yusuf is a freelance writer. You can find her on Twitter @Nilgin and Instagram @nilgin_yusuf
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Discussion (37 Comments)
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Boadicea says:
A timely post.
I’ve been painting my nails since my teens (am now an old old lady). It’s a given as far as I’m concerned, a must-have that defines me and I’m naked without it. Each toenail is always a different colour although I’m a tad more conservative with my hands but grandchildren and friends are always checking my colour coordination because there are rarely repeats. I do treat myself to professional pedicures when in the USA but always do my hands myself wherever I am as I’m not a fan of gel and the ‘torture’ that goes with it? Having grown up touching, counting and playing with Grandma’s nails and her polishes, I’m very pleased that my granddaughters’ own nails are always immaculately. I so envy granddaughter no. 2 as she is ambidextrous and easily produces tiny seasonal scenes, flags, Christmas trees and suchlike on each fingernail for all sorts of occasions. And yes, she does still have time to hold down a prestigious job! And yes again, I too also love my lipstick but am not surprised at the drop in sales right now; so, nail polish?
Bring it on, liver spots or not!
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Kezia says:
Long time laquerista here! I’m far more likely to gravitate towards the nail polish section to pick up a relatively cheap beauty treat – more fun colours, more choice to match your mood and you don’t need to worry about matching your skin tone so much.
We’re all aware of the importance of supporting small businesses – especially at the moment, so since lockdown, I’ve been buying more from British indie brands (such as Prism polish) who produce unique limited edition collections.
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maudie says:
I own far too many nail polishes – every shade of red, nude, coral, burgundy etc known to man including quite a few duds – navy blue? Personally I am not a fan of nail art and prefer just one plain colour but when there are so many shades to choose from with such wonderfully ridiculous names I am suckered every time. Although not much can beat Chanel rouge noir – thanks Uma Thurman (Pulp Fiction)! I was a total Cabaret addict in my youth and sported ‘divinely decadent’ Sally Bowles style Evil Emerald nail polish from Mary Quant in those fabulous little daisy clad bottles. I also had Brazen Bronze and Jezebel – all with promise of a mis-spent youth! My parents loathed it and so I loved it even more! My new addiction, because it works so well, is Dior creme abricot nail and cuticle cream in the dinkiest, deco-esque ivory pot. A wonderful thick, gooey, apricot coloured unction that has transformed my brittle nails and dry cuticles. £22 for a titchy pot which lasts for ages and saves money in the long run as I don’t waste money on loads of useless nail products with empty promises. I remember years’ ago when my mother died, bizarrely I noticed that her toenails were painted a flamboyant crimson and I was proud of her!!
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Oh Maudie, I love that you were so proud of your mother! Good for her!
I’m going to check out that Dior creme, it sounds good. Thanks.-
Marie says:
That Dior apricot cream..first bought it as a young teenager in 1976, when I could ill afford it. It was a treat, then it became a staple!
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I know! I had a gap of 30 years while my children were all growing up. Repurchased in later life.
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Wynne says: Oh, those beautiful litle daisy bottles! I was smiling as I read; I wish I had kept one of them. My nails are weak and brittle and brak a lot, (yet toenails like steel) and I dream of having beautiful nail poolishes.. I have used innumerable bottles of Nail Envy and other such and I see no change, but the daisy bottle memory has encouraged me to have another go.
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Valleycat1 says:
For those who don’t want to go that spendy for a tiny pot of cuticle cream, I buy something very similar at the drugstore/pharmacy in the nail care section. Really any rich cream will work, though it seems to me cuticle cream absorbs better and doesn’t leave my fingertips greasy or tacky.
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Gabrielle says:
The Dior cream is the biz. I’ve used it for years and it was a revelation when I discovered it.
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Mrs Tonia says:
I have bought and used Crème Abricot for nails previously. I then moved on to Solar nail oil based on almond oil. Regular use of this or similar one I use now makes a tremendous difference to the texture of nails and cuticles. I long gave up on buying special nail strengtheners. They don’t work whereas massaging in a nail oil/cream really does make a difference. I now use it on toenails too between applying new polish.
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I agree – years of wasting money on ‘nail strengtheners’ that did nothing at all. Solar oil is great but I still swear by my (can’t really afford it) Creme Abricot. The Holy Grail of Nails.
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Gill says:
Oh me too, me too! The film Cabaret must have influenced a whole generation of women. I had the bottle green nail varnish (divinely decadent, darling!) and I was very tempted to have my fringe cut into a point too. Right, I’m off to paint my nails …..
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Catbird Farm says:
Coming at it from the other side of the issue here, if I may: the tradition of nail polish feels too much to me like one more artifice foisted upon women that costs time and money to achieve and maintain and ultimately is limiting (in that certain activities might be avoided in order to preserve the manicure). Not to mention the disservice to the health of the fingernails.
To my eyes, unvarnished is best and hard-working hands with short, health natural nails are what is beautiful. Then again, I’m Team Flat Shoes Forever (along with Natural Hair and Minimal or No Makeup). I guess any kind of faff just doesn’t float my boat. And the pandemic has reinforced that for me in spades. I realize many (most?) women will disagree, but from my perspective, fingernail painting is not where I want to put my time and attention!
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I’m pretty faff-free myself and often have bare finger nails – though I did paint them a lovely peacock blue during lockdown. This was possibly out of boredom, though it could’ve been personal expression, and I followed it up with a gorgeous fern green colour. Each to their own.
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Ciclochick says:
I do so love painted nails so took to doing my own during lockdown. It didn’t quite have the same pampering effect, but my nails didn’t look too bad! I think the not-wearing-lipstick thing is more to do with the fact you end up with lipstick all over your mouth and cheeks with a face mask rather than there being no point! I completely forgot not to put any on one outing and was horrified when I took it off and looked in the mirror!
Btw….complement/compliment…….
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Aevistin says:
I’ve been painting my own nails and doing my own nail art since I was a teenager in the 90s. As I’ve gotten older I’ve gotten into indie nail polish brands in a big way. They offer more creative finishes, more variety & much better quality than even luxury brands. Brands like Tonic, Polished For Days, Emily De Molly, and Ethereal Lacquer have some of the most unique polishes that I’ve ever seen.
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Wendi Kratzer says:
Yes, yes and yes! I’ve been stamping my Nail art for about a year and recently discovered all those and more. I’m embarrassed to say, I’ve spent a ton on Nail products during the pandemic. It’s my therapy.
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Katie says:
If you’re looking for a nail polish brand that is vegan, cruelty-free and sustainable then do consider Zoya. It’s high quality and kind to animals and the environment which makes it a winner in my books. https://www.zoyapolish.co.uk/AboutUs
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Andrea Russell says:
I love the photograph that accompanies this piece! My Mother (84) always has lovely nails, she see’s no reason not to. We differ on design, she prefers a pointed end and a pearlized polish I am a square end kind’da gal with a fondness for deep greys. taupe and rich pinks.
I have on occasion lamented my aging hands – note to younger self, no point slapping sun screen on your face if you garden without gloves. But I am blessed with lovely shaped nails so I keep them polished. I discovered gels only last year and don’t find the process torture? I look forward to my 3-4 weekly visit to a lovely young woman who runs her own business from a chalet at the bottom of her garden. She also keeps the grey from my brows as well and the lux to my lashes -
Sally says:
Beautiful nails in some form — oh, I envy you all. Between cooking (chopping, working with food intimately, and I love to cook) — and writing at the keyboard (I am a writer and have flippy fingers) – I can’t do nail polish or beautiful manicures. It’s just wasted money, apparently I’m hard on nails. They chip,– and I found that artificial nails do terrible things to my real nails. Yes, the occasional pedicure does work, of course. But it would be fun to join you all! Enjoy all that color and style on display!
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Beth says:
I SO hear you Sally! I’m an avid gardener & my hands are always in soil, making it tough to maintain pretty nails. So I enjoy looking at others’ gorgeous nails
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Dee says:
You might want to look into the Après Nail System. They are gel nails that are applied with a gel product. You do not need to remove them with a nail drill- they can be soaked off in acetone. (Or if you want the removal to go more quickly, you can use a nail drill to remove them part-way and then soak off the remainder of the product. This leaves you with undamaged natural nails.
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Alex says:
So true about nails being key now, but eyes are super important for me right now. Whereas pre-masks, a quick lippy sufficed – now I’m paying more attention to accenting my eyes.
I love illamasqua nail varnish & makeup. They have amazing colour palettes. *Also, LOVE the rings the model is wearing! Any ideas of where she got them from, please?-
Serene says:
I totally noticed the fabulous rings, too! Did a bit of research from the info under the photo and you can find the jewellery at karenwalker.com.
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JoanCecile says:
I’m solidly with Catbird Farm. In the interest of good hand hygiene, as soon as we were locked down last spring, I took off my rings and cut my nails super short. Even before that, I had come to the decision that clean and healthy was a better option for me and the environment. That said, I enjoy reading TNMA because you celebrate individuality.
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Sara says:
Love Boadicea’s comments, ditto Maudie and while there’s a lot of me that is with Catbird Farm, I have had a major change in my nails post menopause, with horizontal white marks on every nail, coupled with some nail bed detaching. Not a pretty sight! So far, a dermatologist has told me it’s not any kind of fungal infection, he’s not sure what it is but suggested varnish to disguise it. Think that was a first, actually being advised to wear some form of make up by a medic. Usually I do, but lockdown has led to a bit of laissez faire and no varnish for a few months- apart from my toes. They have none of the fingernail problem, but a spot of scarlet really makes the difference, cannot do without. I think of it as a bit of fun, especially when no lippy due to masks. Another delight of advancing years = dry eyes that water + + , so eye make up is a tad dodgy. Good job I mind far less now, so Catbird Farm, take heart, lots will be with you at some point!
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Yes, menopause caused havoc with my fingernails. Hence the trip back to the Dior stuff. However, my big toenails keep detaching from their beds and being very sensitive and not even the (one and only expensive trip to the) podiatrist knows what is going on! Same comment from him – cover them up with nail polish! I wouldn’t mind but I only wear flat shoes/trainers/Birkenstocks and never put them in uncomfortable shoes! I even made a trip to Clarks to get my feet measured to check that I was wearing the right size. (I felt about 6 years’ old!).
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Roni says:
I don’t disagree but I had to grow out my fresh full set of french ombre gel that was put down on the 29th of February! By April, I was ready to join the brigade of home nail technicians however my nail beds were horrific! I had been having overlays on my nails for 20+ so I had to find out how they were underneath. Fast forward 6 months, and my nails are mine; long, strong, pink, and look almost exactly like the ombre gel that I had been spending so much time and money for!! I’ve yet to put color back on them, but they get a coat of fresh nail protein every day!
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KayZ says:
The photograph is amazing. I had started to freak out about my hands, hitting 60 earlier this year and I have been gelling my own nails using the Rio system bought from Argos as a set for £30.00. It means you can use your own nail polishes from wherever, being a vegan I love Zoya and have recently discovered Mylee, reasonably priced gel polishes. I will gel with utter abandon now because although my hands are 60, my heart isn’t. Funnily enough I don’t have a problem with colour at all at any age. As previously mentioned by another contributer, when I went to see my Mum at the undertaker my underlying memory and immediate thought was her nails which she had gelled regularly, and were a beautiful peachy shade and 8 years on this week, when it’s just as hard being without her, I can still picture her with love and admiration at her being glamorous even in death. Thank you so much for this article. I have read all the comments too which have cheered me up no end. I’m sporting “Olive Grove ” at the moment a beautiful “soft” green. Keep well, safe and caring for you. I’m going to see if I can pin the photo to remind and inspire me.
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Katz, I absolutely know what you’re saying about aging hands….so, recently I’ve been using retinol on my hands whenever I apply it to my face at night. Plus using a vitamin C cream for both, in the morning. I figured it may help iron them out a bit & get rid of some sun spots too 🙂
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Alexandria says:
I used to be SO intimidad at the thought of polishing my own nails. One hand ALWAYS looked so much better than the other. I was introduced to Color Street nail polish strips and I haven’t looked back! I loved the product so much that I became a Stylist. It’s insane that our company couldn’t keep up with the consumer demand, once more and more people learned about our product.
I LOVE this picture! I think that the jewelry is so fun and shows that you may be stylish no matter your age!
Liane McCumber 
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I agree with the author that the lipstick effect should be moved to nails. During lockdown this spring and summer I had to do my own toenails after a visit to a podiatrist wearing full PPE. I used whatever colours i had in the cupboard. And did my nails badly. I paid for one professional pedicure using my own products I brought with me in my handbag. I went in mask to this appointment with nervousness and don’t plan a return. I did treat myself to some new base coat and top coat and new colour but a more modestly priced brand than the Chanel I used to buy.
Frequent handwashing and use of hand sanitisers makes my nails even more brittle than usual. So I don’t polish the finger nails but invest in good quality, pleasant smellling handcreams which I rub into cuticles and nails instead.
Lipstick I still wear on top of lip balm but blot first before wearing a mask. I only apply lipstick fully whenbstaying indoors of an evening.