Nail polish in fashion

Nail polish is traditionally worn by women, but it is gaining popularity with men as well, who may apply it to their fingernails, toenails, or both.

Traditional colors for opi nail polish are red, all types of pink and flesh-colored shades, although more unusual shades are also available, such as yellow, orange and even green. French manicures traditionally mimic the colors of natural nails, with flesh tones on most of the nail and white at the tips. Today, nail polish can be found in nearly every color and shade desired. It is believed that the film Pulp Fiction started a trend for a shade of dark red nail polish during the mid-1990s, after Uma Thurman's character wore Chanel's "Rouge Noir" (known as "Vamp" in the USA) throughout.^{[citation needed]} Black or other very dark nail polish has been popular with goths and punks of both genders since the 1970s, however it has now gained popularity in the mainstream fashion world. Nail polish may also be used to complete an outfit. In this case, women, and occasionally men, match the color of the nail polish to the colors of the clothing.

Colors with glitter and a metallic sheen have also become popular among the teens of today. With the initial red losing its fame, metallic purple and colors with a shade of pearl are gaining the spotlight of the teen's cosmetic world. Clear and pink are all-time favorites.

Also in today's world some popular designs are painted on one nail (usually the ring finger) and can be done with thinner nail brushes including: flowers, strokes of lines and even more detailed designs with airbrush tools usually on acrylic nails.

Some men also wear nail polish (typically fingernail polish). Musicians, particularly of the rock genre, such as Marilyn Manson, Richard Kruspe, Dave Navarro, Steven Tyler, Kirk Hammett, Brian Molko, Lou Reed, Martin Gore, Davey Havok, Gerard Way, Pete Wentz, Bill Kaulitz, Lauri Ylönen, Jonne Aaron & Sir Christus, Ville Valo, Tuomas Holopainen and Alexi Laiho have been known to wear nail polish. In 1997, the cosmetic company Hard Candy released Candy Man, a nail polish brand aimed specifically at men. It featured colors such as Testosterone (gunmetal grey), Gigolo (silver-specked black), Superman (midnight blue), and Dog (deep purple). ^[4] Many professional men will choose to follow a pedicure with clear nail polish, although black and other darker colors are gaining popularity with more men.

Some types of polish are advertised to cause nail growth, make nails stronger, prevent nails from breaking, cracking and splitting and stop nail biting. Nail polish may be applied as one of several components in a manicure. Fluoride has been proven to strengthen nails, and there are some types of nail polish that contain fluoride.