For Nail Tech's who worked through the 80's

[CadenceAlex]

I have noticed on some people's profiles that they have been working as nail technicians for many many years... specifically the 1980's.

I was born then!

What were the fashions for enhancements then? The clothes were outrageous... were the nails? Was nail art about?

The 80's was a depression, if I'm not mistaken - were there alot of customers requiring nails, meaning Joe Public... or was it mainly people who had money to spare?

What has REALLY changed in the Nail Industry since this decade?

I wonder what the next 30 years will be like for nail enhancements....

80's fashion has made a big come back... what was different about nails offered then, to now?

I should imagine the products have improved... which companies were training nail techs then?

Was Creative around then?

Sorry for the hundred questions!!

 

[Envy]

The 80's saw the evolution of the 'professional' industry.

In the 70's MMA was the product of choice.....
Creative was started in 1979 by Stuart Nordstrom - a dentist who set about creating a better alternative. He came up with the EMA liquid Solarnail, which was the cornerstone of the professional market and is still used by many techs.

Nail nerd - I would be interested to see your report as you are stating the health effects of product. To make a statement like that you need to be VERY clear as to what product you are referring to! Modern professional products have been proven not to cause health problems during pregnancy... Your statement sounds like you are trying to scare people... not fair really..

 

[The Geek]

There has been several research projects. 3 undertaken by the CIR which is an arm of the FDA. Their last study found professional nail enhancement products to be safer than the earlier studies had suggested when used as directed. Therefore I am more likely to believe that there is an ulterior motive behind every single post you have made which continually tries to make this point.

Send you document to me and ill review it as well as send it to experts in the field.

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Please can we get back to the main topic. This is a wowser thread and I would love to see how fashions etc have changed. It shouldn't be spoiled by someone who seems to have a hidden agenda.

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

ENVY
Sorry, I’m not trying to scare people just to educate them. If they researched they would find there is very little research information about the health effects with "modern products" as well as “previous used ones”, none of them have ever been fully tested and the combination of chemicals like those used in the professional nail industry have the potential to be very dangerous. Just because they are not tested does not mean they are safe, it just means no one is watching the cosmetic industry. In the U.S. there has never been regulation for chemical usage in cosmetics, until now! No product company would ever say their products are safe. Have you heard of SB484: The Safe Cosmetic Act of 2005, it passed into Law in California just last year. If you are serious about this industry and not a product puppet, its worth looking up for the health and safety of anyone who comes in contact with these chemicals.

P.S. I am well aware of Creative Nails. I too am a Master. However, I still take all the precautions I can with chemical exposure and cross-contamination.
Nailnerd

Nailnerd, you haven't filled out your profile and you have only just recently joined this site and in almost everything you say you are really pushing health and safety. This is not what this thread is about. the original question was 'Fashions for the nail industry in the 80's'. Personally I think it's an interesting one. Can we go back to the original question please?

 

[cadence]

Surely with all the posts recently related to health, people are getting tired of reading them now.. I myself have questioned them but am satisfied with the answers I have received....

So can those who did nails in the 80's contribute to this post, perhaps some people even have pictures they could scan, from when they first started out...?

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

Surely with all the posts recently related to health, people are getting tired of reading them now.. I myself have questioned them but am satisfied with the answers I have received....

So can those who did nails in the 80's contribute to this post, perhaps some people even have pictures they could scan, from when they first started out...?

Don't have any pictures as I was in my 20's at the time and didn't have the money for enhancements. Remember, I grew up in Zimbabwe, Africa or what some peeps may remember as Rhodesia. Enhancements were very expensive and only those peeps with loads of cash could afford them OR you saved like hell for them for a special occasion such as a wedding. I do remember brides would get their nails specially done. I don't recall nailart being a big thing though back then. It was either colour or French.

 

[cadence]

Don't have any pictures as I was in my 20's at the time and didn't have the money for enhancements. Remember, I grew up in Zimbabwe, Africa or what some peeps may remember as Rhodesia. Enhancements were very expensive and only those peeps with loads of cash could afford them OR you saved like hell for them for a special occasion such as a wedding. I do remember brides would get their nails specially done. I don't recall nailart being a big thing though back then. It was either colour or French.

But where the fashions over there, similar to fashions here? Did you train over there?

I didn't expect any replies from anyone in a country i know nothing about!!! I hope that doesn't sound rude, but do you know what I mean?

I can't possible get my head around trends in Africa as my knowledge of that country is limited to what I have learnt in school... !

Hope I don't come across as ignorant, I sincerely don't mean to be, I just kind of expected more history on UK trends. Call me insular!!


<~~~ worried how this will be percieved

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

But where the fashions over there, similar to fashions here? Did you train over there?

I didn't expect any replies from anyone in a country i know nothing about!!! I hope that doesn't sound rude, but do you know what I mean?

I can't possible get my head around trends in Africa as my knowledge of that country is limited to what I have learnt in school... !

Hope I don't come across as ignorant, I sincerely don't mean to be, I just kind of expected more history on UK trends. Call me insular!!


<~~~ worried how this will be percieved

There are peeps on this site from other parts of the world so I don't think your interesting thread is going to get replies from the UK only, lol. Zimbabwe used to be a colony of Great Britain (I'm adding this here for anyone who may like to know). Whilst it was Rhodesia our Prime Minister, Ian Douglas Smith, declared independence and told Britain to mind it's own business and so we became an independent country. In the 70's and early 80's as we became Zimbabwe, we were involved in a civil war which resulted in sanctions being imposed on us and although we couldn't get loads of overseas imported luxuries, we tended to follow modern trends as there were loads of British living in Zimbabwe. And it was a BIG thing for freinds and relatives to come to the Uk for a holiday as they always returned home with FAB foreign goodies from their shopping trips. Our entire education system was British based and we did the British version of O' levels and A' levels.
Hope this helps put it in perspective for you. If other countries trends are not what you are after in this thread then I appologise for the above history lesson. No offence taken.

 

[CadenceAlex]

There are peeps on this site from other parts of the world so I don't think your interesting thread is going to get replies from the UK only, lol. Zimbabwe used to be a colony of Great Britain (I'm adding this here for anyone who may like to know). Whilst it was Rhodesia our Prime Minister, Ian Douglas Smith, declared independence and told Britain to mind it's own business and so we became an independent country. In the 70's and early 80's as we became Zimbabwe, we were involved in a civil war which resulted in sanctions being imposed on us and although we couldn't get loads of overseas imported luxuries, we tended to follow modern trends as there were loads of British living in Zimbabwe. And it was a BIG thing for freinds and relatives to come to the Uk for a holiday as they always returned home with FAB foreign goodies from their shopping trips. Our entire education system was British based and we did the British version of O' levels and A' levels.
Hope this helps put it in perspective for you. If other countries trends are not what you are after in this thread then I appologise for the above history lesson. No offence taken.

No, its not that I'm not INTERESTED in other countries, its just that its hard to compare them to Britain, when you have no idea what its like over there!! Here the 80's are symbolised with excellent music (IMO), whacky fashions and mad haircuts... (the mullet... yuk)... I don't know about anywhere else, but all info is much appreciated!

Thank you for your post. How long have you been over here?

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

No, its not that I'm not INTERESTED in other countries, its just that its hard to compare them to Britain, when you have no idea what its like over there!! Here the 80's are symbolised with excellent music (IMO), whacky fashions and mad haircuts... (the mullet... yuk)... I don't know about anywhere else, but all info is much appreciated!

Thank you for your post. How long have you been over here?

As I said, we followed modern trends on the whole although perhaps alot tamer. Fashion not quite as whacky or hair for that matter. On the whole we were probably more subdued. I've been here 9 years now and have become a British citizen. My eldest daughter doesn't remember her country of birth (South Africa) and my youngest was born here so they are both very British.

 

[kateyork1]

Please can we get back to the main topic. This is a wowser thread and I would love to see how fashions etc have changed. It shouldn't be spoiled by someone who seems to have a hidden agenda.

Well said Sassy, it could be a really interesting thread - I for one would love to know how things have changed over the last 20 or so years.

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Well I was an 80s girl! But I bit my nails and so never really had much to do with nails then. I do remember going for whacky colours, I had a lovely dark green and a more subtle pale blue. I loved them - my mum hated them and said I was tarty!!!

However who remembers Flo Jo? ...

Famous fingernails
Known for her self-designed running uniforms and six-inch painted fingernails, she also won a 1984 Olympic silver medal in the heptathlon and 1992 bronze medal in the long jump.

 

[naturalnails]

Well I was an 80s girl! But I bit my nails and so never really had much to do with nails then. I do remember going for whacky colours, I had a lovely dark green and a more subtle pale blue. I loved them - my mum hated them and said I was tarty!!!

However who remembers Flo Jo? ...

Famous fingernails
Known for her self-designed running uniforms and six-inch painted fingernails, she also won a 1984 Olympic silver medal in the heptathlon and 1992 bronze medal in the long jump.

I remeber Flo Jo - she died really tragically didn't she?

She did loads for the profile of the nail industry, I think anyway. It got people talking about nails.

 

[Bagpuss]

I remember doing my hairdressing course in 88 and having a one day nail lesson....we where taught French polish and manicure...i loved it and went back to the salon asking if i could do everyones nails.

We had high hair...all curly/permed in high pony-tails...fruit of the loom t-shirts and bleached wash jeans.

 

[CadenceAlex]

I remember doing my hairdressing course in 88 and having a one day nail lesson....we where taught French polish and manicure...i loved it and went back to the salon asking if i could do everyones nails.

We had high hair...all curly/permed in high pony-tails...fruit of the loom t-shirts and bleached wash jeans.

Who is Flo Jo?

I always remember my mum wearing (cringe) electric blue mascara and leggings... with pink legwarmers...

<~~~ shudders

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

Who is Flo Jo?

I always remember my mum wearing (cringe) electric blue mascara and leggings... with pink legwarmers...

<~~~ shudders

Olympic Sprinter and Gold Medalist. American I think with VERY LONG enhancements. How did she die?

 

[Bagpuss]

Who is Flo Jo?

I always remember my mum wearing (cringe) electric blue mascara and leggings... with pink legwarmers...

<~~~ shudders

she was a famous runner who had really long finger nails..often painted in different colours....she died aged 36 i think....seizure of some sort.

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

Who is Flo Jo?

I always remember my mum wearing (cringe) electric blue mascara and leggings... with pink legwarmers...

<~~~ shudders

Ooooh yes! Legwarmers! I remember them. Couldn't get them in Zim so asked anyone who knitted to make a pair. See, we loved to follow trends from here. I had baby blue, baby pink and grey pairs.

 

[e_lucy]

Im loving this post (although the health and safety "u" turn scared me for a bit!)

I LOVE the 80s, I was born in 1980 but everyone says i should have been born 15 years earlier so i could have really got into it ... I still wear, listen to and do my makeup as if i was still there (yes im a mega exentric ...)

I would love to hear more about this. When I qualify im going to do display units of "nails through the ages" as part of my decor, a) because I think its kinda cool and b) because as a bit of a social history buff it would be nice to get some of my clients as intrested in fashion and beauty history as myself.

I remember in the 80s my mum ALWAYS had a really oranged based red on her nails, they were always immaculate and in the school holidays we were allowed a small dab on each nail (now i know a thing or two about skin tones ... yuck yuck yuck on my pale skin!) She always wore lipstick to match her nails, and i remember gettng really excited about the avon catalouge dreaming of wearing a ra ra skirt with pale pink lips and frosted long nails !! Im sure nail varnish smelt more of pear drops when i was little and used to LOVE the bottles with the long thin lid. I used to be allowed a bit of "tinklebell" nail varnish and rouge - does anyone else rememeber tinkerbell peal off nail varnish - its rubbish now cos they dont do it !

Anyway ... ive gone on for long enough - lets here some more memories this is v cool ! x