Nail Polish for Men is “Normal” — Just Like It Used to Be 5,000 Years Ago

Nail Polish for Men is “Normal” — Just Like It Used to Be 5,000 Years Ago

We see more and more men emerging with painted nails, either through choice or the reluctant endurance of their creative offspring.

When Jaden Smith posed for Vogue Korea, the internet went berserk. According to Entertainment Tonight, he looked “stunning shirtless in a skirt with a flower in his hair.”

What made headlines was the skirt — not the blue nail polish on his fingers.

Smith is hardly alone. Plenty of other men have been seen wearing nail polish, including Johnny Depp, Seal, Brad Pitt, Zac Efron, Harry Styles and more.

1234 depp

But History is actually repeating itself. Men have been wearing nail polish since 3,200 B.C. After an excavation of royal tombs at Ur of the Chaldees in southern Babylonia, it was discovered that most men during that time wore nail polish, with different colours signifying different classes. Made primarily with kohl, the darker the colour, the higher the class of the man, from warriors to leaders. Lighter colours were reserved for the lower class men. Prior to battle, the warriors would take hours to paint their nails,so really, it’s not a new thing at all. In fact, nail polish for guys used to be the norm.

Come forward to artists such as Iggy Pop, Kurt Cobain, Lou Reed and David Bowie, all of whom painted their nails.

lou reed bowie

All the men above were rock stars, rebelling against the gender norms their elders obeyed. In Bowie’s case, critics just didn’t know what to do with his androgynous look, since rockers of the past had been forced into being extremely hyper-masculine figures.

But something has shifted in the past few years, not only by stars like Jaden Smith, but also the emergence of nail polish brands catering toward men.

There are several companies specifically producing these nail polishes just for men, an internet search will bring up a few makes, in reality they are no different to normal nail polish, they just stick to earthy and darker shades.

male polish

Though there is no reason not to go for a more bolder shade like Harry Styles of One Direction seen here with red polish on some nails.

harry styles

Our very own resident chef Adam put it to the test for us, His daughters painted his nails, in black, and they went to town shopping. “At first I was very apprehensive” said Adam, “but after being in a few shops and paying for goods, knowing full well that my painted nails were in full view I suddenly became more and more confident, no one batted an eye lid, it certainly seems it is now acceptable for guys to wear nail polish”

Creator of Thunderbirds, Sylvia Anderson was always pushing the boundaries on fashion in all the shows she created & produced, even some of male characters on Thunderbirds wore eye shadow.

thunderbirds ete

But that was Sylvia, given her fashion background, always trying to push just a little bit more and it certainly contributed to what made all the shows a success.

thunderbirds eye

We will leave the last words to Adam. “I may try this again, and will report back. However I will stick to darker colours as don’t think a bright pink will go down well at the pub on a Friday night with the lads, but if pink is good enough for Prince Harry then you never know!”


Follow and Like us on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/glotimetv/
Follow us on Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/glotimetv/
Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/GloTIMETV_

#MalePolish

THE LOTUS CLINIC – LIVING UP TO IT’S NAME

THE LOTUS CLINIC – LIVING UP TO IT’S NAME

The Lotus Clinic is situated on the outskirts of Golders Green, and has the feel of a family run practice and the expertise of the best in cosmetic dentistry.

Dr Michael Frankl is the founder and at the helm of the practice, and has transformed the lives of the rich and famous and people from all walks of life in need of dental rejuvenation and aesthetics.

Dr Michael Frankl

Dr Frankl qualified at The University of London in 1993, has a degree from the Royal College of Surgeons and is a member of the Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He has developed particular expertise in dental implants and cosmetic dentistry, CEREC (ceramic reconstruction) and laser dentistry. Dr Frankl has brought together an aesthetic medicine team comprising leading practitioners in each particular treatment. He has 25 years of experience in general dentistry, dental implants and cosmetic dentistry.

My first impression of the practice was formed by Greg Bewsher the Patient Co-Ordinator, who has worked with Dr Frankl for a number of years, and reassured me that in spite of my horror of the dentist’s chair, I was in good hands and would be pleasantly surprised by the experience and outcome.  He also negotiated an attractive financial package for me.

I tentatively booked for my first appointment having urged to go by my own dental urgency, and was immediately impressed by Dr Frankl’s calm and professional approach, coupled with the practically painless first session.

I then went on to book several other treatments including implants which I had avoided at all cost, having had bad experiences of bruising and a terrifying encounter with a dentist who literally hammered an implant into my mouth. 

Once again, Dr Frankl seemed to hold the secret of success with a completely painless session, coupled with a speedy and sensitive approach, reassuring me all the way.  I had absolutely no bruising, and very little down time.

The Dental Receptionists are also clued up as to any after treatments and assistance, and are equally as supportive, offering drinks and TLC both before and after the appointment.

I have now booked and experienced several appointments with The Lotus Clinic and have to say they live up to their image of a Lotus Flower, without putting too deep a spiritual spin on it, regeneration and rebirth, which in my case it most certainly is, certainly where my dental wellbeing is concerned. 

Would fully recommend and go as far as to say, are as good as it gets.

www.lotusclinic.co.uk

Lotus Clinic Facebook

Lotus Clinic Twitter


‘TREAT THE PATIENT – NOT JUST THE PROBLEM’ – By Sherina Balaratnam

‘TREAT THE PATIENT – NOT JUST THE PROBLEM’ – By Sherina Balaratnam

As part of our series of ‘Inspirational Women’, meet Miss Sherina Balaratnam – highly accomplished surgeon and owner of S-Thetics, the multi-award-winning state of the art clinic in the heart of Beaconsfield.

Sherina was born in Kuala Lumpur into a medical family.  Her Father a neurologist and her Mum a nurse.  ‘Medicine is in my DNA’ says Sherina, as she recalls how at the age of 8 years old, she would observe her Father as she sat quietly in his clinic as he diagnosed and treated his patients.

Sherina became fascinated with the diagnostic tools that became her focus as she swung around in the clinic chair playing with empty syringes and tendon hammers. 

Her curiosity was continually challenged as she witnessed patients of all ages coming to see her father with a multitude of ailments.  There were always lollipops for the kids containing Vitamin C she recalls which she also enjoyed.

The medical team were all female, and Sherina’s Mum had by this time elected to give up her career to support her family, and did so with great aplomb, bringing food and sustenance into the clinic on a daily basis, and looking after her three children, Sherina and her two elder brothers.

Sherina explains how her Father listened attentively to every patient and how each member of his team was skilled in the unique practise of treating each person individually, a value she has adopted throughout her own medical career.  It is no surprise to that the Clinic is still operational today with her Father at the helm and the same team of female practitioners as when Sherina was a child.

‘Love has got to come into it’ says Sherina, ‘I could never understand when my Dad would say he didn’t consider it work, but now I do’.

The legacy of her Father, who was given a Datoship by the Sultan of Terengganu in his 50s has followed her throughout her own medical career.

Sherina now runs a flourishing aesthetics practise in Beaconsfield which is reminiscent of her own childhood memories.  As you are greeted by her team of ladies, you feel that you are in good hands, but in addition that you are being taken into a family full of love and genuine support.

Sherina was also inspired by her Mum at an early age who would sit with her to read and make sure she studied.  She would take her to school which was a 45-minute drive away from their home and would also advise her ‘Education will give you freedom’.  ‘Sleep well and study hard, and exercise every day’.

Sherina spent five years in the UK at medical school and enjoyed everything – all topics and tutors.  But her main inspiration came after graduation, when she found herself working in the A and E Department of a hospital stitching up wounds and lacerations.  ‘It seemed like fun’ Sherina says with a dry smile ‘plus the feeling of instruments and tools, of steel and the dexterity that comes with that’ reminiscent of her childhood.

‘It was also a challenge of making the stitch work beautiful as well as the healing and the aesthetics, and then the Plastics guys would come along and do more, and it took me to a different level in what I could achieve’. 

It was an evolution for Sherina to put wounds together for reconstructive surgery and she became fascinated by it and it became again not just treating the burns and injuries but treating the families too and helping them holistically with issues like children swallowing after a cleft palate or their general nutrition.

Sherina then took time out to do a Masters for two years in Surgical Sciences following her Mother’s advice in education, and following her passion in different areas of skin treatment and discovering light therapy whilst becoming curious about energy-based devices for wound healing and scarring.

She then began to question ‘what else is out there, and what else could I be good at?’. 

Sherina’s decision to leave the NHS was not made lightly, as she loved her work, but sitting in a park in Ealing she made a decision for a life change.  As she did, she questioned herself ‘Am I going to let my parents down?’.  She braced herself to call them.

As Sherina delivered the ‘bomb shell’ to her parents she broke down, but was astounded at their reply.

‘Why are you crying?’ said her Dad ‘we don’t mind what you do as long as you practise medicine every day’.

Sherina now practises aesthetics in the same way that her father still runs his clinic, taking each patient individually and listening to their story before planning the treatment.

S-thetics is situated in the beautiful town of Beaconsfield, which she describes as the perfect setting for her clinic, and relishes the fact that she lives and works in the same town.  Every detail is covered from start to finish, even with the colour of copper as a healing element in their interior design.

Sherina, together with her team of highly skilled female practitioners and her husband Jonathan, run a tight ship, and you are greeted at the door as a valued individual and leave feeling cherished and supported with all of the state-of-the-art technology to administer the treatments.

After all she says ‘It is beyond aesthetics – it is what I have learned from my Papa, treating the patient and not the problem.  To bring value to someone, you really have to listen’.  Sherina administers a variety of treatments, and is proud of her ability to have a vision for her patients and works with them to develop their full potential.

‘We don’t save lives but help lives every day’ – but to me Sherina is saving lives as she builds relationships with her clients and brings value to their everyday, leaving an imprint of her parents’ legacy with love and dedication.

You can contact Sherina at:

https://sthetics.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/STheticsByMissSherinaBalaratnam/

https://twitter.com/missbalaratnam


Pin It on Pinterest