I remember going with my grandmother to get my first manicure when I was in middle school. There was a salon at the bottom of the hill of Alexander City Middle School, and manicures used to cost about $10. The salon was dusty pink and beige inside, or maybe I just remember the ‘90s through that color filter. I would put my hands in a little acrylic bowl of warm water, and the nail technician would push my cuticles back. Fast forward to 2025, and styles and processes have changed a lot. A full set can run you closer to $70, depending on what you go with, and the options are unlimited.

The history of manicures begins in the Far East. In ancient Egypt, Cleopatra and Nefertiti used henna and carmine to stain their nails. Red shades symbolized power and status. Chinese royalty used egg whites, beeswax and floral petals to make nail polish shades.