Nail Polish

About

A nail polish is a kind of paint that is applied to the nails or nail plates on the fingers and toes for protection and decoration or beautification. Nail polish originated in China wherein they mix it with beeswax, egg whites, vegetable dyes, and gum Arabic, a natural gum made of hardened sap. In Egypt, nail polish is worn by the lower class with pale colors while it is worn by the higher class with the red color.

 There are three types of polish namely the base coat, the top coat, and the gel. The base coat is used before applying the polish to the nail. It is clear and opaque pink colored and it is used to moisture the nail and to strengthen it. The top coat is used after applying the polish. It is clear colored and its purpose is to prevent the polish from being chipped, scratched, and peeled. The gel is applied to let the polish last up to two weeks with proper care before chipping. It needs to be cured under an ultraviolet lamp in order for it to be dried up. It is very difficult to remove compared to the traditional and regular nail polish because it has to be soaked under an acetone for a eight to fifteen minutes before gently pushing it off. The ingredients of a nail polish are plasticizers, dyes, pigments, polymers, adhesive thickening agents, and ultraviolet stabilizers. Nail polish formulations may have ingredients that are toxic and cause cancer. 

Experts suggests that some inhaled and absorbed ingredients may be human reproductive toxicants which means that it can cause birth defects, low birth weight, miscarriage, and preterm birth. Although nail polish is very common to people especially to women and is used as a part of fashion or a form of art, it is still considered a hazardous waste.

Toothpick

A toothpick is used after every meal to remove detritus or food that is stuck between the teeth. It is a small stick that has one or two sharp ends and is usually made out of wood, plastic, bamboo, metal, or bone. A toothpick can also be used as a cocktail stick and as a tool for picking up small food such as cheese cubes and olives. Wooden toothpicks in America are made from birch wood. First, logs are cut into thin sheets in a spiral manner. Then, they are chopped and milled. Lastly, they are bleached so that the toothpicks will be lightened. 

The toothpick is the oldest device for dental cleaning and it is known to come before the arrival of early modern people since it is shown by the skulls of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens that they have teeth which are picked with a tool. In Florida, researchers discovered the remains of ancient Native Americans which are seven thousand and five hundred years old. In the year 1986, the researchers found out that between the molar teeth of the remains have small spaces or hollows. Before the invention of the toothbrush, hard and as well as soft dental woods are used to clean the teeth. They are well known in Northern Italy, in the East Alps, in Mesopotamia, and with the Romans. 

Toothpicks in the 17^th century were considered as luxurious things just like the jewelry items. They were made out from precious metal and they are also set with expensive stones as they were enameled and stylized artistically from time to time. In the modern times, toothpicks are not known to be luxury objects anymore. They are now mainly used for dental cleaning similar to that of a dental floss and a toothbrush. They are also used to pick up small appetizers during occasions that are festive and are sometimes styled or decorated with plastic frills and small paper flags.