Why Do Guys Paint Their Toenails?

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Women paint their nails, and it’s common however, a debate comes up when men paint theirs. There is nothing bad with men painting their nails. This article answers all your questions about why men paint their toenails.

Why Do Guys Paint Their Toenails?

Painting nails has always been a popular trend, mainly on women, it is believed that men started the whole thing. The warriors of Babylon used to paint their nails, but in the current world, painting nails is considered to be done by women.

However, many men celebrities do manicure, and even regular guys have started to paint their toenails men do it for a reason, and some of the reasons are as follows.

They do it for self-expression

Creative men will always try new things to express their personality, traditional clothes, accessories, and hairstyles served this purpose. In real sense, painted nails complement a man’s look.

Many manicure styles can match any outfit, beautiful nails make a man stand out, so there is nothing bad with men polishing their toenails.

They do it to break stereotype

Men can sometimes polish their toenails to make a statement, if he wants to put across a message, he can raise his voice. Painted nails can be a powerful message to tell people he thinks outside the box.

It’s not awkward for a man to paint their toenails since it’s a self-expression method or a way to show or break down gender roles that exist in the society.

Any guy can paint his toenails, no one will judge you, do what makes you happy, and never listen to what people say.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with men painting their toenails. Nail polish is always thought of as a feminine trend, but anyone can polish their nails if they choose to do so. Nowadays, most men get manicures, not just because gender norms are almost nonexistent.

Why Do Guys Paint One Toenail?

You may have seen a guy with one painted nail, and you could be wondering what it means. This man could be wearing paint on one nail to make a fashion statement, or he could be participating in a polished men’s campaign, this is an organization that helps in raising awareness about sexually abused children.

This organization started when someone known as Elliot came across a girl who has been abused sexually, she was comfortable enough to disclose what had happened to her, sad about what had happened to this girl, Elliot promised to keep his nails painted in remembrance of the girl and what had happened to her.

So when you see a man with one painted nail, don’t be quick to judge you never know what message she is trying to pass. This organization lets men know when the painting takes place, all men come together in this form to donate and prevent people from being abused sexually.

This project has taken off in the United States, Australia, and some parts of Europe. It is great and has inspired a lot of men about sexual abuse against young children.
Apart from that, some men can paint their nails for fun without trying to mean anything, it’s a free world, and everybody does what he likes.

Do Straight Guys Wear Nail Polish?

Yes, they do wear nail polish, anyone can wear manicure because they require less maintenance and requires little effort. After application, you let it dry, and taking it off is easy.
Culture has permanently seen nail polish as feminine and marketed it to them for years. However, that has changed now you can market your beauty parlor by using men, thus polishing cute their nails.

Many men have also been trying manicures because of the Covid-19 pandemic, this is to experiment new things over the lockdown period. Nail art has become common among men, and it is even becoming a status symbol.

To paint nails, you need to have the appropriate tools so that you do a perfect job. You also need to know how to do the job and if you can’t, visit a professional to help you. The following steps will help guide you to painting your nails neatly.

Step1: Tools needed

Before you start the process, ensure you have the following things; cuticle trimmers, nail polish, file, base coat, nail polish remover, clear topcoat, cotton swabs, and fingernail clippers.

Step 2: Tips for painting your nails

• Before you start to paint, keep in mind that you have to be perfect. So you need to at least;
• Tie your long hair back
• Eat a snack
• Stay away from your pets
• Have a nice beverage nearby
• Find something to entertain you because you will not have to touch things.

Step3: Prep Work

You need to prepare your nails before painting them, take off the nail polish you are currently wearing. Then ensure you trim any excess cuticle, it’s perfect if you do it right after shower.

To make the process easy, soak your hands in warm water, let your nails dry before trimming and filing them, you can’t trim wet nails because you will damage them.

Use a polish nail remover to clean and prepare the nails for the process.

Step 4: The First Coat

Coat your nails but don’t use thicker coats as they will take ages to dry, a thin coat takes 5 to 10 minutes to dry, while a thick coat takes more than 20 minutes. It’s advisable that you use three thin coats of polish than a thick lumpy one.

Step 5: Check if the polish is dry

After coating fingers, don’t touch them to see if they are dry instead, you should rub your polished nails together if they don’t stick, they are not dry, and if they stick together, give them enough time to dry. Don’t press them too hard you’ll ruin everything.

Step 6: Additional Coats

You might need two or three coats of nail polish, your additional coats must be thin and ensure it doesn’t touch the skin. Give them enough time to dry, you can’t add coats to wet polish because it

It leads to dents, bumps, and smudges.

Step 7: Add a topcoat

The topcoat helps nails to last longer, you don’t need much, just one coat is enough. Cover the polish completely.

Why Do Straight Guys Wear Black nail Polish?

There are no major reasons why they use black nail polish. They want to remain masculine, men believe that their nails indicate their masculinity, and they are more concerned about their appearance than other things.

However, not all men wear black nail polish, some have even gone to the extent of wearing pink and other feminine colors. Painting nails black is an old male grooming habit that was so popular in the past years.

Men always want to look presentable and nail polish talks a lot about someone that is why they decide to go for this particular color, many men cannot even try paintng nails because they are shy.

What Colors Should Guys Paint Their Nails?

When it comes to personal style, you should show off your true self. The men’s beauty industry is growing beyond clothing. If you want to show off your dingy as a man, you should try nail polish.

Manicure is one of the best ways to show off your nails and show yourself some love. You can use a gel product or the traditional nail polish, if you don’t like colors, try out restorative polish because they are not too shiny.

Nail polish for men can be stylish, so if you are new to the men’s beauty journey, here are the best nail polishes for men that you need to try.

Sally Hansen Gel

It’s an excellent polish with a long-lasting finish perfect for those men who are not afraid of shine. To set these polish, you do not have to use UV light like on other polishes. Sally Hansen glides but does not cause clumping, it is available in more than 20 colors. This polish only works well when used with a topcoat.

Pros

• Its color is deep and long-lasting
• Available in various colors

Cons

• It is not flake-proof

OPI Nail Top Coat

This helps protect polish from coming out, it gives a matte finish that most polish can’t. It protects the underlying color and lasts for more than a week. One benefit of matte finish is that it protects your nails even if you don’t want color.

Pros

• Wonderful matte finish
• Protects polish, nails, and manicures

Cons

• Very expensive

ZOYA Men’s Manicure Kit

This is meant for men who want to protect their nails with home manicure. Zoya provides a neutral and natural look and consists of 3 bottles. The satin seal, naked base, and perfector.

It also contains Vitamin B5, which reduces brittleness and improves flexibility.

Vitamin E in Zoya plays a role in cellular renewal. In general, this product improves nails and their look by reducing discoloration.

Pros

• It is meant for restoring nails with botanicals, vitamins, and proteins.

Cons

It takes time to dry.

OPI Nail Strengthener

This is meant for those men who want to protect their nails without polishing them. If you bite your nails, paint them a lot, or brittle and need care, this product is perfect.
Its application is done just like that, contains protein and calcium that fortified and protects nails. The most impressive part is, it provides a matte finish. It is best for those men with dry, brittle, thin, and soft nails.

Pros

• It has a matte finish hence leaving behind less shine.
• Designed for protection and restoration of nails

Cons

• A bit pricey

Essie Nail Polish

This nail polish is subtle and can still make a statement. It is available in colors of gray, blue and green. Its finish is high-gloss, and the better part is it doesn’t thicken even if left for long without use.

This product does not contain DBP, formaldehyde, and toluene. You can use this material with a topcoat, and a base bit keep in mind that you buy them separately.

Pros

• Available in various shades
• It has a durable finish

Cons

• It is thin and needs a lot of application
• You might need excess coats

OPI Nail Lacquer

This is a very popular brand that produces various long-lasting shades. It comes in different muted blush tones, while some have nude looks. This polish does not make a statement but blends with more colors while still having luster and some shine. Lacquer polish is thicker, protective as well as giving your nails a glossier look.

Pros

• Available in muted blush shades

Cons

• Chips easily

Revlon Nail Polish

This is available in neutral shades and pink colors, it is an awesome product resistant to fade and chips. Revlon works best when applied with a top coat and a base.

You only need to use two coats to obtain perfect results, but the results also depend on the type of color you chose or use. Remember that this polish takes a while to dry, but the results are amazing.

Pros

• Has a wide color selection
• The shine is great

Cons

• Prices vary by color

The actual colors might not be the same as the product photos

Sally Hansen Polish

The polish comes in various shades of cream, red, pink, and beautiful vegan colors. Sally Hansen is great as it upgrades your nails by cutting off gender stereotypes and making you feel better than before. All the shades are long-lasting and have a 100% nature-forward formula.

Pros

• It comes in various colors to choose from
• 100% Vegan product

Cons

• Some colors can beat a bit much feminine.

It is important to know that the world is changing and things do not remain the same, you shy not be surprised when you come across a guy with nail polish.

It’s common, and you need to get used to it, you need to understand why they paint their nails, why straight guys paint nails and why they use black color as well as the perfect paint colors for men.