nail polish: light skin tone
Unicode: 1F485 1F3FB
Description
A woman's hand, depicted with a lighter skin tone, is shown applying red nail polish to a fingernail. The hand is often poised delicately, focusing on the act of grooming or beautification.
Group:
People & Body > hand-prop
Status:
fully-qualified
Emotion:
Typically represents beauty, self-care, glamor, femininity, pampering, or the act of preparing for a special occasion. Can also imply attention to detail or leisure.
Backstory
The Nail Polish emoji (💅) was approved as part of Unicode 6.0 in 2010. The addition of skin tone modifiers (like 1F3FB for light skin tone) came with Unicode 8.0 in 2015, allowing for greater representation of diverse skin tones. It quickly became popular for expressing themes of beauty and self-care in digital communication.
Usage Examples
- Indicating self-care: 'Time for some pampering 💅'
- Talking about beauty or fashion: 'New nails! 💅'
- Sassy or dismissive tone: 'Oh well 💅'
- Feeling glamorous: 'Getting ready for the party 💅'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Widely associated with fashion, beauty routines, self-indulgence, and personal presentation. Often used in contexts of 'getting ready' or 'girls' night out'.
East Asian culture:
Similar associations with beauty and personal grooming. Can also be used to signify delicate work or artistic endeavors involving hands.