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Beauty

11 Striking Red Acrylic Manicures That Make a Brave, Bold Statement

Dark red acrylic nails are not for the faint of heart. It takes a certain amount of confidence and attitude to pull off deep red nails in general — and this is especially true if they’re not from liquid nail polish. But if the idea of rocking these acrylics gives you a certain thrill and sense of power, just know that the history of beautiful nails is on your side.

What makes dark red acrylic nails so special?

It’s easy to think of acrylics — nail enhancements made by combining a liquid acrylic product with a powdered acrylic product — as a modern, hip invention. But did you know women have been adding artificial length to their nails since the days of ancient Egypt? During this time period, long nails were considered a sign of wealth and status in Egypt and in some Asian cultures — so (as you can probably imagine) women who held lots of power were all vying to have the longest nails around. Back then, they didn’t have salons as we know them, so women had to make do with what they had — including materials such as ivory, bone, and gold — for their manicures.

According to the Nails magazine, there was once even a social code centered around what color nail polish women of certain statuses were allowed to don. Women in low classes were only permitted to wear light, pastel shades; as a woman’s social rank got higher, her nail color got deeper — and darker. Of course, today both wealthy and non-wealthy women across cultures wear a seemingly endless variety of shades — of both natural and acrylic nails. Acrylics as we know them today were first developed in 1934 by dentist Maxwell Lappe, who created an artificial fingernail for nail biters. As they slowly became a fashion statement in the decades that followed, chemists developed techniques to make the original thick acrylics look thinner and more natural. These days, it’s hard to deny the staying power of acrylic nails — especially dark red acrylic nails. What celeb hasn’t rocked them at some point — and who says you can’t be next?

From burgundy acrylic nails to dark red matte acrylic nails, these fabulous manicures are here to inspire you to take that bold step. Scroll down to find a photo of dark red acrylic nails you love, then click on one of the circular buttons below the image to share it instantly with friends and family on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest!

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