* Ancient civilizations: Ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, and Chinese used henna, dyes, and other substances to color their nails.
* 19th Century: In the 1800s, the fashion for colored nails emerged in Europe, with women using mixtures of beeswax, gelatin, and dyes.
* Early 20th Century: The first commercially available nail polish was introduced in the 1920s by Charles Revson. However, this early polish was brittle and prone to chipping.
* 1930s: Revson's company, Revlon, later revolutionized nail polish by introducing a durable, long-lasting formula that became popular.
Therefore, it's challenging to pinpoint one specific inventor, as nail polish evolved through many different contributions over time. However, Charles Revson is often credited with bringing modern, commercially successful nail polish to the market.