What comes in 10 colors, costs 1,400 yen ($12 U.S.) and won’t turn nails yellow? According to an article in Look Japan (December 1994), it’s Kao’s enamel-free nail polish. Called Aube Nail Enamel, the polish is reportedly water-based and contains no compounds that react with protein, which means it can be used regularly without discoloring the nail. The water base also means that the polish lacks the stringent odor of the organic solvents used in other polishes, says the magazine.

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