I’ve posted about my press on nail obsession on Insta stories several times over the past few months and, every time, I’m asked, do imPRESS press on nails work? I first went down the fake nail rabbit hole when I saw Sherry of Young House Love singing the praises of glue on nails in her stories. I tried the Kiss glue on a few times and it went okay…but I’m just not enough of a perfectionist for that task. So, I tried Kiss’s imPRESS press on nails and, from the first day, I knew I had a winner.
DO IMPRESS PRESS ON NAILS WORK?
Yes! Absolutely. And, at $5.99-$11.99 a pack (they’re cheapest at Target!)— from which I can get two sets — it’s a steal compared to a gel manicure. Plus, the longest I’ve had mine on is 15 days — which is about what I’d expect from a $35+ tip gel manicure. However, the key is in the application and the upkeep, so I’m going to run through the dos and don’ts of press on nails.
- The nails come with an alcohol prep pad. Do not forget to use this! It cleans your nails pre-application. On the second set that you’ll get from the pack, use nail polish remover for the same result.
- Press on each nail, thumbs last (you need to use your thumbs to do the rest!). Press each nail on, rolling across the nail to get every edge stuck.
- As someone who prefers shorter nails, even the shortest length is too long. It’s easy, however, once the nails are on to clip and file them. Every once in a while, I’ll go crazy with long nails and just slightly file them, but, typically, I cut them to the length you’ll see in the photo below (this red is my signature!).
- I realized early on that it’s not unusual to get one caught and it flips off or to have not applied one correctly, so I invested the $4 to get a bottle of brush-on nail glue. This way, if one nail pops off and the rest are still going strong, I’ll just glue it back on and have the set for a few more days.
- So, how do I get them off? Eventually, the glue will start to wear off and they’ll just pop off. You’ll see the edges towards your nail bed start to separate (ugh, it’s the worst when you catch a loose one in your hair…but it’s just like gel or dip does) and that’s when you can pop them off.
Honestly, these stay on so long, that there are times where I’m ready for a new color, but they’ve still got another week or so left in them. I’ve been using the press on nails consistently since spring now and there’s no way I’m ever going back.
WHY SHOULD YOU SWITCH TO PRESS ON NAILS?
First of all, BUDGET. I don’t want to spend my hard-earned money on biweekly manicures. At $35 a pop + tip, it just makes NO sense to keep up with gel (regular manicures don’t hold up on my nails and dip is ridiculously expensive here in DC!). I have more important savings goals and things I want to spend my money on (like travel!). $6.99-$11.99 for 2 manicures is far more aligned with what I’m willing to spend.
Second, gel isn’t without its risks. You’re subjecting your skin to UV rays and while the science is inconclusive on the actual risk, I’m not taking any chances. If I can avoid unnecessary UV exposure, I will.
And, lastly, time! Now that I’ve been doing press on nails for months, I have it down to a science. It takes me 15 minutes start to finish. If I was to go to a nail salon, it could take up to an hour. Seriously, do you need any better reason to switch?!
Thanks for the review – I’m going to have to try these! Within the last two months, I realized I don’t have the best experiences at nail salons (the one that was the icing on the cake was on 8th Street SE, btw)… the nail techs are often rude or at least not very nice, I’m paying $40+ and it’s just an inconvenience to go. I basically never have a relaxing time getting my nails done and am also paying hundreds of dollars a year on this service.
So! I bought two bottles of Sally’s gel polish and a top coat and have started doing my own nails once a week or so. The up front cost was under $20 and I can do it while at home watching tv or reading. I nearly always get a light pink or red anyway so I don’t need a huge variety of colors. I love that I’m able to do it on my time, am saving a bit of money, and have a much better experience. tbh, if you looked at my nails really up close, I’m sure you can tell a difference (nails aren’t my day job) but for everyone else not studying my nails, they look great! I will probably still get pedicures and a gel mani for special occasions, vacations, etc. but for the other weeks of the year, this works great.
Great review on Impress nails.
The other thing about those gel nail manicures is the damage they do to your nails. I once spent over two hours at a nail salon where they trying to get them off. This with my nails in horrible, horrible, horrible!
These are the first nails that I found that stay on. Once they’re set, you can cut them and file them.
I have found a couple stores that sell them for 3.99 a set which includes 30 nails.
A fantastic steal.
I’ve had them get dull after a week and just put a coat of clear polish on them.
New again!