Are press on nails any good? Let me break it down!

There’s nothing that makes you feel more put together than a beautiful set of nails. At least for me anyway.

Except I am fully convinced that shellac or gel polish just does not last on me. I can spend $60+ on a gorgeous manicure, only for the polish to literally fall off a few days later. So many years ago, I decided that paying for a manicure simply was not for me.

Fast forward to about 14 months ago and I discovered press on nails. But not the cheap press ons of my childhood that looked tacky and very obviously fake. I’m talking about the kind of quality that makes people go, “Sorry… what?!” when you tell them they’re actually press on.

They give you that acrylic feel, but without the hours spent in a salon and for a much friendlier price tag.

I get asked all the time whether they actually last, whether press on nails ruin your natural nails and whether they’re really worth it. If you ask me, press ons are the way of the future when it comes to nails. Especially if you’re like me and manicures don’t last, you’re short on time, or you want a more affordable way to have a gorgeous set of nails.

So why do I love press on nails?

Because they’re quick and easy to apply, they’re reusable and there are so many beautiful options to choose from.

They take about five minutes to apply, give or take if you make a mess with the glue. If you do, don’t stress, it happens to the best of us. You simply prep your nails by buffing them, then wiping them with either alcohol wipes or acetone nail polish remover. This removes oils and helps them stick for longer. Then you apply the glue, press on the nail and you’re done. My biggest tip is to buy brush on glue. You will thank me for it.

I do find that I’ll have a nail pop off here and there, but I just carry a little glue in my handbag and stick it back on without any issues. Once I reach the point where I’m ready to take them off, or I’m over re-gluing, you have a couple of options. You can soak your hands in warm water and the nails will eventually pop off, or you can use a nail remover serum. You just drop it around the cuticles and let it work its magic for a few minutes as it breaks down the glue.

My go-to press on nails

There are three brands that are now my go to's.

1. Instant Mani Co - this was the brand that had me falling in love with press ons. They have a beautiful collection of simple colours from your classic reds, to pretty pastels or your neutral nudes. They have a few different lengths, the extra shorts are my go-to because I want nice nails that don't feel like they are getting in the way.

2. Candy Claw - they also do all your staple colours in extra short, short and medium length nails. However, every so often they bring out some fun designs (like cute Christmas nails!). They often have a variety of sales as well. 

3. Finger Food - these guys have just nailed everything about the brand. The design, the names, all the cute little details! They have some fun colours too if you want something a little different to the classic colours and designs.

4. Tipsee - Tipsee is the newest brand to me, but they have quickly won me over. They have the most extravagant designs (alongside some classic colours) if you like long and detailed. But what I really love is that you choose the nail size. I have TINY nails and I find that a lot of the classic press on sets cater to larger nails, meaning if I lose one or two nails, I can't reuse the set because I don't have enough to fit my fingers. By being able to choose a size, I have wayyy more options to fit all my fingers, meaning I get more reuse out of them.