Are press-on nails worth it? Are there press on nails for people who don’t like getting their nails done? Do press-on nails last?
Recently, I was invited to try a few of the imPRESS® Press-On Manicure sets and at first, I was a bit skeptical. I’m a fairly active person who has never even considered press on nails.
In fact, I don’t even paint my nails because they tend to just last a day before they chip, even when I get them done professionally, just from washing the dishes, typing, putting my bike chain on, or my general active life.
Press on nails kind of felt like something from my childhood, or the 80s, and my “impression” of them was that they were not really used anymore and they just had dated colours and styles to choose from. When I thought of press on nails, I thought of pale pastel pink or bright red talons that look super obvious and not like nails at all.
I was just about to turn down the invitation to try the imPRESS® Press-On Manicure sets when I decided to look at what they offered.
I was surprised - on their site, they have a huge range of sets to choose from - in many different lengths and styles.
There are long, on-trend pointy sets, shorter, squared off sets, fancier, jeweled sets, 3D and jelly styles and everything in between.
I instantly liked the Rebecca Minkoff sets because of their modern, fun styles and bold colours.
Here are a few of the sets that I chose:
Rebecca Minkoff X imPRESS Press-on Manicure - Sunset Beach
When I got the kits, I was surprised at how small the boxes are and yet they come with 30 nails!
It never occurred to me, being a noob to all things press-on nails, that a kit would come with extras, but these kits go above and beyond, with enough nails to wear the same style multiple times, making for great value.
Putting on the nails was super easy, but it does take some practice. The main thing to know is that once they are on, they are pretty much on, and it is very difficult to move them or take them off, after that.
This is why a couple of mine are slightly crooked in the photos! This is not necessarily a bad thing though, the adhesive is very strong and you want it to be, in order for them to last.
The kit comes with an alcohol prep pad to remove any oils from the surface of your nail, so they’ll really adhere well, and a small orange stick to get the nail into position. There’s even a handy chart so you can lay out the nails in advance to see which one goes where.
After the nails are on, you can trim them to the length you want or shape them however you like. There’s a little nail file included in case you need to file them a bit after you cut them.
I cut mine super short because I was worried I’d ruin them by the end of day or bend them back, but this wasn’t really necessary. Once they’re on, they’re on!
I was so shocked by how long these nails lasted. Even with washing dishes, doing outdoor activities, taking baths and washing my hands obsessively in these COVID times, they didn’t come off.
They also weren’t affected by alcohol in hand sanitizer! All in all, most of the nails lasted almost a week on, and then I ended up taking most of them off myself.
What do you have to lose?
There are only a few downsides to these nails and the positive points far outweigh the negatives. They’re basically a very fun alternative to a salon manicure during a time when many of us still don’t feel that comfortable going to a salon. You can do it yourself within a few minutes and it’s super affordable too.
I got a lot of compliments on these nails and you can’t tell from a distance that they aren’t your real nails. They were not quite wide enough to cover my whole nail though, which was a bit strange because my nails are quite small.
However, I did think this gave it an almost gel-like look and no one noticed that you could see my real nailbed on the sides of some of the nails. It would be great if they made them a bit wider, though. I did also notice they make kits for petite nails.
The other downside to them is that if you want to pull them off, rather than let them fall off naturally on their own, they are a bit of a challenge to get off, and they do strip off some of your nails’ finish.
I’d recommend letting them fall off on their own, which will happen eventually anyway or possibly if you soaked your nails in warm water for an extended period of time.
imPRESS® Press-On Manicure Kits Pros:
· Easy to use
· Won’t chip
· Fun colours & designs
· Strong glue
· Short lengths for typing or sports
· Affordable
· Lots of extra nails
imPRESS® Press-On Manicure Kits Cons:
· Not wide enough for all nail shapes
· Hard to get off if you want them off
· Positioning takes a bit of time to get used to
· Can hook on things
Really, there was very little to not like about the imPRESS® Press-On Manicure and I highly recommend you give them a try if you’re like me and think that you just can’t ever have “fancy” nice-looking nails or a manicure due to your lifestyle. They even include Joah Korean beauty products with orders over $35 and I got an amazing charcoal facemask in my package.
Have you ever tried press-on nails? What are your feelings about them? Let me know in the comments below and feel free to share this article if you think someone you know might find it useful!