Nothing is better than a fresh manicure, but sometimes the price of a new set isn’t in our monthly budget. Finding time to go to the salon can also be tough when the semester gets busy.
Press-on nails have skyrocketed in popularity for these reasons, and today’s nail options have come a long way from your mother’s early 2000s French manicure.
Here are five reasons to ditch the acrylic and fall in love with press-on.
- Extremely Cheap
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Manicures at the salon can cost over $100 depending on what you ask for and where you go. Plus who has time to sit at the salon for hours anyway? With press-ons, gone are the days of wasting half your time and paycheck on stylish nails.
The average price of a pack of press-on nails is between $10-15. The kits include everything you need to create a pretty manicure that looks like you spent hours at the salon, too.
Press-on nails are perfect, especially for college students on a strict budget who still want to feel put together. They’re cheap enough to keep up with consistently, or you can purchase a set just for special events.
- Extremely Fashionable
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When you think of fake nails you might imagine the classic KISS brand French tips. You know the ones your aunt wore in the ’90s?
In 2024, there are plenty of trendy designs and reliable press-on nail brands to choose from. Sometimes they look even better than you could’ve paid for at the salon.
Chrome, 3D, French, glitter, matte, natural, colorful: All these styles and more are available now. There are designs for everyone.
Whether you prefer long and bright or short and neutral, the perfect set of press-ons exists for you.
- Easy To Apply
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Don’t think you need professional-level skills to apply press-ons either. Application is a quick and simple process that anyone can figure out.
Glue, a file and a drying pad are all you need, and most packs include these products.
First, buff your natural nails and wipe off the leftover dust. Then, apply a drop of glue to the back of each press-on, and slide them onto your natural nails. Hold until the glue is set.
Pro tip: plan out the sizes of nails you will be using first. This makes the application much quicker. After this process, you will have a professional-looking manicure that was one-fourth of the work.
- Easy to Change
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Press-ons are the perfect way to match your nails to your outfit, too. They are easy to remove, and you can apply a new set based on your mood.
Many brands sell removal tools that allow you to take them off with minimal damage to your natural nails. Another way to remove them is by popping the nails off with your fingers. Be warned, this way may be efficient but could hurt your natural nails.
Whichever removal process you choose will be fast and efficient.
- Nail Health
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Press-on nails tend to be healthier than other manicure types, such as gel polish or acrylic.
Fake nails lightly sit on top of your natural nails and don’t utilize nearly as many chemicals as acrylic manis. They also don’t require a UV or LED light to cure, like gel polish, which some people like to stay away from.
Additionally, acrylic and gel are known to cause nail thinning, but you avoid this with press-ons. The application and removal process of press-ons is less intense than other systems: no electric files or loads of acetone are needed.
Have I convinced you yet? Press-on nails are the perfect alternative to expensive, time-consuming and damaging manicures.
If you don’t believe me, try them for yourself. I bet once you try them, you’ll never want to go back.