How to Apply Press-On Nails & Other Tips and Tricks

How to apply press on nails
Nails above can be found here.

Did you know a lot of the celebs are getting those killer manicures with press-ons?  I'm not surprised either.  Out of doing acrylic and gel nails this has been the least damaging on my nails.  It keeps me out of super long nail appointments and is cheaper than getting at the salon.  I've also had a lot of nail growth under the press-ons and because the press-ons are less damaging the growth isn't paper thin like it is under the acrylics and gel.  I've had a post on my "press-on" nails in the works for a while, but I was waiting on a fancy pair that I had coming in so I could post, but I wanted to go through step by step how to apply press ons. So that they last a week along with some tips and places I get my press ons. So here goes.

The process of applying press-ons is quick and simple, but skipping steps could mean your press fall off easily and you could be gluing them back frequently.
How to Apply Press on Nails

  1. Give yourself a mini mani or get a mani professionally done.  By a mini mani I mean....buffing your nails, filing your nails evenly,  pushing back your cuticles, removing all polish,  and washing your hands.  Something that doesn't take me more than 5 minutes.  
  2. Completely dry your hands.  Wet nails will make nail glue weak and not bond with strength.
  3. Swap nails with alcohol.   This helps to further remove any water from then nails and gets them dry so that you can apply your press-ons.
  4. Size your nails before gluing them on.  You'll want the nail to be a tad smaller than your actual nail.  When gluing, you want to glue to the nail, NOT your skin or cuticle.  Gluing them to your skin can cause them to fall off easily. If the press-on is too wide, then file the bottom to better fit it.
  5. Double glue and apply press-ons.  By double gluing I mean to apply glue to your nail and to the actual nail.  You can also apply the glue to your nail twice, but I think apply to the nail works best, but be careful. You don't want to get the glue on your hand and then onto the nail and ruin the look of the nail.
Press-on Nails generally last for me 5 plus days and I really don't give them a chance to last longer because I like to switch them out often. I do other people where they wear them for a week to two weeks.  This nail application process takes me no more than 15 minutes.

On the Go Manicure in 5 minutes - Go Go Gadget Mani

Let's say you have a last minute event and didn't get that manicure in you can just pop these on with some nail glue in your car.  LOL.  They won't last as long, but you should be good to go for at least 24 hours.  Enough time to get through your event.  

Favorite Places for Press-Ons

  1. Etsy - I've linked my favorite shops below.  You can also go into Etsy and just type in press-on nails.
  2. Makellos Nails - Great nails, fast shipping and has the best glue
  3. Drug Stores - If I'm caught in a spot, a lot of my last minute manis come from CVS, Walgreens, etc.

As mentioned above, my favorite glue and the glue that I think works best is from Makellos Nails, but I will also get this Kiss brush on glue.  The best thing about these two are that they have a brush that is great for precision and ensures you don't get glue everywhere.

Nail Sizing

A lot of of the Etsy shops will ask you for your nail size and tell you step by step how to measure.  I am usually a large.  But here are some quick instructions, all you will need is a measuring tape.

  1. Flip the measuring tape over to the millimeter side.
  2. Using a measuring tape, measure across the widest point of your nail from edge to edge.
  3. Write down the measurement for each finger in mm
  4. Choose the size that is the closest fit to your measurements. If you aren’t sure of the size, it is better to go larger than smaller. You can file the nail down if it is too big.
  5. Make sure that you check the sizing in each shop.  In one shop, I may be a medium, in the next I may be a large.
Other Nails Tips

  1. If you are good to your press-ons you can wear them more than once.  
  2. Always keep nail glue on you, just in case something pops off. LOLOL
  3. I've been wearing a lot of stiletto, but some shops will let you choose the shape your want and finish of the nail (matte or glossy).
  4. Some people asked me how I went to the ladies room with the stiletto press-ons -- all I can say is don't buy cheap thin tissue. LOL 
Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to be thorough.  I hope this helps and happy nail shopping.

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