*This article includes mentions of merchants or brands who are partners of DoorDash, and DoorDash may receive a commission if you choose to make a purchase from these merchants or brands.
I used to spend $150 a month on nail art. Looking down at fun, colorful, and unique artistry every time I was cooking, writing, or even taking out the trash was a source of true happiness. That little dopamine rush was costly though… so I stopped getting them done cold turkey. Sort of.
Instead, I discovered a multitude of impressive press-ons (pun very much intended) that come in every shape, size, style, color, and print imaginable — at a fraction of the cost of a nail art mani. I made this switch about a year and a half ago when I had custom press-ons made for my cookbook, “Big Dip Energy,” but I save those special, reusable nails for important occasions and photoshoots. For everyday use, I started trying every brand I could get my hands on to see which got the best bang for my buck, which are easiest to apply, and how long they last compared to a gel manicure.
The Tester
I did some initial crowdsourcing with friends to find out about their favorite brands of press-on nails, especially those in the entertainment industry who have to wear fake nails frequently for shoots. I also asked anyone I knew who worked in food, because I cook and clean up after myself in the kitchen every single day for both work and pleasure. I needed to try brands with dependable durability when working with my hands, with soap and water wearing them down. My goal was to find long lasting press-on nails that felt as comfortable as working with my natural nails or extensions and didn’t bend, break, or fall off.
The Methodology
I wore each set of nails for a minimum of one week, some longer but none shorter. I picked a mix of glue-on and sticky-tab-back nails in an array of tip shapes and lengths. During testing, I noted how easy it was to find your sizes — all of these press-on nail kits come with around 30 individual nails to find your perfect fit — and apply.
I did not hold back on aggressively wear-testing these nails, going about my normal business, which happened to include plane travel, rooting through estate sales and thrift stores, cooking and recipe development, trying to fix a broken dishwasher, and petting my two pups, Miso and Ritz. I reapplied a nail if one fell off, but if more than three fell off during a testing period, I decided to remove them all and move onto the next set. (This only happened once, but the re-application was so smooth that I opted to keep it on this list!)
How to Prep Nails for Press-Ons
If you are venturing into wearing press-on nails for the first time, I recommend trimming your natural nails short (little to no white tip left), filing and buffing the tips and tops of your nails, pressing back cuticles with the included stick, and using an alcohol wipe or rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad to remove any residual dirt or oil from your nails before applying.
This is all laid out in the instructions for each press-on nail set individually, but it’s worth repeating. Doing all of this, then applying a thin coat of glue to your entire nail plus the back of the press-on, is the best way to get them to last the longest. Be sure to apply pressure to the base of the press-on nail into your cuticle for at least 20 seconds per nail so it stays flush and looks as natural as possible. You can clean up any excess glue with the wooden cuticle stick that comes with the set.
Last tip: It’s easiest to start with your pinky and move toward your thumb on both hands, starting with your dominant hand so the second application feels easier once you get the hang of it.
The Results
Best Press-On Nails For Beginners: KISS imPRESS
Ease of Application: These press-on nails were far and away the easiest nails to apply. It took a few minutes to find the right sizes for each finger — the most tedious part of any press-ons — but once I found them, all I had to do was peel off the backing of the very strong adhesive and press them on. The instructions suggested pressing for 30 seconds, pushing down on the center and sides of the nail at the same time. I tried to do at least 30 seconds, but I got impatient for some. And yet they stuck… like glue. But without glue! I did have to file the tips down a bit to smooth down little nubs (seemingly from the manufacturing process) at the ends, but that took very little time.
Longevity: imPRESS is a sub-company of KISS, which specializes in all sorts of glued press-on nails. After trying KISS’ standard nails with glue and then their imPRESS with just stickies, I would recommend imPRESS. The sticky back was extremely sticky and stayed in place seamlessly for more than a week, even though they only guarantee a 7-day wear. I was very impressed (again, pun intended — can’t be stopped!) by how well they stayed on. One came off when I was running my fingers through my hair on a hot day and hair got caught underneath, but it was easy to grab another nail in a similar size and stick it on. There was very little rub-off or discoloration of the design on the nails during testing, and the medium almond shape was a great length for typing without too many click-clack sounds and typos. The week I had these on, I also tested nearly 17 sponges for another DoorDash story without one nail falling off, which truly shocked me!
Removal: These press-on nails were the thinnest and most flexible that I tried, which made them easy to apply and remove — but they are not fit for re-use. When I was ready to switch my look and test another set, I soaked my fingers in warm water for about five minutes and the nails peeled off very easily. Then I used a nail brush to scrub off any excess glue, followed by an alcohol wipe to make sure it was 100 percent clean and ready for the next ones.
Biggest Reason to Buy: The compliments were constant with the watermelon-accented green-and-pink French manicure I was rocking. (The design, Stay Salty, even has a matching press-on pedicure called Salty Wind!) I wore them to multiple events and hangouts with friends and was asked where I get my nails done on multiple occasions. People commented incessantly on Reels where they were featured too.
Best Press-On Nails For Long Wear: OPI xPress
Ease of Application: OPI wins not only for their fun, punny names like “Hot Off the Press!” and “Salon the Go!” Their instruction pack is also unmatched. It includes a fit guide that allows you to lay out the 30 different sizes and styles to make designs and find your perfect match. These detailed instructions and nail tools — including a very flexible double-sided buffer and file that could get into all the nooks and crannies — made them a breeze to apply.
The only trouble I had was controlling how much glue came out of the tube at a time, as it was small and difficult to get the right pressure for a small amount of glue. If the glue overflowed or spilled out the edges of the press-on nail, I quickly removed it with the cuticle pusher stick or the edge of an alcohol wipe before it could dry and make my fingers stick together (which did happen a few times in the process of testing all these nails).
Longevity: I rocked the mixed print “Tastes Like Strawberries” for almost two full weeks, which was the promised length of wear on the box. It seemed like they could stay on even longer if I wanted, but I had more testing to do. The almond shape and “long” length made me look and feel fancy, but it was a bit difficult to type in them. My dishwasher broke while wearing this set, so not only did they stay on as I tried to fix it myself, but they also stayed through washing a sink full of dirty dishes until it got fixed. Two nails popped off during the wear test because I was doing things I shouldn’t: once while opening a can with my nail instead of the tip of my finger and once by accidentally banging a fingernail against the corner of the sink. But after a buff and alcohol wipe, a fresh coat of glue made it easy to re-attach the same nail (and look good as new!) and there was very minimal chipping of the color and design on the nails.
Removal: These popped off in the car (intentionally) while sitting in traffic with relative ease, but I think it would have been better to give them a soak with warm water, a little dish soap, and olive oil (which moisturizes and protects nails from damage). There was excess glue on the backs of the press-on that would need to be scrubbed or scraped off, but they felt durable enough to be reused.
Biggest Reason to Buy: Going on a trip and don’t want to pay for a manicure? These nails will likely last the duration of your trip… unless you’re rock climbing or doing something else that would wear them down quickly.
Best Press-On Nails For Design Selection: Glamnetic
Ease of Application: With clear instructions and sturdy yet flexible texture, Glamnetic’s nails were easy to put on — but with one little catch. The glue tube that it comes with is difficult to squeeze because it’s very firm, but the brand sells brush-on glue and sticky tabs that are much easier to apply evenly. The glue also dried with a slight white tint that needed to be scrubbed off when I made uh-ohs… which was a few times in trying to find the right sizes out of the 24 included nails.
Longevity: The short oval set in the “Sprinkles” print (neon colorful French tips!) was the right length and size to do just about anything. I flipped through at least 50 records and dozens of racks of clothing at an antique mall on a trip to Nashville, fished my keys out of a crack in the sidewalk, and scratched and cuddled with my friend’s dog, Buffy. I wore them for a long weekend trip and only lost one nail along the way. The box claimed they could last up to two weeks, but I think I did a bad job putting the glue on initially so they were taken off before that mark — about nine days of wear — but they looked so good that I still think they’re worth a purchase.
Removal: Although a few of these nails popped off along the way, when it came to removal, I had to give them a good soak in a combination of warm water, a few drops of dish soap, and a light drizzle of olive oil. The glue really did stick in some spots and impressed me as I carefully popped them off with the wooden cuticle pusher after about 10 minutes of soaking.
Biggest Reason to Buy: If you show off your personality through nail art and accessories, Glamnetic has far and away the biggest selection of designs and styles, as well as nail lengths and tip shapes. Stock up on a handful to mix-and-match sets or coordinate with your favorite outfits.
Best Reusable Press-On Nails: Olive + June Superstick Mani
Ease of Application: I tried both Olive + June’s nail glue press-on nails and their newer “Superstick” press-ons, and there was a clear winner due to just how dang quick you can get these sticky ones on. Although they don’t come pre-stuck like imPRESS’ stick-on nails, it takes very minimal effort to put the stickies on yourself because each sticker has a corresponding number that matches up to the number on each press-on so it’s a seamless fit. You peel off the back, stick it to the nail, then peel off the other side and stick it to your nail. Pressing down firmly and for at least 30 seconds is the best way to ensure they’ll stay on.
Longevity: The stickiness of these press-on nails is strong. So strong that they lasted almost two full weeks, through prepping many boxes of dips and dippers for a pop-up event, going on a picnic and opening lots of containers, and doing a lot of dishes by hand. And when one did fall off — which happened toward the end of the two-week period — I just peeled the sticky back off with tweezers, cleaned it with alcohol, buffed my nail, and put another sticky on to re-apply. It was as good as new.
Removal: Compared to typical press-on nail glue, the sticky tabs are so easy to remove. They can be pulled off or soaked off, but I just pulled them off and cleaned them for reuse as they were sturdy enough to keep around for wearing again and again. Just need to find some more sticky tabs that are this strong!
Biggest Reason to Buy: The possibility of reusing these nails easily makes them a great thing to have in your carry-on bag or even stowed in your car for emergencies. The sticky backs are simple to apply. The brand has a variety of shapes, sizes, styles, and prints available.
Best Press-On Nails That Look Real: Chillhouse Chill Tips
Ease of Application: Out of all of the brands I tried, none of them came as close to fitting my nails as perfectly as the Chillhouse Tips — they are so seamless that they even fooled me into thinking I got a manicure and forgot about it. I’m partially joking, but even looking down at them as I type now, they look and feel like my natural nails with a gel nail art manicure on them. This is mostly due to the way the base of the nail aligns flush to the cuticle with a tapered edge and zero gap between the press-on and my natural nail. Although other brands fit well, this was the most flush to my cuticle. (It also helped that the nude shade used in the “Gone Glamping” set matched the color of my nails and skin tone perfectly.) The glue bottle was longer and more flexible than a lot of other brands I tried, too, and dried completely clear, so mess-ups weren’t as easy to see.
Longevity: I wasn’t surprised at the quality of the designs because they were created by a popular nail art salon in NYC, but I had no idea how great they would feel. They feel like my nails but better — like they were custom-made for me. Chillhouse claims the glue can last up to three weeks, but I found that a nail popped off clean after just shy of two weeks. That happened when I was cleaning, though, so if you are gentler on your nails you may be able to get them to last longer; that goes for any set on this list. There does not seem to be chipping on the art from typing and cleaning, and with the right care, they could likely be reused.
Removal: After a second nail popped off about two weeks in, I decided to remove them all and start anew. I was able to pop them off without any soaking — I was sitting at a stoplight in traffic and decided I was done with them — but the best and gentlest way would be to soak in warm water first if you have time.
Biggest Reason to Buy: This is the closest I found to taking the nail salon home, with quality press-ons that feel sturdy and look like natural nails with a gel manicure rather than a plastic nail. Plus, there are fun designs to match your vibe — or your freak, however you like to be clawsome.
PHOTO CREDIT:
Photography: Paul Quitoriano
Art Direction: Sarah Ceniceros Gomez
