Press-on nails have come a long, long way. They’re no longer the flimsy faux manicures you played with during your pre-teen years that would fall off within hours of application, friends. In fact, nowadays, press-on nails actually mimic the look, feel and extended wear time you’d get from in-salon manicures. The latest advent is my personal favorite: ready to wear press-on gel manicures that look just as shiny as in-salon manicures that also last up to two weeks (I’ve been wearing mine for two and a half, for reference.) While I love professional gel and powder dip manicures, going to the salon for touch-ups every couple of weeks can be pricey and inconvenient. I know that some find salon mani’s and pedicures relaxing, but it’s honestly pretty challenging for me to sit still for an hour. With that being said, however, I love the end result. As hard as I try to re-create the salon-quality manicures at home, they never quite turn out looking as sleek and tend to chip or lift in a day or two.
When I discovered that one-step press on gel nails existed, my mind was slightly blown. All you have to do is find the right size to fit your natural nail bed, gently press to adhere to your nail, and voila. Back in the day, it was nearly impossible to find faux nails that were anything but super-square french manicures or juvenile floral designs. Fast forward to 2020, and you can find false press-on in a wide range of shapes (including the coffin, square round — you name it), shades, and chic nail art designs. Below, we’ve highlighted a few of our favorite press-on that will fool people into thinking you went to the salon.
