It’s time for fall nail aesthetics! We’re on the cusp of cozy season, and it’s time to be on the lookout for healthy nails. Likewise, prepping our nails properly before using press-ons is super important. Compared to acrylics or gels, many nail technicians and artists say that press-ons are the better choice because your natural nails remain healthier. So, let’s talk about how to apply press-on nails and how to prevent them from lifting or popping off.

 

1. Size the nails 

If you get a nail kit, choose the perfect size that fits each nail. Then, lay them out in order so you don’t have to sift through the nails. Cassandra recently tried a NIcki Minaj nail kit from her Pink Friday Collection, and loved them!

 

 

Check out Pink Friday Nails here at their website!

 

2. Manicure your natural nails

To prep the nails for applying press ons, push back the cuticle. Do not remove it. You don’t want to push them too deeply or with too much force either. Removing dead skin from around the nail area is important too. 

Then, you’ll want to file your natural nails down and buff the nail plate. Buffing the nail block will help the press-on to adhere better. Furthermore, buffing blocks are much gentler than nail files. So, you can use the coarse side of a buffing block to file the nail down as well. You’ll typically want them to be short so they don’t overlap with the press-ons. 

 

3. Dehydrate the nails

Make sure you dehydrate the nails. This gets rid of the excess oils, and it will prevent lifting. In the nail kit, you’ll notice wipes. Put a few drops of nail dehydrator on these, and wipe gently. Use one wipe for every finger. So, the oil from each nail doesn’t carry over to the next. This will help the press-on glue will stick better.

 

4. Glue

Squeeze a little drop and touch it to the upper third of your nail.  Keep the tube in contact with the nail and spread it out. But, leave a dry halo around the edges of your nail because the glue will spread out upon compression. You can also squeeze a drop to the backside of the press-on nail. Wait about 10 seconds for the glue to get tacky.

Next, line up the press on with your nail, and press down gently. First, press down gently to see if you have overglued. If so, the glue will spread out onto the side of your nail bed. So, you’ll need to wipe some of it away. If not, you can continue to press down with more pressure for about 20 more seconds.

For more short-term use, you can also use an adhesive tab for press-on acrylics. 

 

5. Choose your desired shape 

If the press-ons are not shaped, you can file them down to your desired shape.

 

6. Apply a water-based hydrating serum

Since you’ve dehydrated the nails and have used abrasion, applying a water-based serum hydrates the nail bed and replenishes the cuticles. 

 

7. Polish (optional)

Once the nails are completely dry, you can polish them.  If you need to polish the nails, it will be helpful to buff the surface of the press-on nails. If you're using gel, you'll need an LED lamp as well for drying. Additionally, if you’re not using gel polish, apply a thin layer first.

 

 

Cover photo cred: Vecteezy