Hear Me Out: Press-On Acrylic Nails Are Life-Changing

As a beauty editor, it’s safe to say my nails are almost always painted. If they’re not, you can pretty much guarantee it means I have a manicure coming up on my calendar. I appreciate the power of a crisp mani to help look put together and on top of my sh*t. But don’t get me wrong, I’m not naive enough to believe that everyone always has time to get a fresh mani-pedi the second their polish chips, nor is it lost on me just how much a professional manicure can cost. I understand the struggle — so much so, that it led me to discover the beauty of press-on nails. 

Now, before you write me off as crazy, know that I’m not talking about the press-on nails your mom used to let you put on as a kid. These press-on nails, specifically the ones from KISS, are so much more adult than that. They’re actually really chic! 

Late one night with an important event in the morning but not enough energy to paint my nails (or patience to wait for them to dry), I reached for the pack of press-on faux acrylic that I had stashed away and decided to give them a shot.

Each KISS nail collection is home to a variety of polish shades and styles — whether you’re a minimalist and like the look of clean colors or more of a bling-loving babe. You can get everything from sets with a gel-like finish to super fancy jeweled and metallic nails.

To start, you’ll need clean, unpainted nails that have been filed and prepped — as if you’re going to be painting them. Then, you’ll want to find the correct press-on nail size for each finger. I suggest laying them out on a flat surface in order. Each nail kit comes with an acrylic glue or adhesive tabs for a quick and easy peel-and-stick application — I went with the latter. One finger at a time, apply the glue sticker to your nail and then firmly press on the corresponding nail. Just keep pressing and repeating until you’ve finished both hands and voila — you have yourself a really chic manicure in a matter of minutes. 

The nails seriously look luxe and cost less than $10 a pack. I got so many compliments on them within just the first day of wear. I put them to the test (within reason, of course) and am happy to report that they lasted me a whole two weeks before they started to come loose. Will this make me completely give up my frequent nail salon visits? Not exactly. However, you best believe I have four sets on hand for when I need a last-minute flawless manicure. 

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