This $14 Solution Gave Me The Long, Perfectly-Manicured Nails Of My Dreams
by Marissa Pomerance
I have this dream.
A dream of having the kind of long, beautiful, perfectly-manicured nails I see everywhere on Instagram and Pinterest.
How do those women do it? How are their nails ALWAYS long and perfectly-shaped and painted to match their outfits and never chipped or brittle or breaking off?
This dream is not a practical one. I’m a writer. I spend 9 hours a day typing on a laptop, and long nails get in the way. They get in the way of everything. But they make my short, stubby fingers look pretty.
So pretty.
(Keep scrolling to see just how pretty.)
In reality, my nails are sad. I spend $40 on a manicure (I live in an expensive city, and this is the going rate for a decent mani. If you can get an amazing one for $12, I’m happy for you), and in two days, it’s chipped and destroyed.
I try to do my nails at home. I’ve practiced and practiced and it still looks like I’ve dipped my fingertips in paint and then violently flailed my arms around to get them to dry.
I let my nails grow long and splurge on a gel manicure, and it looks incredible! For two weeks I think, “THIS is the solution!” And then I get gels again. And again. And by the third time, my nails are brittle and breaking off at the base. They take 3 months to fully grow back.
I’ve considered acrylics. And dip powder. And allllll the other expensive, not-practical, time-consuming solutions that would look great for a minute and then still leave my nails frail and cracking.
But then, I discovered this. A $14 solution. It takes me 20 minutes to do at home (yes, even I can do this). It lasts for 2 weeks. My nails aren’t destroyed afterwards. It looks shockingly amazing. Ready?
It’s press-on nails. But like, good press-ons.
This might be where I lose you. Because press-ons don’t have a great reputation. They’re considered cheap. So gauche.
But these are…chic. See for yourself:
(Yes, I just got engaged and obnoxiously kept my ring on for these photos. But it’s part of the “lewk.”)
They come in colors like “toasted sugar” and “milky pink.” And for anyone who feels that 8-inch long “coffin” or “almond” nails are too claw-like, they come in more practical shapes and lengths, too (round, square, short, medium, etc).
If you can’t do an at-home manicure. If you bite or pick your nails. If your pricey manis are gone after a matter of days. If gels/acrylics/dip powders leave your nails destroyed: these could be for you.
Each pack comes with 24 nails, so it’s pretty easy to find ones that fit. Each pack also comes with a little mini bottle of glue, but I recommend getting the bigger bottle for a mere $8, because it’s easier to apply. They’re technically reusable, so once they “pop off,” you can always just glue ‘em right back on, and enjoy them for another few weeks. And with 24 nails, you can easily get 2-4 uses out of each pack.
Because this is The Candidly, it’s my job to be honest with you. They’re not perfect. They can get scuffed. Here they are after about 2 weeks—not bad though, right?
The application process requires some finesse. And removing them is a bit awkward—some might pop off naturally, others require more elbow grease (I find a little bit of nail polish remover on a Q-tip, applied under and around the press-on, helps loosen things up. If they’re stuck on GOOD, just let them be until they’re “ready”). You might have some awkward days where a few straggler press-ons are left. My nails are slightly worse for wear afterwards, but they only take a few days to return back to normal (not 3 months!).
Here’s a video with some excellent tips for application and wear:
Net net: they’re inexpensive. Reusable. SO easy. And I finally have the long, beautiful, colorful nails of my dreams.
Consider me a convert.
Marissa Pomerance is the Managing Editor of The Candidly. She’s a Los Angeles native and lover of all things food, style, beauty, and wellness. You can find more of her articles here.
