Press-On Nail Tutorial for at Least Two Weeks Wear
If you found yourself here then you are probably sick of paying nail salon prices just like I was a few years ago. I went on a journey of learning to do my own nails at home and it was a tumultuous one to say the least. I tried both gel and acrylic, but quickly learned I have an acrylic allergy so I had to pivot. Press-on nails seemed like a great option, but I didn’t know how to apply them so they lasted more than a day. Let me tell you, I went down one hell of a rabbit hole and tried numerous different products, but I finally found a combination that has led to my press-on nails lasting two or more weeks. The following article will outline a tutorial for you to do your own press-on nails at home. I will add more pictures and videos over time to help illustrate each step, but this process is not difficult. At the bottom of the page, you will find links to all of the different products I use for this process as well as suggested press-on nail brands to try.
What You Need:
jojoba oil or glue remover
acetone
dremel tool and/or nail file
towel (helps with cleanup)
cuticle pusher
cuticle nipper (optional)
cuticle milk
nail dehydrator
nail glue
press-on nails
There is a link at the bottom of this article to an amazon list with all of the things you will need. I have tried many different brands of nails, but here are the ones I recommend the most; KISS, Glamermaid and CurvLife. These brands all come with many size options and are very durable. If you try other brands, let me know your thoughts in the comments! I’m always looking for new options.
Remove Old Nails and Glue
If you already have a set on, you will need to remove those and all glue residue from your nails. There are many different ways to do this including glue remover or soaks, but I have found that placing some oil around the edge of the nails and letting it sit for a few minutes helps loosen the glue enough that I can remove the nails. I use jojoba oil, but just about any oil will help loosen the glue. This works best after your nails have been on for at least two weeks and are starting to loosen/lift from your nail bed. If you are removing nails that haven’t been on that long or aren’t loosening, you will want to use a glue remover to avoid intense and unnecessary pain. Unless that’s your thing. No judgment here.
Once the nails are off, there will most likely still be some residue on your natural nails. I take a small piece of cotton soaked in (pure) acetone for just a couple minutes to loosen the glue and then use a dremel tool with a sanding bit to remove any final residue from my nails. If you do not have a dremel tool, you can use a nail file for this step, it may just take a bit more time. If you do use a dremel tool, remember to be very cautious and use a light touch! You don’t want to sand through your nail and you should not feel any burning. You are only trying to remove any residual glue from your nail, not change the topography completely. Again, there are many ways to complete this step, this is just how I do it. You can skip the acetone if you’d like and just go straight to the file to remove the glue. However you choose to do it, just make sure the end result is a clean nail bed.
Push Back Cuticles and Trim Nails
Apply some cuticle milk to your cuticles and let sit for about 30 seconds to soften everything up. Then take a cuticle pusher and push back each cuticle off the nail bed. I then trim my cuticles, but that is not a necessary step. If you do choose to trim them, be careful! It’s very easy to trim too much and then you have pain and bleeding. This is also the best time to clean underneath your nails while they are wet and soft from the cuticle milk. Again, that is not a necessary step to applying press-on nails, but it’s a step I like to do before applying a new set. Before moving on to the next step I will also trim my natural nails to ensure they don’t stick out around the press-ons. This step can be completed later as well once you have the press-ons applied and can see exactly what needs to be trimmed. Once you have pushed back all ten cuticles (and any of the other optional steps) you’re ready to move on.
Dry-Fit and Shape Your Press-Ons
Open the press-on nails and lay them all out in front of you. Start trying the different sizes onto your nail to find the right size for each finger. There may be times when your nail is between sizes. When this happens, go with the bigger size and file the edges to create the perfect fit for your nail. Once you have all ten press-on nails selected, place each one on it’s designated finger to see if it needs to be trimmed/filed to fit perfectly. Keep in mind that if a press-on is hanging off of your nail bed and touching the skin of your finger, it will cause irritation to your finger and it will lift more easily leading to you having trouble keeping it on. It is essential to make sure each press-on fits to your nail to get the longest wear possible. Use a nail file to slowly re-shape each press-on until all ten are ready to apply. Lay them out in front of you and move on to the next step.
File, Clean and Dehydrate
Take your nail file and go over each of your natural nails a couple times to roughen the surface slightly. This helps the glue bond better to your natural nails. Once each nail has been filed, take the cleaning wipe included in the press-on nail kit and scrub each nail to clean off any dust left after filing. If a cleaning wipe did not come in the box with your press-ons, you can use isopropyl alcohol instead. Apply dehydrator to each nail. You don’t need to apply a lot of the dehydrator, just enough to cover the nail. Now you’re ready to start applying your press-ons!
Glue ‘em Down
You can apply the nails in any order your heart desires, but I highly recommend saving your thumbs for last (especially if the press-ons you are applying are a longer length). Apply a thin layer of glue to your entire natural nail and then apply another thin layer to the lower half of the press-on. Scrape the brush across the bottom of the press-on nail to create a small pool at the base. Place the base of the press-on just above your cuticle line on the natural nail, holding the press-on at a 45 degree angle. Slowly lower the press-on down to the natural nail and then hold in place for at least 30 seconds. Following this method pushes air bubbles out of the glue, allowing the glue to adequately bond the press-on to the natural nail. Do this for all ten nails and then you’re done!
Some Things to Keep in Mind
You will get better at this with practice! Your first few applications may not last as long as you’d like, but each application is a learning opportunity. Use that trial and error to find the method that works perfectly for you. Don’t get discouraged, just keep going.
I still have a nail pop off here and there and you probably will too. It happens! I keep an extra glue in my purse so I can immediately glue it back on. Highly recommend you keep glue on hand as well.
I will continue to add to this article so please let me know below if anything in this article is unclear to you so I can help!
If you have to buy the entire list of supplies plus some press-on sets, the up-front cost of DIY press-ons will be a bit high so I don’t want that to shock you. Just remember that this is the cheaper option for your nails in the long term and it allows you to do your nails on your own schedule, in your own home. Please let me know if you try doing your own press-ons at home and drop a pic of how they turned out!
Until Next Time,
Happy DIY-ing
