Ways to apply press on nails
Regular nail glue
- Air dries
- Lasts between 3 days to 2 weeks depending on prep
- Takes a few minutes to dry
- Apply a layer to your natural nail, press down and hold the fake nail on your natural nail untll it’s fully dry
Regular nail glue comes included with every nail set purchased. I have also used Glamnetic brush-on glue with success
Semi-solid nail glue
- Easy to adjust
- Comes in a squeeze tube
- Apply a small bead of product on the fake nail base
- Slide the fake nail down the natural nail a few times to cover the natural nail surface with glue
- Make sure there are no air bubbles in the glue
- Position the fake nail on your natural nail and press firmly for 25-30 seconds
I recommend CurvLife or Saviland semi-solid nail glue if you choose that method
How to prep your nails
- In your kit your press-on nails will already be sized to your natural nails using the sizing method when ordering your custom press-ons
- If the press-on nail is slightly too big, use a nail file and lightly file the sides of the press-on nail to fit
- If the nail is too small, fill a mug with hot water and press the fake nail firmly to the outside of the mug for a few seconds (nail tips tend to shrink when I’m working on them)
- The nail should fit to cuticle perfectly. If the press-on is too straight or too curved, file to your shape with the included nail file
How to prep
- Cut down your natural nail as short as possible. if you leave a lot of natural nail length, it might cause the press-on to lift
- Push back the healthy cuticle line
- Remove all dead skin near cuticles. Any dead skin left on the nail surface will prevent the glue from sticking properly to your nails
- File all over the nail surface. Don’t let any part stay shiny (there is an included buffer block in your nail kit)
- Our natural nails produce oils, but glue cannot stick because of those oils
- Soap, lotion and other skincare products also have oils in them, so wash your hands and wipe with the included alcohol wipe before applying the press-ons
- Buffing your nails will remove oil and create a rough surface. Nails should be 100% dry and rough for glue to stick
- Don’t leave dust on nails or glue will not stick properly. Remove filing dust from nails with a brush or your alcohol wipe. DON’T use your other fingers to remove dust as oils will transfer over!
When applying the press-ons
- See the white line? That’s your cuticle. Press the nail on away from that line, NOT on top!
- If you apply your nails directly on the cuticle they will lift
- The press-on should sit just above the cuticle
- When nail application is complete, apply cuticle oil to keep your cuticles healthy
DM me on Instagram if you have any questions or need any additional help