Guys, Press On Nails Look So Much Better (And More Real) in 2021

There are three designs the choose from: The Minimalist, The Modest and The Muse. I opted for The Muse here.

Each set will cost you 16 dollars and includes 24 nails of varying sizes, a double-sided file/buffer, a small cuticle stick, a pack of adhesive tabs and a tube of nail glue.

To start, gently push back your cuticles with the enclosed stick. Then, shape and buff your natural nails to their desired length before giving them a quick wipe down using rubbing alcohol and a lint-free cloth. (I used a small square of paper towel and hand sanitizer, which is 65 percent alcohol so...close enough, right?)

After prepping my nails, I matched the various-sized extensions to my own nails to find the best fitting option for each finger. Then, I laid them out in a line so I could easily grab them during the application.

I decided to go with the adhesive tabs since it had been a while since I tried applying press ons and I wanted something that was less permanent in case I made a mistake or changed my mind about them. (For reference, the nail glue will get you anywhere between 7 to 14 days of wear time, whereas the adhesive tabs will get you a few days max.)

The instructions were fairly straight-forward but I will point out that they clearly state that once you’ve put the adhesive tab on your nail, you should press the extension on at a 45-degree angle for 30 seconds.

I regret to inform you that I didn’t do this for all of my nails and you can tell which ones I haphazardly pressed on because they aren’t laying as flat against my nail beds as the others.

Learn from my mistake, friends. Press your nails on at a 45-degree angle and hold them down for 30 seconds for the best fit.

All in, applying the nails themselves took about five minutes and some change. Here they are just after application.

Again, I love the design and I’m impressed with how real they look. My only issue with them is that they’re a smidge long for my liking. As a contact lens wearer, I prefer to keep my nails on the shorter side, so I decided to clip and file them down a bit.

Ahh, much better. Shortening my extensions was easy. Too easy, in fact. I accidentally trimmed off a bit too much length on one side of my pinky nail and ended up having to remove and replace it. Luckily, the removal was even easier than the application. You just apply rubbing alcohol (or in my case, hand sanitizer) around the edges of the nail, let it absorb for 30 seconds and gently rock the extension from side to side to wiggle it free from your nail bed.

With my pinky nail fixed, I gave the rest of my nails a final few swipes with the file. (I’m very particular about the shape of my nails, guys.) Here they are in all of their shiny and stylish glory. Fitted to my nails and trimmed and filed to a contact lens-friendly length. All for the cool price of 16 dollars, which is less than the cost of most regular manicures if you think about it.

Three days later and I still get a little rush of joy whenever I look down at my fingertips.