I never, and mean never, used to do my nails regularly. I would go to a local nail salon to get basic polish for special occasions, and I loved having another expressive avenue for my style, but I hated how quickly my nails would chip. I also didn’t see biweekly salon trips as being the best use of my time or money.
You can imagine my surprise when I’m wandering through Ulta and a light-pink gingerbread-and-pearl nail set catches my eye. I just had to have it. Keep in mind, I’ve never even considered applying press-ons before, so I have no clue what I’m doing and am equally scared to glue my fingers together. After a bit of research, I learned that several leading nail brands carry glueless press-ons, which were very appealing to this clueless beginner. After several weeks of experimentation, I’m sharing my findings on both self-adhesive and tab-based glueless nails.
Self-Adhesive Nails
Self-adhesive nails are like stickers designed for about a week of wear. Each nail has a small film on its back protecting the sticky adhesive, which can only be used once. You can size each nail, peel off the film and stick them on. To remove, soak your nails in warm water; if they’re still stuck after 10 minutes, add a bit of oil or soap. Since the adhesive is single-use, these nails can warp in warm water and aren’t reusable.
I’ve used several pairs of KISS ImPress brand nails and never had one fall off sooner than a week. One set I applied had raised crystals, and I accidentally popped a few embellishments off, but that’s a risk with any type of nail.
Tab-Based Nails
Tab-based press-ons require an extra step to apply, but are easier to remove and reusable. I tried a medium oval set from Olive and June, which lasted a week just like the self-adhesive nails.
Instead of applying the press-on directly to your nail, you apply a small, thin tab to your nail, then stick the press-on nail to the tab. Rather than soaking your nails in warm water to loosen the adhesive, you use a cuticle pusher to pop the nail off. It might take a second to get any remaining residue off the press-on nail, but they’re easily cleaned with just the cuticle pusher to be used again.
Fun fact: You can apply almost any set of glue-based press-on nails with tabs! I bought an inexpensive bulk pack of tabs off Amazon for a couple of sets I found at Marshall’s from Nail Reformation.
So, Do They Stick to the Hype?
You’ll find me sticking to glueless press-ons as my go-to from now on. For me, they’ve made nail care simpler and less stressful with how beginner-friendly they are. In addition to eliminating any sticky application situations, they’re so much more versatile because they can be swapped so frequently without any damage to your nails. Even if you’re totally unskilled at doing your own nails (like I am), it’s easy to feel confident with glueless press-ons. If you’re looking to try a pair, Kiss ImPress and Olive and June tabs are a great place to start for a complete kit. Or, if you want to ditch the glue with a set you’ve already bought, you can purchase a pack of just nail tabs to use with any set you choose.