The devil wears Prada but might she also wear press-on nails?

All aspects of fashion are becoming more accessible, but for broke college students it’s still a challenge. Getting nails done at the salon or by a nail tech can become expensive. And the upkeep it requires might even cost more than they’re worth. A plain set of medium nails can come out to as much as $80.00, not including tip. And the girls know that not tipping is not an option.

Press-on nails have become a much more affordable option for people with limited income. College students paying for school, rent, gas, and food don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on nails and maintenance. Not when there are good quality press-on options for as low as $6.99 at the local Walmart, Target, Sally’s, Ulta, CVS, etc. 

Press-on nails come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, colors and styles. Have a wedding? Plain french tips are available. A concert? Any color under the sun at your fingertips. Have work in 30 minutes and $20 in the bank? You’re covered. You don’t have to sacrifice your individuality, time, money or effort to have a nice set of nails. 

There are so many options and those options aren’t limited to your local stores’ selections. There are plain nails in large sets that can be covered with any nail polish you already own and love. Countless websites offer press-on nails with intricate detail and design. Small-business owners exist on independent websites as well as bigger buying and selling websites such as Etsy and Depop. There are press-on nails that one could only dream of getting at their local salon—and at a fraction of the price.

How to Keep Press-Ons, On:

WASH YOUR HANDS!

Natural oils on your hand prevent the glue from bonding to your nail bed.

CUTICLES!

Push back cuticles to ensure a clean look.

FILE!

Not your taxes, your nail beds. File and buff your nails to create a rough surface. Especially near the base so your press-ons don’t lift!

BUFF!

Buff the inside of the press-ons to create another rough surface.

GLUE!

Place a small dot of glue on the underside of the press-ons and use the end of the glue tube to spread glue across the surface. (Too much glue will prevent it from drying correctly)

PLACE!

Line up the press-on with your natural nail. Then press down from base to tip to ensure no air bubbles. Hold onto the end of the nail with two fingers while pressing up with the bottom finger and holding down with the top finger.

Taken from the Fall 2023 print issue of Inside Fullerton. Read it here.