Image – Courtesy of writer
I’m going to be honest – I haven’t used press-on nails since my teens. I’ve always had pretty strong talons (thank you, Nana!), so I’ve never really struggled with healthy nails that grow long and strong.
I love getting my nails done and I feel like longer nails make me feel (and look) a bit more elegant – especially since I’m a joggers, sliders, and no makeup kind of gal, having nice nails makes me feel a little more ‘put together’.
Because I’m lucky enough to have nails that grow quickly and don’t break very often, I usually just add a coat of polish. If I’m getting my nails done at the salon, I’ll go for a gel or BIAB overlay and that lasts around 6 weeks on my nails (if I can handle the way they look growing out!)
The only issue with getting my nails done at the salon is the price point, and by week 3 I’m usually bored of the colour or art. So when I came across the raving reviews for OPI’s xPRESS/ON Press-on Nails (£17 from OPI UK / $15.99 from OPI US)popping up on my TikTok FYP I thought why not take it back to my teen years and try press-on nails again?!
Said to last for 2 weeks (even longer for some people), this is the perfect timeframe to keep me from getting bored of the colour or design and being worth the time it takes to apply and remove them.
So, will I say yes to the press? Let’s find out.
Image – Courtesy of writer
The product details
The brand claims these are 14-day wear press-on nails, which is quite a statement! I find that press-on nails have never lasted long on me, with washing dishes, washing my hair, regularly swimming, typing on my phone and laptop, and general daily life stacked up against them. Are they really that durable?!
OPI has 2 press-on nail varieties – the On Point Nails and the xPRESS/ON range which are meant to offer professional quality nail art that lasts up to 14 days. The xPress/On range includes 42 colours to choose from and some limited edition designs. Because I really love a nude or chic French tip nail, I went for the shade ‘Don’t Bossa Nova Me Around’ – a classy nude pink colour that will go with literally every outfit.
Everything you need to apply these nails is in a cute little package. When I opened it, I was pleasantly surprised that the kit included 30 false nails (that’s right, 30, and they’re reusable!) meaning you can theoretically get 3 or more wears from just 1 pack. It also includes a small nail file/buffer, a cuticle pusher, nail glue, and a prepping wipe.
Image – Courtesy of writer
First impressions
I was very impressed that the kit includes 30 round-shaped nails – I remember the days when all you got was 10 falsies and you had to make sure you applied them correctly on the first go without dropping one under the sofa never to be found again. This also makes it so much easier to find the right size for your nails.
The shade is very similar to the usual gel polish I ask for in the salon, a soft pink/grey/nude colour that’s understated but really classy. Taking these out of the packet and inspecting them, the shade is really soft and the actual nails feel very durable.
My nails before applying the false nails. Image – Courtesy of writer
The application process
OPI says to apply the press-on nails “Buff, file, wipe. And don’t forget to gently push back those cuticles.
“For a longer commitment, apply glue to the back of the press-on nail and your natural nail. For a quickie, apply glue to the press-on nail only. Hold for 30 seconds. Boom.”
Sounds easy enough.
Applying the glue to the nails. Image – Courtesy of writer
I don’t mean to bang my own drum because this is actually relevant but, as I mentioned earlier, my nails grow very long very quickly. So I needed to file them down a touch to make them a bit shorter than the press-on nails.
After filing my nails down in length, I decided to start with my left hand because I’m right-handed. I used the provided nail file and buffer for both of these processes, which was really simple to do (I will say, though, that the file/buffer is teeny!)
OPI advises laying out the nails in the correct order before starting the application process, and I agree that this makes it a lot easier.
I went for the “longer commitment” option and applied the glue to both my nails and the press-on nail to find out if they really do last as I go about my daily life. The glue is quite watery, so be careful not to apply too much or you could end up in a very sticky situation!
From start to finish, the process took me around 20 minutes – with no annoying time wasted waiting for polish to dry or being careful not to smudge freshly painted nails!
Image – Courtesy of writer
My results
Considering there are 30 nails in the packet, I don’t think there’s enough variety of sizes. There were only 2 thumbnails that fitted over my natural nail, and many of them seemed to be very small. I struggled to find some to fit my middle finger, so those ones look slightly large.
It’s also a bit odd that you only get 1 prep wipe because these are supposed to be reusable but the wipe will dry out.
Be careful not to use too much glue on the false nail or your own nail as this will make it harder for the glue to go tacky and stick sufficiently enough. And when you’re placing the nail on you will need to hold it down for around 20 seconds – be careful not to get any glue on your fingers because they will stick to the false nail!
When I applied this set (and I learnt this from my younger years when I used to love trying on falsies), I gently pushed the false nail up against my cuticle to be sure they were flush with the nail bed and that there were no gaps.
Unfortunately, the thumbnail on my right hand popped off within a couple of hours. I filed the glue off, buffed the nail, used the prep wipe, and applied the nail with glue again. However, a few hours later it popped off again.
The next day, the nail on my right index finger popped off, too.
The result. Image – Courtesy of writer
What other users are saying
Most reviews I’ve seen are raving about these nails, and a lot of people do get two weeks of wear out of them. However, I have seen people using different glue, saying the one provided by OPI is too watery and the bond isn’t strong enough.
One user on TikTok writes “I LOVE OPI, they once lasted me a month!! I had to pull them off”, while another says “I love these. I have them on and they are so strong”.
Others mentioned that the glue isn’t the best, and have suggested alternatives, “Buy the kiss nail glue it’ll last forever and top coat with Gel for a flawless look”.
Another agrees that the nails are good quality but the glue isn’t strong enough, “The glue in that kit is trash but the nails are fantastic”.
@taylordonoghuee Best way to always have nice nails in college-@opi xPRESS/ON press-on nails????Shop at @ultabeauty #opixpression #nailtok #opipartner
Overall value for money
For a night out or wearing over a few days, I think these are a good product, however, I’d take the glue with me in my handbag or travel case if I was going to wear these out!
They didn’t last as long as the brand claims, at all, but maybe false nails just aren’t suitable for everyday wear for some of us if we use our hands a lot. But, to be honest, they should be durable enough to last at least a few days considering the price.
There are SO many options for fake nails these days, and many of them are much cheaper than the OPI ones.
Lottie London has a lot of variety, with hundreds of different shapes, finishes, and nail art starting from around £6.96.
Another really popular brand for false nails that you can pick up at your local drugstore or Boots Chemist is Kiss nails, with their kits starting from around £9.00 and you also get around 28 nails in the packet.
In the US, Kiss Press On Nails are just $8.49 at ULTA.
The takeaway
I enjoyed using this false nail set and it’s really fun to be able to change your look so quickly and easily.
Unfortunately, I’m not impressed with the product’s longevity, but I think I’ll try them out again when I have an event or night out and I’ll probably try using a different glue that’s more substantial.
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