Believe it or not, press on nails are having a resurgence. Now available to shop at Cult Beauty, Free People, and Urban Outfitters, the latest designs to land on our shelves are far cooler and more realistic than the press ons of yesteryear. And thanks to sophisticated adhesives, these faux nails won’t ping off within minutes of application.
Press on nail designs have come a long way since their ‘90s heyday. Previously limited to a small selection of looks (specifically block colors and classic French tip nails), press ons now come in myriad shapes, sizes, and designs with many boasting professional-grade nail art. In fact, lauded nail artist Amy Rickaby who is famous on Instagram for her creative designs, has created a line of reusable press on nails so that everyone can access her intricate and trending designs without paying a visit to her Teesside salon. Clever!
Ideal for when you don’t have time to head to the salon, or don’t fancy learning how to do gel nails at home, press on nails allow you to switch up your look fast, to suit any occasion. From glitter nail designs to glazed nails, we round up our favorite faux nails that are user-friendly and on-trend. You’re welcome!
How we tested the press on nails for this guide
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Not all press on nails are created equal. To filter out the best from the rest, our tester tried a wide selection of top-rated press on nails – ranging in price, shape, and size. To make sure it was a fair test, our tester applied each set following the brands’ unique instructions. To score highly, the sets had to perform well in several areas including ease of application, staying power, the finished look, and the removal process. The sets that impressed us the most are featured here in our roundup.
The best press on nails, chosen by our beauty team
Stealing our number one spot is Lottie London’s Stay Press’d false nails. We were so impressed by the wide selection of salon-worthy designs – expect to find everything from bold, abstract nail art to chic white nail designs. Keen to tap into one of the latest nail trends, our tester opted for these tortoiseshell and blue talons. With 30 nails included, our tester found the right size nail for each fingertip without having to trim or file them. If, however, you do need to adjust the size – a mini nail file is included with this set.
Alongside a mini nail file and nail stick, you’ll also find a choice of vegan nail glue and adhesive tabs to apply the falsies, with clear instructions for both. Our tester went for the vegan glue, dotting a little onto the back of the false nail as well as a drop on her own nails. The results? A seamless set of natural-looking false nails that stayed put for 7 days. The only downside is that these nails aren’t reusable – however, with 30 included, there’s enough for a second (and even third) set.
If you’re after a realistic alternative to gel nails that will stay put for weeks, give these press on nails from Paintlab a whirl. Easy to apply, the set of 24 faux nails comes with a non-toxic glue that’s designed to be dotted onto your natural nails before holding the press ons on top. Super sturdy, we love how these press on nails feel – with a thick, acrylic-like design that looks as though you’ve just stepped out of the salon.
After 10 days, the nails were still perfectly in place without any chips or damage. Super durable, maybe even too durable, we found that these nails were a little harder to remove than others. Our top tip? Soak your hands in warm water and soap for 10 minutes or so before gently lifting with a cuticle stick – once dry, you can reuse the set again. Overall, these are a great cost-effective choice, available in several stand-out designs with a chic, oval shape that we found extremely flattering.
Love to experiment with nail art? Turn your attention to Chill Tips’ press on nails. Seriously chic, the brand is home to a huge selection of nail art designs – with something to suit everyone. There are floral spring nail designs, swirls, stripes, and colorful French tips that all look salon-quality. In fact, we’d go so far as to say that these faux nails look like the real deal, making them a great choice for anyone without a steady hand who doesn’t want to splash out on nail art in the salon.
In terms of application, Chill Tips are really easy to apply – you simply prep your nails (pushing the cuticles back) before finding the right size for each nail and dotting a little glue on the back and holding them in place. We found that the nails stayed put for over a week (aside from one falling off – which we re-applied with glue). And while the removal process was longer than others, the shape, design, and application ease make these some of the best press on nails we've tried, so they're 100% worth it.
After purse-friendly press on nails? Look to Elegant Touch for a selection of simple designs that won’t break the bank. A great option for a long weekend away or a night out on the town, these easy-to-apply falsies stayed on our tester’s nails for three days without any wear or tear. If, however, you’re after a more durable set that will stick around for a week or longer – we’d recommend opting for a different brand featured in our round-up.
Durability aside, we do love the choice of shapes available at Elegant Touch, spanning everything from oval and short stiletto to square and squoval. There’s also a great selection of chic colors, including plum, lilac, white and nude. We’d recommend investing in a couple of Elegant Touch sets and keeping them on standby for whenever you want a quick, easy manicure and a break from your best at-home gel nail kit.
In our testing, SHRINE False Nails received top marks for application ease, taking a mere few minutes to apply. The adhesive glue, which is included in the set, can be spread onto the back of the false nails before being pressed down firmly for 15 seconds. We found that the glue bonded well and the nails lasted for approximately 6 days. Our only gripe is that the set includes just 20 nails - which can make finding the right size for each nail a trickier task.
As for the look, we went for a short stiletto shape and pink swirls that really popped. We can imagine wearing these at a festival, concert or birthday party. In addition to swirls, you can experiment with colorful French tips and fun emoji nails. If it’s a simple or classic design that you’re after, you may want to look elsewhere – but for the bold and brave, SHRINE is the perfect choice for you.
We’re not exaggerating when we say these nails from manicurist Amy Rickaby are a work of art. So beautiful, the intricate designs are by far the prettiest that we’ve seen – which is not surprising really, considering Amy is famous for her nail art. Currently available in three designs (marble with gold flecks, daisies, and tortoiseshell), the options are limited. However, we believe that they’re all very wearable and have mass appeal.
Our favorite faux nails from this brand? These delicate daisies on a neutral base look so chic. We can confirm that the quality of the nails matches the quality of the nail art with a sturdy design that feel and look like real gels. As for application, there’s the choice to use the glue for a longer-lasting manicure, or sticky tabs for a short-term solution that will allow you to re-use the nails. We went for the glue and found that the nails stayed put for a total of 9 days. Impressive!
If you prefer your manicure to be minimalist and chic, take a look at Pretty Pro’s Press On False Nails. With over a hundred styles to choose from, including countless sheer and neutral designs, there’s a set of nails to suit every taste. Love a baby French manicure? Go for the ‘Skinny Tips’, available in several shades. Or how about a touch of sparkle? Try ‘Keep It Short & Sweet’.
As well as tons of designs, they also have several shapes – from short to long and round to square. While the coffin-shaped claws make a statement, we prefer the short oval and squoval designs. The application is straightforward, involving an adhesive glue (included) to attach the nails. Removal is a little tricker – we had to soak our nails for 20 minutes before they began to lift. Top tip? Apply cuticle oil under the nails to speed things up.
Available at Free People, Artips boast a selection of trending nail designs on press on strips that look seriously chic. Better quality than most nail strips we’ve tried, these sets are made with real gel coating for a high gloss finish. Choose between green stripes, black and white doodles, and gold dots before following the application instructions closely. For best results, we recommend giving yourself some time to apply these strips as nail care and prep is key for making them last.
Overall, we found these nail strips a little fiddly to get just right – but once we were happy with the shape and fit, they look chic and natural. Make sure you avoid coming into contact with water for at least two hours after application as otherwise, they may lift. On the subject of lifting, these stickers began to peel off after a day’s wear and are not as durable as others. They are, however, a good manicure solution for last-minute plans with zero drying time.
KISS nails have a reputation for being sturdy like acrylics. After testing, we can confirm that the nails are thick and do not feel flimsy like some others available on the market. This is a big plus if you like your false nails to be long (as many of the KISS designs are), as the sturdy design will help prevent any breakage. As for the shade selection, the Fantasy range features a lot of soft neutrals and pretty pink hues that look great with glitter and nail art.
Our go-to design? Fanciful – a sheer pink ombre nail design with gold glitter on top. The application is fairly simple with the choice of glue or adhesive tabs to stick the nails on. We tried the latter and were impressed by how well they stuck. With that said, a couple of nails pinged off within a day’s wear but with an extra dot of glue, they managed to stay on for a week.
Not only do Ardell have some of the best false eyelashes around, but they’re also home to a vast selection of some of the best press on nails that are totally foolproof. Complete with a cuticle stick, nail file, and glue – the kit has everything you need to do a quick DIY manicure at home. With 28 nails in the set, our tester had no issue finding the right size for every nail. We did, however, find that the length of the nails is rather long (although there are shorter sizes available) so we chose to file down the ends.
If you love long nails, these could be the falsies for you. It’s worth noting that Ardell has a huge selection of nail looks with lots of bold, intricate nail art as well as glitter and gemstones. Ideal for festivals, weddings, and big events – these nails demand to be noticed and will likely receive lots of compliments. The only downside is that the nails feel quite bulky to wear and are not as comfortable as some of the others that we tried.
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