I Tried the Viral Press-On Nails: My Review of Glamnetic
This is not a sponsored post! If you use my referral code HEATHERAHLGREN you will receive 30% off* your first order and I will receive some rewards on my Glamnetic account.
*Discount at the time this blog post was published, but may change.
When I worked in an office, I always had my nails done. No matter what I was doing, I always felt at least semi-put together if my nails looked nice. But times have changed, and I now spend more time running or at the gym than trying to look any kind of fancy. I do miss it, though.
Instagram must have sensed this longing, because I suddenly started getting served ads for Glamnetic nails. Every day. Multiple times a day. Finally I caved and decided I HAD to try them.
What are press-on nails?
Press-on nails are fake, acrylic nails that are applied to your natural nails using an adhesive. They come already painted and shaped, so all you have to do is glue them to your nails! You can buy cheap versions at your local pharmacy, and recently brands like Glamnetic have started making more durable products with on-trend designs. They come in different lengths and shapes to suit everyone’s tastes. I usually order the “short almond”. I definitely wouldn’t call them short, but I do love the way they look!
What’s in the kit?
Each kit comes with 30* nails in 15 different sizes (2 of each size), a little squeeze tube of glue, a wooden cuticle stick, a nail file, and an alcohol wipe.
*Note that some kits come with 24 nails, but it will say so in the description. These seem to be older styles and I have found the quality is not as good. Glamnetic swears they are the same (maybe I had bad luck) but I now avoid those kits.
The application
Before getting started, I lay out the nails by size and try different sizes on each of my nails to find the perfect fit. There is a tiny number on the tip of the underside of the nail to help you figure out the sizing. My ring finger and index finger happen to be the same size, but I am able to choose two sizes that gave a good fit since there isn’t a huge difference from one to the next.
Next, I fix up my cuticles and file my nails. I wash my hands to get off any excess oil and hand cream, then rub each nail with the alcohol wipe (or a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol). I will admit that I often forget the alcohol step, but it doesn’t seem to impact the end result!
The first time I applied these, I was a bit terrified of screwing it up. I had read some reviews saying that the nails were hard to remove, so I applied a very thin layer of glue on my natural nail and to the back of the nail, making sure I covered the edges. I found the nails were much more curved than my natural nail, so I did worry that it wouldn’t adhere properly. I firmly pushed them down for 25 seconds, and they were perfect! I could not believe how easy it was to apply the nails.
I have now been using these nails for almost a year, and I have completely gotten the hang of the application. I definitely end up with a few slightly crooked nails every once in a while, but it isn’t noticeable to anyone by me. Just keep in mind that you only have a couple seconds to move the nail around before it’s on for good.
One note about the glue: The kits all come with a small tube of glue that you squeeze onto your nails. I also bought the Brush on Nail Glue and do find that the application is easier and less messy because it handles like nail polish. It is easier to control the amount of glue that you use, and I don’t get excess glue oozing onto my cuticles as a result.
Wear and longevity
Aside from having to get used to longer nails (the adaptation period is such a struggle), they feel secure from the very start. They don’t bend at all or feel like they are loose. I wear them to the gym, on sweaty runs, in super hot showers, and they still stay put. I will often have one nail pop off after a week, but otherwise they stay put. I usually just re-glue that rogue nail and they are as good as new.
I typically get about two weeks of wear before another one or two nails will pop off. It becomes a decision of whether I want to keep gluing them back on or if I am ready for a clean slate.
The gold tip of the Golden Touch nails wears off very quickly :(
Glamnetic nails are advertised as reuseable, and I would say that is mostly true. I have gotten many wears out of every set I own, but some start looking a bit haggard quicker than others. Particularly, the ones with gold designs. One of my favourite styles is Material Girl which have a beautiful golden design with a little bit of texture to it. The golden colour is painted on top of the nail, and within a couple weeks the gold started to wear away (still wearable, but less pristine). I had even worse luck with the Golden Touch nails, where the gold started to noticeably wear away after only a few days. (Note: Glamnetic customer service is amazing and sent me a replacement set after I reached out about this issue.)
Other than those two, I have loved how I can keep re-applying the nails.
The removal
Minimal damage on the end of my natural nail after removal
When removing these nails, patience is key! I soak my nails in warm water with soap and oil, like Glamnetic suggests. It takes me a good 20-30 minutes before the nails come loose, and usually the ones I struggle with most are the ones that I re-glued after the initial application (makes sense!). Inspecting my natural nails after removal, the tips sometimes look a bit damaged. I suspect that this may have been because I get impatient with the removal process.
Glamnetic recently started selling a Press-On Nail Remover product that basically melts the glue and makes the nails faster and easier to take off. I used this with a set of red nails, and it looked to me like the product was dissolving the nails as well as the glue. Ahh! I also read a review from a user who had a set of matte nails and the remover ruined them. I’ll keep testing, but just be aware that it may shorten the reuseable life of your nails.
Glamnetic also sells adhesive tabs that are more temporary than the glue. I went through a phase where I used these exclusively, and there are definitely some pros and cons. They are much easier to remove and do not damage your nail or the fake nails at all. The trade off, though, is that they are less comfortable for longer wear since there is a little give (i.e. movement) of the fake nail. I did get over a week of wear with the tabs, though. I’ve gone back to glue, but find that these have a use on occasion. They are worth trying out if you’re someone who likes to change your nails more often, or if one nail comes off and you aren’t ready to remove the whole set.
Verdict
Overall, I’m a 10/10 with these press-on nails. I currently have about a dozen sets in my collection, and I’m always browsing the new styles that come out.
My natural nails could never be this strong or look this good for 2+ weeks. I am amazed at how easy they are to apply and how well they hold up to my workouts. I love that I can stick with the current trends without having to go to a nail salon for application and removal. They are priced really well, too, so it’s hard to go wrong!
The only negative for me is the removal process, but it’s also they reason they stay on so well. You can’t have it all!