Polish and Pearls

How to Keep Press On Nails from Popping Off

Press on nails offer a convenient and affordable way to flaunt the perfect manicure with no need to worry that your natural nail will suffer from damage, which is often the problem with acrylics. Sadly, nothing lasts forever and press on nails are not an exemption.

how to keep press on nails from popping off

Just like wigs and falsies, press on or glue on nails are only temporary and not permanent beauty solutions. Learning how to keep press on nails from popping off can make a big difference so they can stay right in place and let you enjoy these beauties for a long time.

Stay Away from Water

Obviously, you cannot avoid the water the whole time you are wearing your press on nails. Whether you like it or not, your nails will, at one point, need to make contact with some water. However, keeping them away from water for a longer time after the application will give the adhesive a better chance to bond properly and completely. In the meantime, hand sanitizer and rubber gloves can be your best friends to keep your glue-on nails from popping off.

Dehydrate Your Nails

It will also help a lot if you eliminate all the natural oils on your nails before you apply your press-on ones. This works just the same with buffing your natural nail’s surface. The only difference here is that this will not result in nails as thin as paper after several uses.

You can simply wipe your nails with prep wipes after you wash your hands, and you will be good to go. In case there is no prep wipe handy, pure acetone or pure isopropyl alcohol can also do the trick. However, avoid using nail polish remover for this purpose even though it is acetone-based. It contains some sort of moisturizing agent that does exactly the opposite.

File Your Nails

This next tip is very important for many reasons. If your goal is for your press on nails to stay on for a long time, you have to make sure that they fit your natural nails without necessarily touching the cuticle. You will deal with some fitting issues if your press-on nails touch anything other than the nail plate. It will just be a matter of time once lifting occurs. Don’t forget to file your nails and you will be good to go.

Push Back That Cuticle

Aside from filing, pushing back and getting rid of any excess cuticle is also a wise idea. That is, unless there is a wound near your cuticle. Applying cuticle remover on broken skin will sting a lot.

You might be surprised with how far down the cuticle can grow although this is not visible at first. Removing any excess cuticles is quite easy without any need to cut them at all. It will only take you 5 to 15 minutes to complete using a bottle of cuticle remover and orangewood stick. You can try to do it once a fortnight to maintain them properly.

Simply put some remover on the cuticles and allow it to sit according to the maker’s specified time, often a minute or so. Use the stick’s flat side and gently push back the cuticles to your body. It should be completely painless and gentle. You are already pushing too hard if it hurts just a tiny bit.

You may notice small blobs of milky gel that may appear as you do this, and you might want to use some tissue to wipe off the stick regularly. After you are done pushing back all your cuticles, make sure you wash your hands properly to get rid of all traces of the product. Use cuticle nippers to trim any hangnails and you are done.

Observe Smart Maintenance

It might also be necessary to make a few adjustments you your everyday lifestyle if you want your press on nails to hold strong and prevent them from popping off. For instance, try typing using your fingertips instead of your nails. Be extra careful when you put on your clothes, do the dishes or anything else where hands-on contact is required.

Be super cautious around the house if your nails are super long. Use a lightweight pair of gloves if you need to do cooking, cleaning, or other household chores to protect your nails from unwanted moisture or other nasty things. This additional coverage can make a big difference in how long you can enjoy your precious press-on nails.

Things will get so much easier once you feel more comfortable going about your everyday life with your long nails. You will start to feel more at ease with lesser risks of accidentally damaging them. You will even get to discover other ways to make your glue-on nails last longer, such as small dabs of additional glue or oils here and there.

Use the Right Press On Products

If you have been using press on nails for some time now, you already know that each product has its own set of good and bad sides. Some press-on look stylish but don’t last long while others last forever but don’t really look that great at all.

If you have a certain brand that you favor, stick to that as much as possible. Since all makers have a slightly different of manufacturing their products, it is always recommended to settle with the one that you know best.

However, it is recommended to experiment with the adhesives you use. Nail glues have different formulas and strengths and weaknesses. Some solutions may gel better with your skin’s natural oils and your nail surface. You might also do better with adhesive tabs or strips.

It would be worth it to choose several products and experiment to find the one that suits you best and offers the best durability. In the world of fake nails, a few extra days of usage is already a big bonus.

That’s it. Follow these tips on how to keep press on nails from popping off and you can enjoy these beauties for a long time!