Faster, cheaper, and more consistent than the salon!
I am KISS's biggest fan. I have been using their press ons for many years and am always impressed with the quality and durability. The acrylic french set are a bit thicker than their normal design press ons in my opinion, but they look great on and just like what you get done for $60+ at a salon! And sometimes salons can be hit or miss - it can be so disappointing to spend time and money treating yourself and leave unhappy with the product, but KISS press ons are always consistent! They come with many sizes so you can find the right fit for your nails. I have used this set as is and have also painted over it with regular nail polish before (the photo of the red nails are actually this set painted with regular polish!). I follow the application instructions and these nails consistently last 10-14 days for me: 1. Nail prep: you don't need to do anything over the top here, but pushing back your cuticles (and trimming them if you want) will help give you a clean surface for application. I don't usually scuff the surface of my nails at all, but that is recommended to help the nails adhere (just a little scruff goes a long way!) 2. Choose your nails: Finding the right fit for your nail is SO IMPORTANT to the durability! A nail that is too small or too big will pop off earlier. Sometimes that means I need to file down the edges of a nail that is slightly too large (two of my fingers are very close to the same size but the sets only come with 1 of each size) but it is always worth the extra few seconds to get a good fit. I always go through and layout all 10 nails in order that I will use to make sure I have the best fit possible, and if I need to adjust anything I can do that before I begin to apply. 3. Prep your nails part 2: AFTER you have done all the trying on for size and other prep (incl. scuffing if you choose to do that), I use an alcohol wipe to clean off the surface of my nails to make sure they're as oil-free as possible. I then wait a few seconds for that to dry and take care to not touch the surface of my nail again. These alcohol wipes are usually included with the imPress nails (Kiss sister brand with glue sticker tabs instead of glue) but aren't included with the glue-only sets for some reason (but you can get a bulk pack for <$10 on amazon) or DIY it with rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball at home). 4. Apply: I usually start from my pinky and work in. I usually leave my index and thumb for last. I am right handed so I do left pinky, left ring, left middle, right pinky, right ring, right middle, right index, right thumb, left index, left thumb. I don't think it really matters, but that gives me the best control. I use the glue provided and apply a dot to the center of my natural nail. Then I press down the press on at a slight angle to make sure the glue spreads out under the nail completely (but try not to use so much glue that it spills over the side!). Then PRESS AND HOLD while the glue dries - I usually aim for at least 10-15 seconds per nail, but I think 30-60 seconds is recommended. 15 seconds can feel like a long time when applying but this is SO IMPORTANT!! 5. Clean up anything you want: there is usually a small tab in the middle of the nail from production - it's not really noticeable but I usually file it down a bit just to completely smooth it out for the salon-quality. This is more prevalent on almond shaped nails, less on oval and square. When I file, I do try to hold the nail down as I file just to help the glue hold on. I have also used many KISS nails that are longer than I prefer, so after I apply I clip them with normal nail clippers and then file down (the edges can be sharper if you clip them!). I would recommend getting a salon-quality file if you choose to do this. You CAN file the nails into a new shape with the file provided, but it is MUCH easier with a bigger and stronger file. Read more
