I love a good shellac manicure... until I need to remove it. For those of you not familiar, shellac manicures are amazing because they dry almost instantly, last two weeks or longer without chipping (regular manicures usually last about two minutes without chipping). The problem is that you need to use acetone to remove the polish, and even then, it's best to go to a salon and do it. I've tried to remove my own and my dry, brittle, scuffed up nails were not happy about it.
I recently saw something on the internet about imPress Manicures. My initial thought: No way, Jose. Remember Lee Press-on nails? So cheap and cheesy!
From what I could tell in the photos, imPress looked really nice, lasted at least a week, were easy to remove and required zero dry time. Plus, they were available at my neighborhood Walgreens for less than eight bucks. The worst that could happen? I might have one fly off while I was having lunch with someone. Gross, for sure. Funny, probably. Ah, what the hell!
I selected a slutty red option.
Applying them was a cinch. They give you 20-ish nails in various sizes. Just figure out which size press-on nail corresponds best size-wise with your actual nails, remove the press-on's backing to reveal it's adhesive, apply a little pressure for 10-15 seconds and boom! I actually applied them while laying in bed after drinking three glasses of wine. Try doing that with regular polish, my friend.
I woke up the next morning and they'd all weathered the night (and then my shower) just fine. I wasn't in the office ten minutes before I received my first compliment. And then got literally five more, "Wow, your nails look amazing!" by noon. They did feel a little weird on my hands at first, but I got used to them. If you were to look at my finger tips dead-on, you'd notice a slight gap between my actual nail and the press-on, but that doesn't happen regularly.
Downside: when I ran my fingers through my hair, a few strands would end up getting flossed between the bottom of the press-on and my actual fingernail, which was annoying. On the bright side, I realized how often I was doing that and tried to curb the habit (makes your hair oilier, and I don't need any help in that department).
I kept the imPress nails on for about a week. They looked amazing the entire time. The nails came off as easily as they went on. Just dab regular nail polish remover along the sides, let sit for a minute or two, then peel off, revealing a nice lookin' natural nail.
Verdict: Great in a pinch-- like when you run out of time to do your nails before a wedding. Or when you want a shellac break. Or when you want to relive the 80s.
What other throwback beauty tricks are you kind of into?
P.S. Remember No Makeup Monday?
