If you know me, you know I love to have my nails done. But going to the nail salon every few weeks can be pricey. In order to save some money, I tried out press on nails and fell in love.
What I wasn’t loving was the plain Jane designs most press ons have. So I decided to take matters into my own hands and paint them myself. I started off making a set just for the Halloween season. It’s actually pretty fun to do, so check out how I created these slimey bad boys below!
What you’ll need:
- Set of plain press on nails
- Nail polish of your choice
- Nail glue
- Nail file
- Orange wood stick
- Poster putty
- Toothpicks
Step One: Choose which size press on fits each of your natural nails best. (Tip: keep them in order once you find your sizes, especially if your design incorporates different things on specific nails)
Step Two: Using putty, attach each nail to the end of a toothpick. Simply roll up a small piece of the putty, then secure it to the end of the toothpick. Your nail should firmly stick to it, but not so much that it won’t come off when you need it to later.
Step Three: Once your press on nails are secured to the toothpicks you are ready to paint your design! Just place a finger on the toothpick attached to the nail you’re painting to hold it still. I used the polish’s brush for my base, then a teeny-tiny paint brush for the ooey gooey slime. (Tip: paint two coats of polish for your base color, let these coats dry completely before going in with any designs!)
Step Four: Let your nails dry! Letting them dry completely is very important. If your design is very thick (like the slime on my nails), I recommend letting them dry overnight.
Step Five: Push your cuticles back with an orange wood stick, and gently file the surface of your natural nails. Doing this is key in making your press ons last!
Step Six: It’s finally time to apply your nails! Apply one nail at a time, since nail glue dries quite quickly. Cover the surface of one natural nail with a thin layer of glue, then line up the back of the press on nail with your cuticle and press it onto your natural nail. Press on the nail until you feel it is secure, then continue to the next nail. Repeat until all ten press on nails are glued on! (Tip: be sure to wait at least an hour after applying your nails to get your hands wet!)
Step Seven: Rock those claws! 💅🏻
Whether you’re dressing up for a Halloween party, a special occasion, or just want to wear some nails for fun, I recommend trying out customizing your own press ons. They’re a budget friendly way to have nice nails and they were fun to make!
If you decide to make your own nails, I would love to see them! Feel free to DM me on Instagram some pictures of what you create.
