I ditched my $60 salon manicure for $10 press-on nails — here’s how they held up

I’ve always been a stickler for going to my local nail salon to have my nails done.

That said, a decent manicure, even without gel or acrylic, sets me back around $30 to $40 every month — I’ve even spent $60 for some designs. That’s not the cheapest investment.

That’s why, when I had the opportunity to check out Olive & June’s press-on nails, I jumped at the opportunity. For one, I wanted to see what all the hype was about, and secondly, I wanted to see if these nails could actually last through dishwashing, shampooing my hair and banging away at my laptop during work.

Olive & June has tons of press-on options, with packs starting at just $10. The pack includes everything you need, including multiple nail sizes, extra glue, a disinfecting wipe and a wooden cuticle stick.

Olivia & June Press-Ons

I tried the Mandalorian Grogu-themed nails as my pick, partly because I’m obsessed with anything Disney-related. I was a little skeptical when I received the nails, as they came in very simple packaging.

I opened them up and began to test the different sizes of nails, using the included tools. There’s a quick how-to-apply booklet, which is how I learned you need to trim your nails, push back the cuticles and use the disinfectant wipe over the nail beds before adding the glue.

How to apply Olive & June press-on nails

After getting my nails ready, it was time to size the press-ons to my nails, which wasn’t that hard to do.

Pro tip: The brand provides tons of options to size against your nails, so don’t just pick the first one you try on. Give this process a good 10 minutes for the most natural-looking nails.

Next, decide how long you want to keep the nails on. The brand suggests that if you want them to last around three days, apply just a thin layer of glue to the nail itself. But if you want a longer fit, like I did, you’ll need to add glue straight to your nail as well.

Once the glue is on, press the nail on and hold it for at least 30 seconds — the longer, the better. You really want these nails to stick in the long run. Literally.

Once the nails were firmly on, I was so scared they were going to rip off, but they didn’t. I had a situation where I somehow dropped my Samsung TV remote between my couch. I had to rummage and dig with my freshly done nails through the little crevice in my couch, and surprisingly, the nails stayed on.

They even survived my tossing and turning at night without budging. Everyone around me thought I had my nails professionally done and assumed it was nail art — little did they know I was sporting a $10 press-on kit.

I had zero issues with the nails the first few days. The only time they started to pop off, and this was somewhat my own fault, was when I was doing heavy floor workouts. Somewhere between holding a plank and trying to lift weights, nails started to fly. It wasn’t a huge deal — I was able to stick them back on later in the day — but you’ll definitely want to add an extra layer of glue if you plan on wearing these to the gym.

How Olive & June press-on nails compare

I’ve only tried one brand of press-on nails before — Glamnetic — and while I was impressed with their design, those nails popped off within the hour when I gave them a try. I do, however, love their magnetic lashes.

But compared to Glamnetic’s press-ons, I really liked Olive & June and was pleasantly surprised by not just the range of designs available, but also how beginner-friendly they were.

Our verdict: Are Olive & June press-on nails worth it?

For $10, you get a whole set of press-on nails, as well as glue and instructions for a pair of gorgeous press-on nails that can last the test of time. They’re easy to put on and take off — just soak them in hot water. And they genuinely look like I got my nails professionally done.

For their affordability, available styles and all-around beginner-friendly nature, I recommend these nails to anyone who wants professional-looking nails without the effort or hefty cost.

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