OK, so this is my definitive ranking of press-on nails. I haven't gotten my nails done - I'll get my nails done for maintenance like my fingernails every two months because I use my own cuticle remover (I use the Sally Hansen cuticle remover), but sometimes a professional is a professional for a reason, so I'll go for that reason.
But in between those visits, I am a press-on girl, I am very particular about the uniformity of my nails. I want them to look the same. I don't want them to chip, and I despise growth. I despiseee new growth.
Why I Switched to Press-Ons
What happens when you go to the salon regularly is you need like two to three weeks between visits, but spending $500 every month on nails is kind of ridiculous to me, especially when the work is subpar. So I started wearing press-ons like two years ago, and I haven't looked back since.
The best part? I'm able to try designs I would never try at the salon. If I hate them, I just take them off. I don't really want to gamble a lot at the nail salon because I just don't like to gamble, so this helps me so much.
The Rankings: From Best to Your Ex (Trash)
#1: Celebtips
This is new and honestly was like a last-minute underdog - didn't know about it, undercover indie brand. I don't know who founded it.
They're SO amazing. Like, they literally are better than anything I've ever gotten done professionally, whether by a nail artist or by just a manicurist. You can get them at Anthropologie - I discovered them at Mecca (TJ Maxx). But I then immediately ordered a bunch because when I like something, I really like it and I want to have a lot of it so that I can always have it.
Purchase
#2: Nail Reformation
Nail Reformation was the first - it really set the bar. It was really that girl. It's like the boyfriend that sets the bar for what you should expect in a relationship.
The nails are beautiful, the length is perfect, they fit my nail beds, they're natural feeling, they're natural looking, they're nice and hard. They're kind of like builder gel - like where Celebtips is kind of like builder gel, this is also like builder gel, but very durable.
I'm someone who likes to bite my nail a little bit or tap things or use my nails as tools (which I know I'm not supposed to do), but I like to do that a lot. The designs are cute, everything is cute.
#3: BHeart Box Nails
They're kind of - they feel like plastic a little bit. They really do feel like plastic a little bit, but they're very light. They're the lightest among them all.
Whereas Celebtips and Nail Reformation are a little bit heavy and strong and you can click them, these are very light and you can tell that they're plastic-ish. You can't tell from a distance, but when you put them on, you can tell you're putting on like sort of like a plastic nail.
But I like the length. The length is really important to me because I be typing or sometimes I just want length, but not too much length that's artificial looking and looks like a piece of plastic on top of my nails. I don't like that.
Purchase
Honorable Mention: Olive & June
They can feel a little plastic-y depending on which ones you get. It looks the most like you painted your nails yourself, and they're really accessible, I think they're at Target. The lengths are nice, the colors are okay. But that's like, if those other three aren't available, that's when I'll reach for Olive & June.
In the Bin: Don't. Even. Bother
Glamnetic (Absolutely Not)
In the trash, don't even bother, you're wasting your time. Glamnetic is a sorry joke for press-on nails. They're literally like a caricature of press-on nails. I don't like Glamnetic at all. I think they're super whack.
They're plastic-y, they're fake looking, I just despise them. And do they last long? Sure. But they also look plastic-y and fake and just cheap. I don't like them. Your girl cannot stand a Glamnetic nail.
Chill Tips (We're in 2025, Come On)
Chill tips are all right, but again, considering the year that we're in... I know that they're very cheap nails. I could probably find them on AliExpress or Shein or something. I don't like them. The designs were cool in like the 2010s, but we're in 2025.
The Bottom Line
So yeah, that is my definitive ranking of press-on nails. Let me know which ones you try. Have you tried others that you like? Do you ever get custom nail sets created for you?
The thing about press-ons is they've completely changed my nail game. I get to have perfect, uniform nails without the salon drama, the cost, or dealing with new growth that makes me want to hide my hands. Plus, I can experiment with fun designs risk-free.
Trust me, once you find the right press-on brand for you, you'll wonder why you ever dealt with salon inconsistency.