Guide

How to Apply

Ten minutes at home, no appointment needed. Take your time on the prep and the set will last roughly twice as long.

1. 01

   Clean your nails

   Remove any old polish and wash your hands. Wipe each nail with an alcohol pad and let it dry completely. Oil and sweat left on the nail are the main reasons a set lifts early, and in this heat both come back fast, so apply somewhere cool if you can.

2. 02

   Push back your cuticles

   Gently push the cuticle back with the wooden stick in your kit. This gives the press on a flat surface to sit against and makes the finished nail look far more natural.

3. 03

   Match the correct size

   Lay out all ten nails before you apply anything. Each one should sit inside your side walls without pressing into them. When you are between sizes, take the larger one.

4. 04

   Apply adhesive

   For tabs, press one onto your natural nail and peel the backing. For glue, run a thin line down the center of your natural nail and a small dot inside the press on. Less is more with glue. On a humid day, glue holds far better than tabs.

5. 05

   Press firmly

   Line the nail up at the cuticle first, then lower it down. Hold firm pressure for about ten seconds so the adhesive spreads evenly and no air is trapped underneath.

6. 06

   Keep them dry for an hour

   Give the adhesive time to cure before doing the dishes, showering or swimming. After the first hour you can carry on as normal.

Making them last in this weather

Heat and humidity are the difference between a set that lasts three days and one that lasts two weeks.

• Apply in the coolest room you have. Hands that are already sweating give the adhesive nothing to grip.
• Choose glue over tabs from March to June, and any time you will be outdoors for most of the day.
• Caught in the rain? Pat your hands dry rather than rubbing, and press each nail down again once they are dry.
• Going straight into an air conditioned office is fine. The swing from heat to aircon does not affect the bond.
• Wear gloves for dishes and laundry. Long soaks in hot water shorten a set faster than anything else you will do.

Taking them off

Never pull a nail straight off. It takes a layer of your natural nail with it.

• Soak your fingertips in warm soapy water for three to five minutes.
• Slide a cuticle stick under one side of the nail and ease it up slowly.
• Work side to side rather than pulling straight off.
• Peel the old adhesive off the back of each nail and store the set in its case.