Fashion

I Was Scared To Try A Press-On Pedicure At First, But I've Never Gotten So Many Compliments

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Courtesy of Bella Gerard; KISS Products
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If you don't know, I happen to be a hardcore fan of press-on manicures, seeing as they're easy to apply, last longer than salon gels, and cost less than a salad from Sweetgreen. When it came to the idea of a press-on pedi, though, I was definitely more hesitant; in fact, I was kind of terrified. That said, I'm bringing you this imPress Press-On Pedicure review to let you know I've done the unthinkable — aka glued plastic "toenails" atop my very own ten toes — and now I couldn't be more pleased with the results. Like, I've never received this many compliments in my life, it's almost becoming a problem. I need strangers to stop sparking conversations out of nowhere only to bring up my toes, k thx. Anyway, on with the review.

Like I said, I'm basically a living, breathing advertisement when it comes to KISS Products' press-on fake nails. I wear them every single week without fail, and have done so since seeing nail artists use them on models backstage at NYFW. They're so easy to apply, look way better than my naturally short, weak nails, don't damage said nails underneath, and last way longer than any salon mani I've ever received. Girls ask me on a daily basis where I get my nails done, and my answer is almost always the same: "Honey, get your butt to Duane Reade and pick up a pack of imPRESS nails for under $15! Change your own life!" This is verbatim, people.

That said, I was still nervous to put the pedi version to the test, but I felt it was time to give the imPRESS Press-On Pedicure ($8, kissusa.com) a go:

Maybe it was the fact that I had just bought new clear PVC heels for the summer, or maybe I'm just a sucker for anything shiny, but the pink chrome finish on the Splash pedi caught my eye, so I decided to finally put it to the test. Even though I've heard great things about the press-on pedi's sticky-backed formula, I put a dab of the brand's nail glue on the back of each nail before applying, juuust to be safe. The KISS Products team has actually informed me that this can make the staying power less effective, but I've had my pedi on for a full week already, so that just goes to show how strong these nails truly are. Even my paranoia won't mess with them!

I am too uncomfy to show you a Before photo of my toes, so here's the After, with my Splash pedi perfectly applied:

Courtesy of Bella Gerard

Even though I have especially small pinky toenails, I was surprised to find it was easy to pick out a faux nail that fit perfectly over each of my own nails. Just like the KISS manicures, you can trim and file these nails with ease once you've got them on, so I did shorten a few, and file the big toenail a bit, but all in all, they looked great. I also couldn't feel them at all (I don't know why I was expecting to), so that was ideal. TBH, I forgot I was wearing them after I put them on.

That is, until the compliments started:

Courtesy of Bella Gerard

Compliments from fellow beauty-loving ladies, I expected. But from strangers on the street? A cute boy on the subway? My trusty doorman? I was shocked. People have gone out of their way to let me know how cute my nails are, often starting their sentences with "I know this is weird, but..." and ending with high pedi praise. Either everyone in New York City developed a foot fetish overnight, or this pedi really make my toes stand out. I was about fifteen compliments in when I decided that the press-on pedi would join the press-on mani as a staple in my life.

Plus, there are so many fun options to choose from, and they're all under $10. I'm hoping to try the style Wanderlust ($8, kissusa.com) next:

And hi, have you seen the style Fancy Feet 2 ($8, kissusa.com)? I'm digging this holo glitter fantasy:

Next time you're at the drugstore, I highly recommend snagging a press-on pedi to amp up your summer nail game — or, you can shop them online on the Kiss Products site. It's been a week of heavily-complimented pedi bliss so far, and my toenails show no sign of coming off, but when they do, I'll either glue them back on ASAP or swap them out for a fresh set. It's much cheaper than scheduling a bi-monthly in-salon pedicure, and way more effective in getting strangers on the street to approach you about your toes. You know, if you're into that sort of thing.

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