Nail Glue: How to Apply It and the Best Formulas to Try for Your DIY Mani
Don't worry, we've got removal tips too.
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Press-on nails have come such a long way from the ill-fitting chunks of plastic that they used to be. Nowadays, you can find press-ons in shapes that you actually want to wear, like coffin and stiletto, and pre-painted in interesting colors and intricate designs. But what good is a stunning set of nails if you can't get 'em to stay on, right? We turned to Trenna Seney, celebrity nail artist and founder of luxury press-on nail company Very Shameless Nails, for the best nail glue advice to keep your nails in place—plus the 10 bestselling nail glue formulas (including Seney's #1 go-to) you should try.
What is the best glue for nails?
Before we can talk about the best glue, we need to talk about the prep. Seney's best pre-application tip: Buff the surface of your nails first to give the glue something to firmly adhere to. Basically, your application technique (in addition to using a good nail glue) is a super important part of achieving long-lasting press-ons.
What takes nail glue off your nails?
The glues below are seriously strong, so it's important to know how to remove your nails when the time comes (you'll thank us later). Seney recommends removing Very Shameless Nails with a bowl of warm water (not hot!) and dishwashing liquid soap. Let your hands soak in the bowl for 15-20 minutes to encourage the glue to break down so your press-ons can pop off on their own without any painful and unnecessary prying. To get rid of any residual nail glue, wrap your nails with an acetone-soaked cotton ball and hold it in place with aluminum foil until the glue is soft enough to push away.
Now, let's get to what you came here for. Here are the best nail glues worth trying:
If you want a formula that sticks immediately, this glue by KDS is Trenna's go-to and is about to be yours too. "Once you place a drop on anything, it's on," Seney says. And five bottles for six bucks? Come on. It's a no-brainer. Use it for your press-on nails, acrylics, and more.
If you're looking for a nail glue to keep jewels in place, who better to trust than Jenny Bui aka the Queen of Bling?! This adhesive is step one of a two-step process, but it's worth the extra effort to have embellished nails that actually stay that way. Brush this glue onto the nails, place your stones, then seal it with the Crystal Finisher.
Part of what makes press-on nails so great is how quick and easy they are, so why would you want a nail glue that's not both of those things, too? When you've got 10 nails to apply, you don't want to be holding them down forever until the glue sets. Thankfully with this super-fast-setting glue, a few seconds of pressing will do it. And 20k happy Amazon customers can attest to that.
A nail glue so good it's got its own fan club. Seriously! This little dropper bottle has 42k Amazon ratings and 4.5 stars, so you know it's good. The bottle looks tiny—and it is—but since you don't need a lot for an application that lasts, you don't need a big bottle. At just a few bucks, this Amazon beauty product would be worth giving a try even if it wasn't so highly recommended.
If you're using your glue for nail art or fixing a broken nail or crack, you want a transparent nail glue that'll fill in gaps and ridges and blend in with the rest without turning a yellowish tinge over time. This one, my friends, checks all those boxes.
If you're a press-on nail newbie, you want to look for a glue that's easy to apply and easy to remove, like this one from Makartt. If you can't get the hang of a dropper bottle and always end up pouring too much product, try a nail glue that works like a nail polish bottle with a built-in brush tip that allows for complete control of the glue application.
You want a nail glue that's fast-drying and quick-setting, yes, but you also want a nail glue with a consistency that easy to work with. This one, which comes in two different sizes, has a gel-liquid formula that's not too runny or too goopy but hits that sweet spot right in between. Reach for this one for a really smooth, even application that doesn't buildup or pool on your cuticles.
This glue itself lasts a long time on your nails, yes, but the bottle will also last you more than a few uses, thanks to the clog-proof tip. One of the most annoying parts of nail glue is having to toss it before it's empty because the tip has dried out, but this one will let you use every last drop.
As is the case with many press-on nails, this nail glue is part of the package deal with each Marmalade manicure set but thanks to high demand, this nail glue is now shoppable on its own. Customers love it because it stays put (the brand says it's been proven to last for 14 days) but isn't impossible to take off before the two week-mark if you get tired of your set. Did I mention the glue is pink?! It's the little things.
If you're wanting your press-ons to last longer than one night, 25k Amazon shoppers recommend this one right here. One customer said they had to remove their set because their manicure looked bad before the glue even let up if that tells ya anything. So if you want a glue that'll outlive your nail art, go with this one—because you want your nails to *pop off* in a good way, not the other way.
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