Kiss Nails are a good way to give your nails an instant makeover. Adding length, color, and a uniform shape, they’ll be sure to create a stunning mani in minutes once you have the application process down. If you’re looking for a transformation without heading to the salon, these will do the trick.

As with any press-on nails, if you’re a parent of younger children or otherwise living a lifestyle full of hands-on activities, you’re going to find they’re not practical to wear all the time. For others, Kiss Nails is a better solution—just keep in mind the recommended wear time is just seven days before putting on a new set. Ahead, read about my experience spending a week trying Kiss Press-On Nails.

The Pros and Cons of Press-On Nails

Pros

• Salon-looking nails in about 15 minutes
• Easy to apply
• 28 nails included, so you can find the best fit for your fingernail
• A variety of designs

Cons

• Only seven days of wear time
• Nails that pop off during use might cause lifting of your natural nail
• Lifting can weaken your natural nail

It’s easy to wreak havoc on our fingernails, especially for parents. Pushing kids on the swings, lugging a stroller in and out of the car, and playing ball in the backyard; we’re always on the move. But no matter how the damage was done, the press-on nails from Kiss work to transform those short, broken nails into polished digits in just a few minutes. Over the years, I’ve used Kiss nails several times now for special occasions. This time, for the purposes of this review, I wore the nails from the Kiss Real Short Everlasting French Square Nails Kit for the recommended seven days, putting them through the test of normal day-to-day functions as a mom.

What to Expect From Kiss Press-On Nails

The $8 kit includes 24 nails, adhesive tabs, pink gel glue, a manicure stick, and a mini nail file. Obviously, the cost is significantly less than the $30-plus you’ll pay to have your nails done at a salon, and it’s something you can easily do for yourself at home, even with kids around. Plus, you don’t have to keep going back to the salon every six weeks to have your nails refilled, which costs up to $45. That’s not exactly an option for busy parents looking to save money.

Applying fake nails is simple, and Kiss Nails are no exception. When you’re ready to glue the nail in place, cover the back of the artificial nail and your natural nail with glue. Be sure you cover each surface completely, or you’ll be able to see air pockets through the nails after you’ve applied them. Hold the artificial nail on top of your nail for five seconds, then twist off the numbered tab from the artificial nail, and file the nail to the shape you want. The total time to find your nail size, apply glue, and glue the nails in place takes about 10-15 minutes total for both hands.

The Timeline

My routine is fairly simple. However, several nails did pop off during the week:

• Day 1: No nails popped off.
• Day 2: Ring fingernail on my left hand popped off during a diaper change.
• Day 3: Middle fingernail on my left hand popped off while folding the laundry.
• Day 4: Pinkie nail popped off getting ice out of the ice maker.
• Day 5: No nails popped off.
• Day 6: Middle fingernail on right hand popped off while buckling my baby’s car seat.
• Day 7: Left index fingernail popped off somewhere in Target, where I happened to be buying another set of Kiss Nails.

With the exception of the one lost at Target, I was able to glue the nails that had popped off back on in just a few seconds. It’s a good idea to carry the glue with you, in case you’re away from home when your nail pops off. When each nail popped off it didn’t hurt, but I knew I had lost one of my nails. After removing the nails, I discovered that the nails that had popped off over the last week had experienced slight lifting, as if the force of them getting popped off my finger also took the top layer of my natural nail with them. Unfortunately, you could see where the lifting occurred on my natural nail. Those normally strong nails felt significantly weaker because that top layer of the nail was gone.

To take your nails off, the Kiss All or One Artificial Nail Remover (purchased separately from the kits) is recommended. You can just dip your fingernails into acetone nail polish remover, but it does take longer to get the nails off this way. After trying both methods, the All or One Artificial Nail Remover allowed for quicker removal of the nail as well as the glue left over.

The Final Takeaway

Despite some minor setbacks, using Kiss press-on nails has many advantages: They’re temporary, they remove easily, they’re affordable, and they’re beautiful. Wearing press-ons not only transforms the look of your nails—it also provides a confidence boost. I caught myself looking at my hands a lot during the week.

With its press-on nails, Kiss has created a standout product that’s redefined the at-home manicure experience. Still, many people who work with their hands often will find they’re not ideal 24/7, whether you’re hanging out with your kids all day, doing work around the house, or doing a lot with your hands at work. Still, these nails are a perfect solution for a date night or other special occasions, as they’re beautifully capable of giving your nails an instant and much-needed manicure.