I tried the best press-on nails – Boots £6 ‘claws’ looked gorgeous but fell off after 4 days & I couldn’t flush the loo
LIKE many beauty buffs around the world, I love getting my nails done - not only does gel last longer than normal varnish but I also find the little pamper session therapeutic.
What I don't love as much, however, is the bill at the end of every session which costs me around £30 depending on the design - or a staggering £60 every month, as I get a chic mani twice a month.
As I'm currently in the process of saving up for a trip of a lifetime to India next year, I've come to realise that forking out a mini fortune for nails is perhaps not the most financially-smart decision - and I may have to give up my visits to the nail shop for a while.
Not one to walk around with bare nails, I decided to see which popular press-on nails could help me slash the costs - and whether the at-home manicure can stand the test of time.
From basic monochrome designs to something I would best describe as dangerous claws, the high street offers something for everyone - with prices starting from as little as £1.50.
Here's how it went on...
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Elegant Touch, Cat Eye French Press-on Nails, £7
One of the retailers that, I found, offers a huge variety of artificial nails is Boots - there are selling for £6, in a gorgeous deep red shade going for a mere £3 and more.
However, despite the vast collection, I encountered a little problem - and realised the nail on my thumb was too wide for most of the purse-friendly picks.
After going over all the options available at the store, I stumbled upon one of the very few finds that suited my nail beds - .
The pack, which comes with a total of 24 false nails and a special nail glue, sells for £7 and boasts the on-trend chrome design with a subtle sparkle - ideal for the festive season around the corner.
The process of applying the fake nails didn't take long at all and wasn't messy - however, you do have to be careful with the glue, as it dries pretty quickly.
As I'm an avid gym goer and spend hours lifting weights, I've never opted for long nails, fearing they'd be impractical and I wouldn't be able to go on about my day with these claws - and how right I was.
Although these nails looked gorgeous and made my sausage fingers look slimmer and more elegant, normal everyday tasks proved to be a major challenge - such as flushing the loo.
It felt like the nail on my index finger would fly off, so I had to resort to bending my finger in a weird way after popping to the bathroom.
Perhaps I'm simply not used to rocking long and sharp nails - and kudos to everyone who can function with them - but even taking off my gym bra was more difficult than I'd imagined.
Another task I was petrified of was attempting to pop my contact lenses in - but somehow I didn't end up poking my eyes out.
If you're a gym bunny like I am and love weightlifting to keep some mental sanity, it's good news - the sparkly claws didn't come in the way of deadlifting and any other taxing exercises.
The easy-to-use strips come in plenty of gorgeous on-trend designs, such as a little cute nude moment, a marble effect print with golden speckle and a sparkly black manicure, just to name a few.
Each pack contains a total of 16 nail strips, one mini nail file and a wood stick to push back cuticles - as well as instructions on how to use the kit for best results.
Following the guide at the back of the packaging, I used a manicure prep pad to clean the nail beds (not provided) and shaped my nails.
Once done, I selected the strips that best suited my nails - if you are between sizes, the brand recommends sticking to the smaller one.
Next, I firmly pressed and smoothed the strip, applying extra pressure along the free edge of the nail, before curing under the LED light for a minute and snipping off the excess.
Unlike the cat-like claws, these gel nails, unsurprisingly, were more comfortable and practical, not getting in the way of any of my regular day-to-day activities.
Boasting a gorgeous shine, it indeed looked like I had just walked out of my local nail salon in London - however, although the brand promises an impressive durability of two weeks, this couldn't have been further from the reality.
Perhaps I hadn't followed the instructions properly, but there was some chipping just a shocking three days later - and one by one, the gel strips started peeling off.
Although they're easy to remove if you fancy switching up designs, the price didn't reflect the poor quality - which was a bummer, as I got heaps of compliments about the festive red nails I'd picked.
Boasting an impressive 3.8-star rating online, the fake nails promise a gorgeous result that would last up to seven days - which, sadly, didn't live up to my expectations.
Just like with the other Boots buy, I carefully applied the plastic nails with the provided glue - but they were so ridiculously long, I had to file them down quite a bit to make the falsies just that tiny bit more manageable to function with.
Once again, I was forced to use the special finger-bending method to flush the loo - and even typing on my laptop proved to be a mega challenge, let alone attempting to reply to my friends on WhatsApp.
What age can you take kid to get their nails done?
MUMS have sparked controversy after allowing their kids to get acrylic nails. But just how old do they have to be to be allowed to get them done legally.
According to the National Occupational Standards, anyone under the age of 16 has to be accompanied by an adult.
They also need written consent from a parents or guardian.
It's also a good idea to check that the salon you're planning to go to - just to ask if they offer services to children.
Due their hideously long and claw-like shape, every word I typed out ended up with a typo - and I soon gave up, before resorting to sending voice notes to save time.
On the fourth days of sporting these affordable press-ons, my pals and I headed for a spa break we had arranged a while back - and whilst chilling in the jacuzzi and catching up on all the latest gossip, I discovered that one of the nails had flown off.
I was beyond mortified - not so much at the fact I'd have to walk around with a missing nail but more so some poor person enjoying their relaxing time and suddenly being greeted by a lone nail in the water.
Fortunately - for me and other spa goers - the nail mysteriously appeared out of nowhere right next to me, before I immediately collected it and chucked in my bag.
Design: 8/10
Price: 8/10
Functionality: 6/10
Durability: 6/10
Poundland range
The popular discount retailer is your best bet if you're looking for the cheapest DIY manicure, with most nails selling for just a quid or £1.50.
The options are indeed endless - I spotted a basic white set with an intricate forest green detailing for that pop of colour, nails with sparkly gems if you want to add extra shine and glam and more.
However, if your nail beds are like mine - Poundland is not the retailer for you, as not a single set fit my wide thumbs and I had to leave the store with a major disappointment, as I'd seen so many rave reviews online.
''They stay on for days and don’t ruin your natural nails like acrylic ones do!'' wrote one super fan of the budget retailer.
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Design: 10/10
Price: 10/10