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Review by Gia Yetikyel
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- I paid $90 for press-on nails and a set removal from the Chicago-based salon Tokyo Nails.
- The press-on nails took less than 30 minutes to apply and looked very impressive.
- The set was more expensive than drugstore press-ons, but the quality difference was evident.
There's no doubt press-on nails have become more popular in recent years. But as someone who prefers getting their nails professionally done at the salon, I haven't experimented with them much in recent years.
However, when I came across a TikTok from a client raving about a Chicago-based salon's press-on nail service — which she said took only 30 minutes — I had to try it.
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The salon, Tokyo Nails, debuted its unique pre-painted nails in 2022 when it created sets in collaboration with brands like Cheez-It and Spritzi. Later, in 2023, salon owners and sisters Nomin and Nomundari Uuganbayar rolled out their press-on nail sets for clients.
A set of hand-painted press-on nails costs $50, but customers can pay an additional flat fee of $20 to remove their current set — which is what I opted for.
Here's how getting these custom press-on nails went.
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When I arrived at my appointment, my nail technician started by removing my old set.
When I arrived for my appointment, the technician started by removing my current set, which consisted of long-length soft-gel tips with gel polish and charms.
Tokyo Nails advertises a 35-minute press-on nail service, but I knew from experience that removing this intricate nail set would take a while.
After about an hour of drilling, soaking, and filing, my final summer nail set was put to rest.
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There were tons of press-on nails to choose from.
The nail salon offers more than 70 pre-painted designs of various lengths. The nails come in extra-small, small, and medium sizes, with large sizes custom-made to fit a client's hand.
Unfortunately, the set I chose first, a black design with silver details, was too small for my nails. My technician spent about five minutes stretching and molding the set, made of Gel-X extensions, to fit my larger nail beds.
Eventually, though, I decided to opt for my second choice: a larger silver set with 3D designs.
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The application process was incredibly quick.
The application process itself was beyond easy. In less than 30 minutes, my technician cleaned up my cuticles, applied the press-on nails with gel glue, and added a top layer of clear gel polish.
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Before I knew it, we were at the final stage of the application process.
Finally, it was time to cure the clear gel polish under a lamp. According to Nomin, this final layer of gel polish on top of the press-ons allows them to last longer.
This step was important, as I had a trip to Paris planned for the following week and was a little skeptical that the set would actually last two weeks.
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The final result was stunning and didn’t even look like press-ons.
My bill for the finished set was about $90, including tax and tip. For comparison, my typical nail appointments, which last two to four hours and usually entail a set removal, tips, gel polish, and designs, often cost over $100.
This service was much faster and less expensive than I'm used to, but if you ask me, the press-on set's length and design were comparable to what I've had before.
Overall, I couldn't believe how great the finished set looked.
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My manicure had a couple of mishaps but otherwise held strong.
Before I left Tokyo Nails, my technician gave me a small bag containing a nail file, a wooden cuticle stick, two alcohol pads, glue stickers, and gel glue for any at-home repairs. This gel glue was stronger than regular nail glue and could dry with or without a lamp.
The glue came in handy when a thumbnail popped off six days into having the set. Another thumbnail came off a little over a week after application, but unfortunately, this one proved to be more of a nuisance and wouldn't stay on after I attempted to glue it back.
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Overall, I think the pre-painted press-on nails are great for short-term needs.
Though my thumbnails popped off, no other nails budged or lifted, and they had only minor chips over two weeks. I was skeptical about how long this set would last but was impressed with how well it held up.
Strangers complimented me on my nails, and I even overheard people talking about how cool they were. If I told them they were press-ons, people were often amazed by how realistic they looked.
Overall, I think these press-on sets are a great alternative for clients who don't want to sit for hours for a gel manicure or potentially damage their nails with acrylics.
For less than $100, I think they're worth looking into if you're searching for a new design before a special occasion.
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