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The writer Gia Yetikyel folds their hand to show off black and silver press-on nails in front of a pink and red Tokyo Nails sign
I got a set of hand-painted press-on nails at Tokyo Nails in Chicago.

Gia Yetikyel

  • 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.

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.

When I arrived at my appointment, my nail technician started by removing my old set.
The writer Gia Yetikyel folding their hand to show off a bedazzled set of pink, red, and green nails
My old nail set was pretty intricate, so it took a while to remove.

Gia Yetikyel

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.

There were tons of press-on nails to choose from.
Rows of custom press-on nail sets with various designs and colors on clear plastic displays at Tokyo Nails
Tokyo Nails had over 70 press-on nail sets to choose from.

Gia Yetikyel

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.

The application process was incredibly quick.
The writer Gia Yetikyel's hand with pink nail caps on the ends of their fingers
Nail caps were used to hold my press-ons in place while the glue underneath dried.

Gia Yetikyel

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.

Before I knew it, we were at the final stage of the application process.
A nail tech curing writer Gia Yetikyel's nails under a UV lamp projecting blue light onto the nail underneath
The technician cured a clear gel coat to help the longevity of my press-on nails.

Gia Yetikyel

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.

The final result was stunning and didn’t even look like press-ons. 
The writer Gia Yetikyel's hand folded to display nails with a metallic, 3D design in front of a purple sign that says
I thought the finished nail set looked impressive.

Gia Yetikyel

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.

My manicure had a couple of mishaps but otherwise held strong. 
A hand with a metallic nail holding an alcohol pad with a small bottle of nail glue, a pink nail file, a wooden cuticle stick, and another alcohol pad on wooden table
I left Tokyo Nails with a nail-care kit, which came in handy.

Gia Yetikyel

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.

Overall, I think the pre-painted press-on nails are great for short-term needs. 
A hand making a grasping motion with metallic silver and black nails on each finger except for the thumb
Other than my thumbnails popping off, I was impressed by how long these press-ons lasted.

Gia Yetikyel

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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