Black-gloved hands using an e-file under-nail cleaner bit to remove excess product and refine the underside of a press-on nail.

2020 was the year of the pivot.

It challenged all of us in the nail industry to diversify our businesses, leading to an unexpected press-on nail boom. All of a sudden, manicurists found themselves with a surplus of time they weren't expecting to have and rent or mortgages that still came due on the first of the month.

Necessity truly put creativity into full force.

The custom press-on industry was far from new. There have always been artists who specialize exclusively in creating and selling press-on nails. What felt new was seeing highly sought-after nail art become accessible to clients across the country and around the world.

Without taking away from the hardships of that year, it was a silver lining.

While I expected demand to shift once salons reopened, I had a feeling many of us would keep a foot in the press-on pool.

At the time, it was important to me to approach press-ons with the same standards I maintained in the salon. I wanted to use products that delivered the best possible results, which made Aprés Gel-X Extensions and Kokoist Gelip Tips an easy choice.

Editor's Note: While I no longer offer custom press-ons, the prep techniques and product considerations discussed in this post remain relevant for artists creating press-on nails today.

Choosing a Tip

Aprés Gel-X

Aprés Gel-X was partially a matter of convenience. I already used them in the studio, so they met my quality standards and I had inventory on hand.

Because they're made from gel, they offered excellent compatibility with the products I was already using and remain one of my favorite options for detailed nail art.

Kokoist Gelip

Kokoist Gelip Tips were already part of my collection, although they played more of a supporting role in the studio due to occasional adhesion issues on certain clients.

Unlike Aprés, Gelips are made from high-quality ABS plastic rather than soft gel. Their sizing and curvature are also a bit more universal, making them feel more similar to traditional press-ons.

Also, their almond shape is to die for.

Before you start painting, let's talk prep.

Step 1: Size and Mount the Tips

I like to start by sorting the tips according to the client's requested sizes and mounting them to nail art pedestals using poster tack.

Make sure the poster tack is secure, but avoid pressing it so far that it wraps around the perimeter of the nail. It creates an annoying, albeit fixable, problem that you'll see demonstrated in the video.

Black-gloved hands lightly buffing the surface of a clear press-on nail tip with an orange buffer block to create texture before gel application.

Step 2: Buff the Surface

Lightly buff the surface of the tip using a 180-grit buffer.

It doesn't need to be perfect. You're simply creating a bit of texture to improve adhesion.

Once complete, remove any dust with a nail brush.

Step 3: Clean With Acetone

Using a lint-free wipe, give the surface a quick swipe with acetone.

Acetone is important here. Alcohol can leave behind a chalky white residue that is decidedly no bueno.

Black-gloved hands applying a clear bonder or base coat to mounted press-on nail tips before nail art application.

Step 4: Apply Bonder and Base Coat

After cleansing with acetone, I apply IBD Powerbond Gel Bonder.

I don't entirely know why I started doing this, but it's become a bit of a security blanket. It creates a strong bond between the extension and the gel products that follow.

If you're using Kokoist Gelips, a base coat is non-negotiable. I recommend pairing them with a Kokoist base gel.

With Aprés Gel-X tips, a base coat is usually unnecessary because the tip itself is made from gel. Unless a specific color product requires it, I generally skip that step.

Step 5: Inspect Before Top Coat

Before applying top coat, I always remove the nail from the stand and inspect it for any weirdness.

If something needs to be filed or refined, now is the time.

My favorite top coat for press-ons was Aprés Top Gelcoat X Scratch Resistant. It's non-wipe, durable, and beautifully glossy.

It's also worth noting that press-ons occasionally require a second cure cycle. Since you're curing individual tips instead of an entire hand, some nails don't always catch the light evenly.

Black-gloved hands refining the underside of a finished press-on nail using an e-file sanding band to smooth the free edge.

Step 6: Finish the Underside

Once your prep is complete, you're free as a bee to paint the nail.

After finishing the nail art, I clean up the underside using an Erica's ATA Medium Grit Zebra Sanding Band at a low RPM, followed by a 180-grit foam buffer to smooth any roughness.

Run your finger around the perimeter of the nail to check for jagged edges and refine as needed.

If any gel has found its way onto the underside of the free edge, remove it before packaging or application.

I also like Erica's ATA Under Nail Cleaner bit for cleaning the underside and gently refining smaller tip sizes where a sanding band won't fit.

If you’ve gotten any gel on the underside of the free edge, you’ll also want to buff that out. I recommend using the Under Nail Cleaner bit from Erica’s ATA you can also use this bit to *gently* buff the inside of your smaller 7-9 size tips that are a little too small for a sanding band.

Black-gloved hands lightly buffing the surface of a clear press-on nail tip with an orange buffer block to remove buildup on underside of tip.

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Press-On Prep | Studio Skills