If you wear Fake Nails, then you will know that keeping them on can be difficult.
As someone who wears Fake Nails quite regularly, I am always on the lookout for How To Make Fake Nails Stay On Longer. Are there any effective tips, tricks, techniques to do this?
The short answer is Yes. There are some really easy and effective ways to keep your Fake Nails more secure and last a lot longer.
This article will help you to learn what you can do. All from the comfort of your own home.
Even if you have a busy and hectic day-to-day lifestyle and are prone to losing your False Nails.
How To Make Fake Nails Stay On Longer
I know a lot of people associate Fake nails with them popping off all over the place.
When I first started wearing Fake nails I experienced this a lot. Over time, working on my own nails and on clients in the Salon, there are a number of ways to get them to last a lot longer.
The tips and strategies below are inexpensive, you can do them at home and it doesn’t take that long (around 30 minutes from start to finish).
Let’s begin…
Tip #1 – Put On Your Fake Nails At Night
First and foremost, the best thing that you can do to ensure that your Fake Nail adheres to your Natural nail is to always put on your Fake Nails at Night. Just before you go to bed.
This way, you can get into bed straight after and give the glue enough time to work its magic and seal properly.
By doing your Fake Nails at night, you are not going to get your hands until the next morning, nor are you going to do any tasks that require your hands and that may reduce the strength of the glue.
This is the easiest and most important way to get your Fake Nails to bond really well with your natural nail.
Do this minutes before you plan on going to sleep.
It’s also a nice way to wind down for the night as it is peaceful and calming.
Tip #2 – Prepare Properly Beforehand.
The second tip is to ensure that you always prepare and clean your natural nails before you apply your false nails.
The best way to this is to start with warm water and soap.
Scrub your hands and your nails gently and be sure to clean each and every one of your nails.
From there, it is advised to use a Natural Nail Polish Remover (Chemical Free).
My favorite is the Pure Vitality Natural Nail Polish Remove, Conditioner, and Strengthener (that you can get for a great price on Amazon) because it works really well and it also looks after the health and preserves the strength of your nails).
It also removes any Oil or Lotion that can prevent the glue from sticking as effectively!
Apply a small amount of Natural Nail Polish to a Cotton Pad, and then begin to massage your nails.
The Remover will help to remove any dirt/residue and particles that are resistant to soaps.
By cleaning your nails properly and ensuring that they are as clean as they possibly can be, it will make the application of the false nails a lot easier and also help them adhere better.
Make sure that your Nails are completely dry after using any products.
You may need to wait a little bit, so it’s always good to prepare your Nails hours in advance.
Another recommendation is to file your nails ahead of putting on your False Nails.
But not just filing the tips, also be sure to file your nails all over their surface area.
Basically file your entire nail making them coarse, including where you are going to apply your False Nails.
Do not over-file your Nails, you do not want to cause any damage, just enough to change the texture.
Now you may be wary of doing this, as you may believe that this could damage your nails.
Trust me when I say, that as a Certified Nail Technician, this is fine if not beneficial to your nails.
Using a Crystal Glass Nail file (my favorite is also available on Amazon) is a brilliant way to ensure that you do not remove too much of your Natural Nail or cause your nail to break or snap.
With a Crystal Glass Nail File, you have better control and can get the coarse texture very easily. This helps to prepare your Natural Nail without causing any damage.
Filing essentially ensures that the nail surface is almost ready for the Nail Glue.
You do not want the surface of your Nails to be completely smooth.
This make it harder for the False Nail to stick.
Instead, you want to make the surface of your nails a little rough. This makes it much easier to get your False Nail to stick, and for it to adhere better (resulting in longer-lasting false nails).
Tip#3 – Use the Right False Nails
After trying many different types of press-on nails, it appears that the type you use can affect your results. Some are just not well designed to last.
My favorite is the Kiss Full Cover Nails in the Oval Shape.
They are super thin so they blend in really well with your natural Nails.
They don’t look obviously fake and they’re also really inexpensive. One pack will last me around five Manicures.
They are also pre-shaped so this can save you a lot of time and effort.
You can also buy them in other shapes on Amazon, or you can buy them in the full length and then customize them to whatever size and shape you like your nail to be.
Tip#4 – Invest In A Good Glue
Every time you do your Nails, for best results, it is always preferable to open a fresh pack of Nail Glue.
Otherwise, they do not stick as well as the Glue dries up somewhat in the packaging.
Unfortunately, a lot of the Nail Glue that is provided with your Fake Nails is weak and consists of cheap ingredients.
Because of this, it is unlikely to provide the strength you need to keep your Fake Nails preserved and to last for longer than a few days.
I always recommend investing in a good Nail Glue.
I personally use the 5 Second Nail Glue (which you can get on Amazon).
It is not offensive and it is not too chemically. I find that using this Glue enables me to keep my nails for on average a further 7 days.
The best thing about buying Good Glue is that it is relatively inexpensive and you can use it for several Fake Nail applications.
Tip#6 – Apply Your Glue Correctly
For extra strength and hold, you want to put a couple of drops of glue on the back of each Fake Nail. From there, it’s best to saturate your nail beds with glue.
It can be quite tricky to get the right amount because you want a good amount of glue to hold the nail on but not so much that it’s going to come gushing out of the sides.
Make sure that you place the fake nail as close to your Cuticle as possible; you don’t want any type of gap. This also helps them to blend in with your Nail Bed.
Once you apply the nail on top you want to firmly hold it in place for a full thirty seconds.
Now, you may be tempted to rush and press down for only a few seconds, but all of my experience points me to suggest you need a minimum of 30 seconds per nail. Set a timer if you need to.
Tip#6 – Thumbs at the End
The last tip is to always apply your False Nails to your Thumbs right at the very end.
If you start with your Index Finger, gradually work your way up one of your hands until you reach the Thumb.
This way you will find that it is much easier to actually apply them and you will not feel limited or restricted.
I actually like to apply all of the False Nails on one hand (exclude the Thumbs) and then move onto the other hand’s fingers.
Then at the very end, I go back and do both Thumbs.
This gives me extra versatility and enables me to ensure that I am pressing down hard enough and actually get the False Nail to stick properly in the first place.
Final Words
If you follow these simple Tips and Tricks you can make your False Nails stay on much longer.
Remember, you can do your False Nails yourself from home – there is no need to head to the Salon to get your False Nails Applied effectively.
Looking for other fake nail guides, tips, and tricks? Check out my guides below:

Hey – I’m Jemma – a certified nail technician and manicurist with over fifteen years of hands-on industry experience. I created AlmondNails.com to share all that I have learned about the nail industry – from the different types of manicures available, suggestions for wear, recommendations for keeping nails strong and healthy, all the way through to providing the best nail salon tips and practices.