Why Gen Z is done with nail salons: ‘2024 is the year of press-on’
Gen Z is glued to press-on nails.
The savvy, stylish nails have come in handy for on-the-go young people who desire versatile nail designs — but want to spend less money and fewer hours in a nail salon.
Celebrities including Nicki Minaj and Marsai Martin, who avidly wear false nails, have even embraced the do-it-yourself concept and launched their own press-on collections: “Pink Friday Nails” in March 2024 and “Mari By Marsai” in 2022, respectively.
“When I became a mom, I couldn’t spend as much time getting my nails done as when I only had to worry about me, so it became a necessity to create fly, quality press-on nails,” Minaj previously explained of her new venture.
That sentiment even tracks for manicure mavens who are used to creating tantalizing talons.
“Not having to sit at the nail salon for hours but instead being able to apply nails and go is so convenient,” New Jersey-based nail designer Nisha Persaud told The Post.
Before the new nail craze, beauty fanatics relied on nail technicians to apply acrylic sets or gel manicures to their nail beds, which required costly biweekly maintenance and could result in brittle claws.
Completing a full-set manicure in a nail salon takes a time-consuming 60 to 90 minutes, according to Medium. By contrast, applying a full set of press-on nails, on average, takes only about 10 minutes, reported Southern Living.
Reflecting the surge in DIY popularity, the hashtag #Pressonnails has topped a whopping 1.3 million views on TikTok, with many Gen-Zers embracing the easy-on-the-go nails.
And one beauty influencer, who goes by @yazmin.adalynn on TikTok, declared that the sticky nail trend is here to stay.
“2024 is the year of press-on and you cannot convince me otherwise,” she declared in a video while displaying her dazzling digits. “This whole nail ordeal took me a half-hour, and it was basically free.”
Other nail enthusiasts — like Jennifer Lopez, Cardi B, and Kim Kardashian — are sticking to press-on nails, too, like the ones from Glamnetic and KISS. The glued-down ornamentals allow them to switch up their nails like they change their clothes.
“Press-on nails are popular because having access to trendy and stylish art at your fingertips is a luxury,” Persaud, who owns The Clawset, specializing in luxury press-on manicure kits, told The Post.
“Gen Z are way ahead of us when it comes to taking care of their bodies,” Tiger-Lily Taylor, the founder of Claws, a UK nail company, told The Standard. “Press-ons are much healthier for your nails, especially if you use stickers that can be used and removed daily.”
However, press-on nails do carry risks, such as infections, allergic reactions and nail-bed breakage, but that doesn’t deter people from pressing on with the nail trend — especially if it’s helping them spend less time at the nail salon.
London-based Dr. Sermed Mezher previously outlined the dangers of wearing acrylic nails and how it can make your nails transform into crusty, green talons.
He explained that “beyond being unsightly,” the condition is called chloronychia, also known as Green Nail Syndrome (GNS), and can happen if the acrylic nails haven’t been applied properly. resulting in a space between the actual nail and the acrylic that wasn’t properly filled.
Persaud, 30, admits there are many pros to the sometimes-tacky nails aside from a quick application process.
“I see plenty of financial benefits to wearing press-ons. Saving money! No travel fees, salon fees. You can spend less and still have flawless claws,” she said. “And you can do it yourself!”
Persaud advises people to “tip yourself” for the cost-efficient DIY service, rather than tipping a nail tech for $100-plus groomed claws.
