The look of long, beautiful healthy nails is something I personally covet. Something about a good manicure is so feminine and pretty. My nails are not the healthiest set of talons you’ve seen. They go from being super strong and long to brittle and weak from one week to the next and I can’t figure out why. Meanwhile, everywhere I turn women have these beautiful nails that quite frankly have me hiding my hands. Some choose to hit the nail salon for a full set of acrylics, others are just lucky enough to have beautiful nails.

I’ve done the whole nail salon acrylic thing back in the ’90s and I just can’t bring myself to go back to that. The every 2-week fill, the stench in the nail salon, and after having them removed, my nails turned to paper. Legit, thin, rolled tiny pieces of paper. My nail beds hurt cuz they were so weak and it seemed like the only option was to get them re-done. Not gonna happen.

I have tried other nail brands that you can pick up at the local drugstore and though I didn’t hate them, I felt like I had to buy a few boxes at a time. They come with a lot of nails to choose from so you can pick the one that fits just right after you’ve chosen the size you need, there’s really nothing else to do with the leftover nails but toss them. Once the nails start to lift and pop off (about a week or so), they too go in the trash. Sure they’re cheaper than getting them professionally done, but still, these boxes add up.

So when I saw that there was such a nail that can be reused, painted, reshaped if you choose and the glue didn’t harm your nails, I had to try it for myself. I ordered the coffin-shaped nails in toasted sugar. It comes with 24 nails in 12 sizes (so fit is guaranteed), non-damaging glue and a file and buffer.

You have to start with clean natural nails. Why anyone would apply these over false nails or painted nails seems silly but I guess it has to be said. Pick the best nail size for each finger and put them in order on a table. Doing this saves you TONS of time and since the point of these nails is manicure in seconds, time does matter here.

Now you put a layer of glue on the back of the nail, apply glue to your entire natural nail, line up under your cuticle and press down with your thumb for about 25 seconds (or a bit more to make sure those suckers are on there). You don’t want any air pockets either so try to make sure the pressure you apply is even. The more glue you apply, the longer the nails will stay on. Just be sure you don’t add so much that it oozes out onto your skin cuz getting that off is NOT easy. If you only want them on for a few days (say for a special event but you’re not trying to have those on longer than you need) only apply glue to your natural nail.

Their website is pretty handy too for advice on how much glue will last you how much time. Oh and you can always re-order the glue if you run out. This is directly from their website:

1-2 days: Apply a thin strip of glue from your cuticle to tip     (bring glue + nails with in case of an emergency since you want the nails to come off fast and easy).

5-7 days: Apply a pea-sized dot of glue about this big (       ) to each natural nail (adjust for pinkie). Spread around, don’t get too close to the skin as the glue will disperse when pressure is applied.

7-18 days: Follow five-seven day wear instructions. Apply a little extra glue to the back of the Static nail.

Once they’re on you can paint them, change the shape or leave as is. If you buy one in a particular color you love then you’re done. If you buy the clear ones so you can pick your own color, then paint away!

Removing them might take a bit longer. You have to gently push under the static nail to lift the sides. If it’s ready to be removed then they’ll just pop right off. If they’re resistant, don’t force it, you’ll cause damage to your nail.

Here are their tips for removing these nails – good to know if you don’t plan on wearing them till they pop off:

“REMOVAL: The nails will not come off alone in water (even if you’re a hairstylist), however, we highly recommend soaking them in the hottest water you can comfortably stand for a few minutes prior to removal. This helps soften both the Static nail and your natural nail making removal easier and safer.  Alternating between each side of the Static nail, gently lift.  The nail will literally “pop-off” when light pressure is applied if ready.

You can also use a backup Static nail to pop the nails off.  This can help un-bond any areas still stuck together. See instructions for suggested removal time based on your glue-application. Ex: A pea-sized dot of glue will keep the nails on for 5-7 days, therefore we recommend waiting to remove the nails after they’ve been on for at least 4 days (as stated in instructions).  You can remove the nails at any time if needed.  Removal is easy, fast, and painless.  Simply store your nails away to reapply later. Again, never force remove, which could cause very minor, fixable damage.”

The great part about this whole thing? When you do remove your nails, don’t toss them! They’re re-usable!! If you have any stubborn glue left on them, just use a nail trimmer to get that off and you can put these nails right back on if you choose. If you want to wait a bit before re-applying or you want to put on another color, simply save them in the box they came in for next time.

I mentioned earlier that you can paint these nails as well. If that’s your plan, then I suggest you buy the clear ones and pick out a few nail polishes you’ll want to try out. Static Nails offers liquid glass lacquers that go on so shiny it looks like you’ve got oil on your nails. They’ve got so many colors to choose from, there’s pretty much zero chance you won’t find a color that you love.

While you’re on their website you DEFINITELY want to sign up for their rewards program. The more items you buy, along with other qualifying actions, you’ll rack up points that you can trade-in for $$ off your next purchase.