If you love doing your own nails but hate the time and mess (not to mention carefully waiting for them to dry so you don’t smudge them), then you need to think outside of a traditional polish. Lacquers and gel polishes are great if you have a steady hand and enough time to dry and cure, but when you’re in a rush or looking for a low-effort nail upgrade, they aren’t the best choice. Enter the nail wrap, not-quite a polish and not-quite a press-on, nail wraps are quickly gaining popularity as the perfect choice for girlies on the go.
What Is a Nail Wrap?
Pre-shaped strips that you adhere to your natural nail and then file to perfection, nail wraps are basically a lacquer without the mess. They’re moldable, allowing for a tight fit against your nail that you can easily snip and file down to match your natural length. Essentially, you can think of nail wraps as a nail polish sticker. And with the right application, you can get almost double the wear time as a traditional lacquer.
Correct application is essential to getting the most out of your nail wraps. “Nail prep is key!” explains celebrity manicurist, Bana Jarjour. “Use the prep pads included in the kit in order to dehydrate the nails so they’re ready for application. Apply the strip above the cuticle line so it does not have contact with the skin, and be sure to press the strip all the way around the edges of the nail to avoid bubbles and lifting.”
Pro Tip: If you’re between sizes, you’ll want to size down to avoid contact with your skin and cuticle.
Semi-Cured Strip or Nail Wrap?
Similar to a nail wrap is the semi-cured gel strip. They both come in pre-designed strips that come in a variety of sizes, but semi-cured strips require curing and can be trimmed to your desired length. Nails wraps, on the other hand, don’t typically require curing and will need to be trimmed to your natural nail length to avoid lifting. Additionally, both semi-cured options and traditional wraps offer around the same length of wear time, typically 14 days.
“A nail wrap acts as more of a lacquer, but a semi-cured nail wrap allows you to achieve a gel-strength manicure at home,” adds Jarjour. “I love the Dashing Diva Glaze (semi-cured) strips because they are perfect for those of us on the go who simply don’t have time or patience for a traditional gel manicure.”
If you like the length of your natural nail, then wraps offer a quick and mess-free way to experiment with polishes and designs. They’re especially useful if you’re looking to try nail art at home and come in the latest trends and shades, offering delicate florals, stunning chromes and detailed designs.
The Nail Wraps We Love
