I’m not one to go to the nail salon frequently or even wear nail polish these days while quarantining but I love the look of a gel nail art manicure (just not the $120 price tag!). So when I discovered ManiMe Gel Stick On Nails was created right in Los Angeles by a Korean native I knew I had to reach out to them and give them a try for my short nails. If you like the idea of avoiding spending hours at the salon, saving money on expensive gel nail art manicures, or are looking for a non-toxic alternative to gel nails, ManiMe is the perfect solution. ManiMe gel stick on nails are 10-free (free of the top ten toxins in nail polish) and the first nail brand to offer custom-fit sizes using a proprietary 3-D technology. In this ManiMe review I’m sharing what you need to know before buying ManiMe, the best tips to properly apply ManiMe gel stick on nails, and a 20% promo code (OBL). Read on for my ManiMe Gel Nails review!

Friends Who Tried ManiMe Gel Nails with code OBL

A few friends who saw me talking about ManiMe on Instagram, went and bought the product to try for themselves. I was very relieved to hear that they liked ManiMe and the stick-on nails lasted around 10 days for them. Check out their ManiMe pics below!

@chancoashley wearing ManiMe in Hawaii for 10 days (did two top coats to help them last)

Founded by Korean native Jooyeon Song, ManiMe was born out of her desire to skip immobilizing her hands for two hours in a salon saturated in chemicals. She dreamed of creating accessible, healthy and easy-to-change manicures and I’m so glad that dream is now a reality!

While getting my nails done in an eco beauty salon is the most pampering experience ever, the entire session from leaving my home to getting back takes up 2-3 hours of my time and costs a pretty penny plus tip! I’ve tried the supermarket press on nails but found that they were too large for my small nails. The supermarket nail options also looked kind of cheap and were not low tox.

ManiMe gel nail stickers vs Colorstreet

ManiMe differs from Colorstreet nails in a few ways. While both are similar in application, Colorstreet is regular nail polish and ManiMe is gel. ManiMe is also 10-free meaning they are free of the top ten most commonly found toxins in regular nail polish. Colorstreet is the more affordable option out of the two but if you care about using low-tox products then ManiMe is the better choice.

ManiMe Nails vs Going to the Salon

• 3-D custom fit so the size and shape actually fit
• Non-damaging 10-free vegan formula (10 free means their nail polish is free of the top ten most harmful toxins found in conventional nail polishes)
• No harmful UV lights
• Takes only 10 minutes of my time
• Eliminates the need to use nail polish remover and time it takes to get everything
• No chipping
• Easily removable by just peeling them off
• Tons of classic and fun nail designs to choose from
• No need to leave my home

What You Need to Know Before Buying ManiMe Gel Nails

Here’s what you need to know before buying ManiMe gel nails. If you’re not experienced with using stick-on nails they are not going to come out looking like the ManiMe Instagram photos. You might make mistakes, maybe lots of them depending on your level of dexterity. If you have short nails, it’s more likely you won’t be able to file off the edges as cleanly as with long nails, and you might end up with some jagged edges.

ManiMe are stick-ons, so they are not going to look exactly like a professional gel manicure. If this is the look you’re expecting, then skip stick-on nails. From a distance ManiMe gel nails look like they could be a professional nail job, but up close you can tell that they’re stickers. If you need pro looking nails, then your only option is to get them done by a pro.

Personally, ManiMe is a super affordable alternative and convenient way of achieving fun nail art looks that would otherwise cost a fortune if done by a nail artist in the salon. Would I buy ManiMe for the solid color manis? Probably not, I’d rather do solids on my own at home.

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(Above: Day 11 ManiMe nails – edges start to come off without top coat by Day 9 or 10.)

Lastly, if you’d like your ManiMe gel manicure to last and not start coming off at the edge, invest in the top coat. Without the top coat, ManiMe will still last a good week but if you’d like it to last 2 weeks or longer you need the top coat.

If all of this sounds ok, then continue on with my ManiMe review.

The ManiMe Gel Nails Ordering Process

I had to first create an account on the ManiMe website and upload various shots of my nails at different angles. This took about 5 minutes, not even. ManiMe uses these images to then use their high-tech 3-D scanner to create customized nails.

Here’s what ManiMe does once you place your order.

The size was perfect for all my nails except for the thumb and pinkie which didn’t extend all the way to the edges.

ManiMe is risk-free so if this happens to you and the edges don’t align with your nails properly, you can contact their customer service and they’ll send you replacement stickers. Below is an email I received from ManiMe Customer Service:

ManiMe Gel Stick On Nails Prices

ManiMe Gel Stick on Nails range from $15 for basic colors to $25 for designer collaborations. For Black History Month, ManiMe is offering nail art designs exclusively by Black nail artists that are uber glam. You can shop by designer or by collection on their website.

HOW TO APPLY MANIME GEL STICK ON NAILS

Each ManiMe kit comes with:

• Instructions

• A full set of right and left nails, plus one extra of each nail size (15 stickers total)

• 1 alcohol wipe

• 1 small nail file

There is a bit of a learning curve when getting used to applying gel stick on nails.

I made some mistakes on my first tries and I’m guessing it’s going to take a few more tries to get it right consistently with each of my 10 nails.

I recommend growing out your nails before applying because it’s harder to file off the excess on short nails.

ManiMe includes a prep pad and nail file so you have everything you need. The nails will come longer than your actual nails in case you’ve grown your nails since ordering.

Step 1: Wipe down nails with the included prep pad

Step 2: Apply the gel stick ons leaving a slight space at the nail bed

Step 3: Use the nail file or clipper to file or clip off the excess. I think a clipper will give cleaner results.

If your nails are shorter than your finger it will be more difficult to file off the excess than if your nails extend past your fingers.

I’ve been using a nail file and it requires a bit of practice to get it right.

If using a nail file, file in vertical downwards motions and not horizontal and use steady controlled strokes.

Keep the nail file at a 90 degree angle so you don’t take off the gel that’s on the sticker.

Step 4: Beautiful gel nails for 10-14 days! I read that if you use their top coat it can last upwards of a month.

Tips for Applying ManiMe Stick-On Gel Nails

• Make sure to prep your nails with the alcohol pad
• Apply each sticker one by one and work individually on the nail  instead of applying all the stickers in one go
• Do not place the sticker onto your skin and leave a tiny bit of nail bed room between the sticker and the cuticle
• Use controlled and steady strokes when filing
• File vertically (VERY IMPORTANT)
• Clip off excess
• Do not do anything laborious immediately or get your nails wet after applying ManiMe
• Don’t rush the process! Take your time because if you make a mistake, the set only comes with 1 extra of each size.

How Long Do ManiMe Gel Stick On Nails Last

ManiMe Gel Stick On Nails are supposed to last 10-14 days. I noticed that different styles have different stay power.

The light colored sheer ManiMe gel Stickers had a much stronger adhesive than the black art nails I tried.

Some of my ManiMe gel nails started to come loose when I did the dishes manually with hot water. I would recommend using gloves to protect the lasting power of your gel stick on mani when doing any kind of manual labor that requires heat and water. Or just avoid doing anything laborious or wet after applying ManiMe Gel Nails.

ManiMe Removal

Removing the ManiMe Gel Stick On Nails is the easiest thing ever. You simply peel them off in seconds.

I absolutely love having a perfect gel manicure in a matter of minutes and in beautiful designs. They also offer pedicures.

ManiMe Nails Discount Code (20% Off)

You can save 20% on ManiMe Stick On Nails with code OBL.

They ship to the US only for now and are working on adding international shipping in the future.

Shop ManiMe here