Marmalade Nails Review
Press-on nails are an easy and cost-effective way to get professional-looking nails at home. I’ve tried my fair share of at-home nail products (check out this post), so keep reading for my honest review of Marmalade Nails.
If you buy something through my links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I appreciate your support! See disclosure for details.
Table of Contents
About Marmalade Nails
Marmalade Nails is an Austin, Texas-based company that produces vegan and cruelty-free press-on nails. They also donate a portion of each sale to PetSmart Charities.
Marmalade Press-On Nails Sizes
Marmalade Nails offer a variety of options in length, shapes, and finish so it’s easy to find a design that works for you.
Lengths
- Short
- Medium
- Long
Shapes
- Coffin
- Stilleto
- Square
- Round
Finishes
- Matte
- Glossy
- Iridescent
- Cat Eye
- Chrome
- Metallic
- Glitter
What I Bought
I bought two different styles to try. Slice (pictured below) is a short, round, modern classic style, and Purple Crush (pictured in header) which is a short, square, fun trendy style.
The cost at the time of purchase was $16 per set and free shipping.
What’s Included in Marmalade Nails Manicure Kit?
The press-on kit pretty much gives you everything you need to apply the nails, with no extra frills. Aside from 24 nails in 12 sizes, the below is also included:
- Nail File
- Nail Glue
- Wooden Orange Stick
- Nail Remover Tool
From my previous experience with press-on nails (read my Olive & June review here) I know it’s also key to prep the nail prior to application. For that, I also used nail clippers (to get the correct nail shape and ensure they didn’t show under the press-on) and nail polish remover since any traces of oils need to be removed.
How to Apply Marmalade Nails
Marmalade includes an application guide in the kit, but I found the website video to be the best. Here’s what worked for me:
- Select the size nail that is the closest to my natural nail bed. I had to trim some of my natural nails down to not see them peek out of the sides since I selected a short, round style.
- Prep natural nails by trimming down (see above), buffing (you can use the fine-grit side of the nail file), cleaning with nail polish remover, and pushing cuticles back with an orange stick.
- Decide on the long, medium, or short-term wear glue application and apply glue accordingly.
How to Remove Marmalade Nails
In full disclosure, I have yet to remove press-on nails with literally 0 damage, but I found there was pretty minimal damage with this method.
File the finish off the top of the nails and soak them in warm soapy water. Marmalade includes a nail removal tool in each kit which is a bendable plastic piece that can be used to get under the nails. The trick is to know when to apply a little pressure to help the nail pop off or when to put your nails back in soapy water.
After the nails are removed, buff off any residual glue. The Olive & June nail strengthener has worked wonders in restoring my nail health quickly after press-on nail removal.
The Results
As noted above, I used the medium wear glue application and the nails lasted 6 days which is perfect for me! If the nails last longer than a week I get impatient and inevitably end up ruining my nails.
The actual press-on nail is pretty thin so it looks more natural than some of the other brands I’ve tried. One of my close friends thought my nails were done in a salon, so that’s a pretty major compliment for a $16 at-home press-on nail kit.
Pros
- Realistic looking
- No drying time
- No polish chipping
- Different lengths of wear depending on the need
- Affordable manicure at $16 a set
- Easy application
Cons
- Potential damage during removal
- Could use more variety of design options
- Chance of nail popping off during an inconvenient time
Where to Buy
At the time of publishing Marmalade Nails are only available directly from their website, but shipping is free and pretty quick. I like to buy a couple of sets at a time so I just have them when I need them.
Final Verdict of Marmalade Nails
These nails look the most like I just came from a salon. That is to say, they look great but I wish there were more variety in designs. If you are looking for fun nails there are a ton of options, but if classic nails are your thing the skys the limit.
If you loved this Marmalade Nails review, check out these other nail posts:
DISCLOSURE: If you buy something through my links, I may earn an affiliate commission, at no cost to you. I only feature products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are my own. Because I am very obsessed with FTC compliance, check out my full disclaimer here.
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