If you try one product, make it this £6 press-on pedi that's ideal for toes-out emergencies
It sounds strange, granted, but this instant pedicure in a box should be tried to be believed
Fake toenails... I know. It's a tough sell, a big swing.
But think about it like this: most salon pedicures, whether you get gels or shellac or BIAB nails, are not actually paint. They are thick, acrylic resins that are baked into a hard, crispy shell that adheres to your nail. This product is that crispy shell, the difference being that you glue it all on in one go rather than it being applied and UV-zapped in layers.
You're still thinking this sounds weird, aren't you? It's ok - when news of Elegant Touch Salon Pedi landed in my inbox, I thought that too. So much so that I knew I had to try it immediately, just to see what on earth was going on. As it turns out, very good, very useful things were.
Why this £6 press on pedicure is my beauty buy of the week
Here are the need-to-knows: Salon Pedi work exactly like any false nail - you file your natural nail, glue it on and hey presto! You have a convincing, perfect shape and bright, opaque colour, all done and dusted in a few minutes.
Here's how they differ: they aren't longer than your natural nails. Each pack contains 24 'toenails' (urgh, I know, but we just have to get over it) in 10 sizes, and the point is you stick on the ones that match yours, shape and length-wise, for a totally natural look. And, reader, after gingerly applying the Pink Sorbet shade with, honestly, pretty low expectations, I have been humbled by how good these things look.
I tested this neutral pink, but there is also bright Guava Gelato and, somewhat controversially, a French Pedicure. Application was a doddle, aside from getting bits of glue on my fingers, which happens every time I apply false anything or use superglue, so that's a 'me' problem. The finished results look, to my eyes, similar to a pro gel pedi and far neater than any of my home pedicure attempts. Genius!
I've been most surprised by how well this lasts. My press-ons were applied on Wednesday, in and out a paddling pool on Thursday, went for a run on Friday (sounding like a Craig David song, this) with no lifting or pinging off. They'll be coming to a wedding with me on Monday, with a few spares in my clutch bag, just in case. Sorry for that mental image.
To caveat: I love salon pedicures - they're one of my desert island beauty treatments (1. spray tan, 2. pedicure, 3. eyebrow thread & tint, if you're interested.) Nobody, least of all me, would claim this will replace the spa-like footcare and month-long results of a lovely professional pedi.
What this does do is offer an instant, extremely budget-friendly solution to last-minute toe-bearing panic. A holiday that's crept up on you, a sudden heatwave at the end of a rainy May, or the wedding of a fellow woman&home beauty team member (congratulations, Naomi!) when you've been run ragged the week before and haven't had a second to sort out the hooves. Keep a box of these in the house, and it'll step in and save the day in seconds. Sounds good? Great! Let's chat next Sunday.
