Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Press-On Nail Hacks On Instagram Made Me Think Twice About Pricey Manicures
While you'd expect to turn to the government regarding political matters, I admit our representatives haven't always been my first go-to group when it comes to seeking beauty tips. However, one woman has changed all that: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's press-on nail tutorial on Instagram has inspired me to rethink my pricey biweekly manis and opt for much cheaper, equally stunning drugstore nails instead. If Ocasio-Cortez is out here kicking ass, taking names, and helping our country, all with a manicure that costs less than $10, it's high time I start taking notes, because clearly, she's doing something right.
The government is on day 25 of the shutdown, and leave it to the youngest woman to ever be elected to Congress to be the one smart enough to take a moment to treat herself amidst all the stress. After a storm prevented her from flying back to New York, she was forced to take an Amtrak train from Washington D.C. home to the Big Apple, and as someone from the city who regularly took the same trip while at college in D.C., I know this struggle to be all too real. There is nothing fun about airport delays, and a lengthy train trip is only icing on the unpleasant cake.
Rather than complain, though, Ocasio-Cortez sought out some wine and a press-on manicure, because our girl knows just the supplies to make an Amtrak ride bearable:
"Today was so nuts I am having a glass of wine and giving myself a press-on manicure," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on her Instagram story. "THEY ARE NOT CORNY ANYMORE," she clarifies, and at first, I admit I doubted her sentiment. I had yet to see a successfully-applied, natural-looking press-on mani. Still, I was ready to put my doubts aside and give Ocasio-Cortez's in-transit manicure a fair review.
And because she's always right, it ended up looking beautiful:
"I wish someone told me about these sooner," she wrote on her Instagram Story, and yeah, same here. She goes on to give a few tips, including waiting for the nails to dry down before filing them into a more natural shape, and carrying some nail glue and extra nails in your purse in case you need to touch one up or replace a goner. The set she used on the train appear to be the imPRESS Press-on Manicure in "So, So Stellar" ($8, impressmanicure.com), although she skipped out on the glittery accent nails and played it safe with the matte pink ones instead.
Why is this the best beauty advice I've received all year? Okay, so the year has only been a few weeks long, but still! Ocasio-Cortez is really giving the beauty guru community a run for its money! She's not the only one who's hip to the press-on nail trend, though, as it turns out even the most stylish celebs have hit the red carpet rocking press-ons instead of acrylics or gels. Jennifer Lopez, for example, is a die-hard press-on nails wearer, and let's not forget Blake Lively's 2018 Met Gala jewel-encusted press-ons, also by the Kiss brand. Kim Kardashian West's Met Gala nails were press-ons, too, BTW, so I think I've proved my point.
Shout out to Ocasio-Cortez for showing off the importance of a little self care, and for teaching us how to make the most of our Me Time on a budget. You'll never catch me paying the big bucks for a gel mani again. If press-ons are good enough for J. Lo, Blake Lively, Kim K, and Ocasio-Cortez, they're definitely good enough for me.
