Kiss Salon X-Tend LED Soft Gel Nail Kit | Application and Review

In this post, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the new Kiss Salon X-Tend LED Soft Gel Nail Kit and exploring what makes this a game-changing kit for at-home nail extensions.

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If you’re a fan of stunning nails but don’t love spending hours and loads of money at a salon, then settle in, because I might have discovered my new favorite nail kit for a quick and effortless at-home manicure that rivals salon results.

The Kiss Salon X-Tend Nail Extensions Kit caught my eye on my TikTok For You Page a few months back, and I’ve never run faster to “Add to cart”.

As a DIY nail enthusiast myself, I was intrigued by its features, especially the slim nail tips near the cuticle, and the fact that they’re pre-buffed on the undersides and pre-polished. These are the most time-consuming steps I have to do when applying my at-home gel nail extensions. While I often enjoy the process of applying gel nail extensions or doing my own gel polish manicure routine, there are days when time is of the essence, and the quicker, the better.

I tried the Kiss Salon X-Tend Nail Extensions Kit for the first time on New Year’s Eve. I was rushing to get ready for the night and had just a few spare minutes before my guests started arriving. I set up on my kitchen counter, ripped the box open, and applied the nails in just 20 minutes! It was genuinely the fastest manicure I’ve ever done. Despite the rush and a few air bubbles, I was pleasantly surprised by how great they looked.

Here is a photo from New Year’s Eve. (The only one I could find from the night that showed off my mani in any form.) I didn’t even have time to trim or file them, but you can see how well it fits on my thumbnail, and the color (I went with this kit in the shade “Tone”) is simply stunning.

Today, I decided to dedicate some time to applying a second set of nails, making sure to follow the correct nail preparation techniques and be a bit more precise with the overall fitting and application process. Let’s see just how flawless I can make these look!

But first, let’s discuss…

What makes the Kiss Salon X-Tend LED Soft Gel Nail Extensions Kit a game-changing system for at-home manicures?

Kiss is one of the largest and most well-known brands of nail and lash products. The Salon X-Tend LED Soft Gel Nail Extensions Kit is one of their newest releases, which claims to be an innovative and cost-effective at-home nail extension kit that provides up to 14 days of flawless nails. One of the main selling points is that the tips are strong and bend resistant while offering a natural and seamless fit.

This nail system sits somewhere in the middle ground between press-on nails and gel nail extensions. You get the ease and convenience of pre-polished press on nails, but instead of using nail glue, they are applied using a soft gel adhesive that cures under an LED light for a more secure and longer lasting set.

The starter kit includes everything you need to complete the manicure from start to finish, making it perfect for beginners venturing into the world of DIY nails or those interested in switching from bi-weekly salon appointments.

Overall, the application process is straightforward. The nails come pre-sculpted and pre-buffed, the gel adhesive is easy to work with and virtually mess-free, and the motion sensor LED lamp makes curing simple and seamless.

The Kiss Salon X-Tend Starter Kit Includes:

30 pre-scuplted, pre-polished nail tips
a nail file
a nail prep pad
a wooden manicure stick
5ml of the LED soft gel adhesive
an LED lamp
the USB-C cable for the LED lamp

How To Apply the Gel Nail Extensions

1. Prep your natural nails

The most important (and often most overlooked) step to any at-home manicure is the prep. Take the time to give yourself a quick clean-up, such as tidying up cuticles by pushing them back, addressing any dead skin or hangnails, and shaping the nails neatly. These steps will elevate your manicure and make it look more professional.

Prepping the nail beds is also equally important. Gently buff the entire surface of each nail using a nail file to create a textured surface for the gel adhesive to stick to effectively. Then, use the prep pad to wipe off any excess dust. I had already used the prep pad included in the starter kit when I applied the first set of nails, so this time around I just used some acetone on a paper towel and it did the trick. This will dehydrate your nails to prevent any natural oils from interfering with the adhesion.

2. Select and fit your nail tips

Sort through the nail tips to begin selecting your sizes. Choose nails that are closest in size to your natural nails. If you are in between sizes, I recommend sizing up and then filing the edges to create a more custom fit. I tend to do this around the base/cuticle area since my nails are a bit more oval than most nail extension tips.

Lay the set of 10 nails out on your surface in an order that suits you best. Since the Kiss Salon X-Tend nails have numbers underneath, you can either take a photo or jot down your sizes for future use. This will streamline the process and make future applications quicker and more efficient.

3. Apply glue and cure

Start by plugging in the LED lamp and place it front center at your workspace as you’ll be reaching for it often throughout the application process.

Apply a dot of gel adhesive to the circled/numbered area of the underside of the nail. Firmly press the nail tip onto your natural nail. Push the nail tip down as close as you can get to your cuticle area for a seamless fit. Be sure to use even pressure to avoid air bubbles and check that the nail looks straight on your finger before flash curing it under the LED lamp for 5-7 seconds. While you are flash curing, use your other hand to hold the nail in place. The motion sensored LED lamp turns on automatically, which is super convenient during this step.

After flash curing, check to see if you have any spill out from the gel adhesive and remove that with a wooden manicure stick. Then place the finger back under the LED lamp for 2 minutes to fully cure. Rotate your finger from side to side to ensure it is evenly cured.

Repeat these steps for all 10 nails.

4. Trim and shape nails

You may notice a small tab on the nail tips. This is pretty standard with any nail extension kit. You can use the nail file to gently remove the tabs, or even further cut and file the nails to your preferred shape.

To give your at-home manicures that salon-like finish, always apply a good cuticle oil and some moisturizing hand lotion.

My thoughts and first impressions about the Kiss Salon X-Tend Gel Nail Kit

My initial impression is that these nails fall somewhere between press-on nails and gel nail extensions. They provide the convenience of pre-polished press-on nails but instead of nail glue, they use a soft gel adhesive that cures under a UV light for a more secure and long-lasting application. (Although I’m not 100% sure about this and have found conflicting information online, the gel adhesive claims to be gentler on natural nails compared to nail glue.)

During the application, I had some gel adhesive spillage on a few nails, but it’s just part of the learning process when using a new system. I need to figure out the right amount of gel to apply to each nail, and I’m sure it will only improve with practice. Cleaning off the excess gel adhesive before curing was easy with a cuticle stick, and much less messy than nail glue.

I like that the nails are thinner at the base, providing a seamless look at the cuticle, and thicker towards the tips for durability. From an aesthetic standpoint, the transparent gel-like appearance adds a nice touch.

I also appreciate that the tips are numbered, making it easy to remember the sizes for future use. I managed to get two manicures from the starter kit by using my preferred nail sizes.

It’s great that they offer the nail tips in different shades separately, so there’s no need to repurchase the starter kit, which would be wasteful.

The motion sensored LED lamp is handy as it allows you to use your free hand to hold the nail down while flash curing. I also like that the lamp is small and compact for storage, yet still roomy enough for fingers to easily maneuver under the light.

Although I typically don’t prefer coffin-shaped nails, I loved the overall shape of these nails. They are nicely contoured, taper at the ends, and are the most natural-looking nail extensions I’ve tried. However, as someone with petite hands, I trimmed and filed them slightly because they were a bit too long for my liking.

I plan to wear them for the next two weeks and will update this post with photos, details about the removal process, and my final thoughts! See below!

Day 7 update:

Day 12 update:

After 12 days, one of my pinky nails started lifting from the base. It was the only nail that had an issue. The rest of the nails were just a tad grown out but didn’t show any signs of damage or lifting.

To remove them, I just soaked my nails in a bit of acetone for 10 minutes and used a cuticle pusher to lift them right off. Super easy and painless! However, I have heard that Kiss has since released their Instant False Nail Remover, which claims to work fast and requires no soaking.

Overall, I’m pleased with the 12-day wear and will definitely continue reaching for this kit when I’m pressed for time and want a quick and easy gel extensions manicure!