From Moms to Gen Alpha: Why Press-Ons Are the Hottest Category in Beauty – and Monyetta Shaw Carter Saw It Coming

The press-on nail market is having a moment that’s impossible to ignore. Searches for kids’ and teen press-ons are up 17 percent year-over-year, according to analytics firm Spate, and the global category is projected to grow from $738 million in 2024 to over $1.07 billion by 2030. Gen Alpha is driving the surge. They want speed, flexibility, personalization, and beauty that moves as fast as their feeds. But while much of the industry is reacting to this wave, Monyetta Shaw Carter was already living it.

“I’ve been a press-on girl for years. People were shocked when I’d tell them my nails were press-ons,” she shares. Between motherhood, filming, and business, she never had hours to sit in a salon. Press-ons became her solution, her shortcut, her version of beauty without delay. But the problem was choice. There were moments she couldn’t find styles that felt like her — bold, clean, classy, elevated. So she started mixing sets, customizing looks, and creating a standard that didn’t exist yet. That’s when it clicked: if she wanted more from the category, other women did too.

Keep It Classy Nails was built for the woman with a full life — the one who juggles school drop-offs, meetings, creative pursuits, and moments she can’t postpone. “Looking put together shouldn’t require hours we don’t have,” she says. “Beauty should enhance your life, not complicate it.” Her philosophy is rooted in convenience without compromise. In an era when innovation is leaning toward speed and self-service, press-ons have become the perfect intersection of polished and practical.

Her daughters and their friends also helped shape the brand’s future. Gen Alpha doesn’t treat press-ons as temporary — they treat them as tools for storytelling. They switch looks as quickly as a trend circulates on TikTok. “They reminded me that beauty doesn’t have to be rigid or expensive to be expressive,” she says. KIC’s newest designs reflect that inspiration. This generation sees nails as identity, not accessories, and they helped Monyetta understand the power of immediacy.

Reusability became a non-negotiable. “I’m not interested in creating disposable beauty,” she explains. With the right care, Keep It Classy Nails can be worn multiple times, giving women the freedom to rotate looks without constantly repurchasing. It’s smart luxury — elevated, intentional, sustainable. In a beauty economy where consumers expect more value and versatility, reusability is a differentiator with real business weight.

Industry data backs her vision. Euromonitor reports that the global nail market will hit $6.7 billion by 2026, with press-on and stick-on tools contributing more than $200 million. Even legacy leaders are shifting. Experts like Miniluxe founder Tony Tjan predict that traditional “wet” polish could become obsolete within a decade as consumers gravitate toward faster, cleaner solutions. Press-ons aren’t just resurging — they’re positioning themselves as the future of the category.

As a Black woman founder, Monyetta sees this moment as bigger than nails. “I want this next era to represent accessibility, confidence, and empowerment,” she says. Beauty has often been gatekept, slow, and exclusionary. Press-ons break that cycle. They’re democratic. They’re instant. They let women choose how they show up, no matter their schedule, budget, or skill level.

For 2026, she’s expanding into new finishes, new shapes, luxury-level designs, retail partnerships, and collaborations that lean into both artistry and cultural relevance. Her commitment is simple: build a brand that feels like a celebration. A celebration of women, their pace, their power, their polish, and their class.

Keep It Classy Nails isn’t following a trend. It’s leading the category women are choosing — and Gen Alpha is championing — in real time. The beauty industry is shifting toward ease, speed, expression, and reusability. Monyetta Shaw Carter built a brand that checks every box. And for a market growing this fast, she positioned herself exactly where the future is headed.

Find your perfect set on @officialkeepitclassynails, shop direct at keepitclassynails.com, or order now on Amazon.