Earl Tupper, the man who invented Tupperware, experimented with glue-on nail appliques in 1937, according to Allure's 2012 nail timeline as reproduced by Nails Magazine. So the idea of skipping the paint is not new. What changed is how good the shortcut got. Fa Park, the founder behind Color Street's parent company, first filed a patent for a dry nail polish strip in 1988, per Direct Selling News. Sally Hansen brought strips to drugstores in March 2011 in prints like leopard and zebra. Olive & June launched nail stickers in April 2018 and, Glossy reported, sold more than 1,000 sets on the first day.

That is why sticker nails now cover two things. One is a strip you wrap around the whole nail. The other is a small decal you place on top of polish you already have, for one accent nail or ten.

The collage below shows ten looks: cherries and bows, a black French, gold foil, butterflies, leopard, hearts, a pastel wave, silver stars, daisies and green marble. The first grid is gel nail strips with the art already on them. The second is stickers and appliqués for decorating your own manicure.

Here is a test I like: try one accent nail before you commit to a full set. Put a heart or a star on your ring finger over a plain base and see if you still like it at the end of the week.

Two brands make this grid, and they lean in different directions. ohora goes for illustration. N Daisy Disco has hand-drawn daisies in pink, yellow and purple over an iridescent opal glitter base. N Fruit Party is a drawing-style design with little fruit on a clean milky base, which the brand says keeps it from looking too bold. N Cherry Candy pairs a sheer pink base and subtle shimmer with plump cherries. N Wishing Star is the moody one, with golden star foils on a deep green base and dotted accents that connect like constellations.

Dashing Diva goes for color and pattern. Daisy Dukes is solid white and semi-sheer nude with daisy accents. Flower Bomb is pale pink and ivory with silver sparkles and a white floral design. Twilight Garden is black and soft grey with gold foil and florals. Emerald Marble is soft green and beige with iridescent marble accents. The brand says every one has mega volume and maximum shine.

A 2021 Vanilla Plum review notes that semi-cured gel strips like Dashing Diva's need an LED lamp, so check the pack for whichever brand you pick. Manicurist Holly Falcone, in Allure, says to start with a clean, acetone-wiped, oil-free nail and to apply the strip as close to the cuticle as you can.

My pairing: Wishing Star or Twilight Garden for fall, Cherry Candy or Fruit Party when it is warm out.

What I would skip: any of these if you do not own a lamp and do not plan to. Go to the stickers in the next grid instead.

These sit on top of your own polish, and they are the easiest way to try a design. Olive & June makes four. Ribbons + Bows is a set of the brand's bow design in a range of colors. Hearts & Stars comes in pastel shades. Heart to Heart has hearts in all shapes, sizes and styles, and the brand's instructions are to peel, apply and set with a clear top coat. For the Bride is a pack of blooms, diamonds and sweet nothings for a wedding manicure. The brand says each design is hand-screened with ink that will not blur or fade, and that you can use one on an accent nail or over a chipped one.

JINsoon's appliqués are the fun, slightly nerdy ones. Smiles is a pop art twist on the smiley face. Constellation is the twelve star patterns of the horoscope. Star Signs shows the animal or mythical figure that matches your sign. ohora's Sparkling Eternity is a sticker set with no description, so I will only say it is a sticker set.

A trick I like: stick the decal on a sheer or milky base, wait a minute, then seal it with a clear top coat, and seal the edges too. Good Housekeeping says nail wraps last one to two weeks, and I think stickers get there too if you seal well.

On short nails, small repeated shapes look better than one big one, which fits the hearts and stars.

What I would skip: a full sheet of stickers on all ten nails. Pick one design and repeat it on two nails, or use one on each hand.

I think sticker nails are the friendliest way into nail art, because nothing about them asks for skill. They peel, they press, and when you are bored you remove them with acetone and hand cream.

My rule of thumb: strips when you want a finished set for two weeks, stickers when you want a quick accent on a plain base. Start with one nail, and let yourself go bolder once you know what you keep reaching to show people. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Preppy Nails, from Gingham to Pastel French and Nails with a Touch of Luxury.