The 9 Best Gel Nail Kits

Who has time for nails that chip as soon as you leave the salon? It’s no secret that gel nails are the key to a long-lasting manicure. With gel manicures, the polish is cured with a UV or LED light to leave a shiny and hard finish that’s dry instantly. There are few things better than getting a completely smudge-free manicure in minutes. However, depending on the intricacy of your design choice, gel manicures can get really expensive. Plus, compared to painting on a traditional polish, gel manicures have generally been left to the pros. That means making an appointment, trekking back and forth to the nail salon, and actually sitting there for your service—an all-around time-consuming process.

One upside to spending so much time at home over the past two years is that it’s given many of us an opportunity to become an expert on many of the beauty services we previously ventured outdoors for—nails included. Of course, we’ll always need nails techs to bring us the latest and greatest looks, but there’s also value in becoming your own nail artist for those times when getting to the salon just isn’t an option.

At-home gel manicure kits may seem scary and intimidating, but I promise they are not. Most at-home kits use the exact same tools and process as the salon. They include a base and top coat, some color polishes, and of course the lamp to cure your masterpiece. Below we’ve rounded up nine at-home options to achieve the perfect mani from the comfort of your own couch, bed, or car if you’re really on the go (although we don’t suggest the latter option). That’s the beauty of it. If you’re still feeling a bit hesitant about doing it all on your own, we’ve included a few novice-friendly options as well. Fresh nails are on the way!