LONG-LASTING, high-shine and chip-resistant…any girl that loves a manicure will know the superior quality of gel nails.
But, if you’re a gel fan, you’ll also know that it costs an average of £20 a month to keep those talons looking tip top, plus the cost of removal when it’s time for a new set. The solution? Learn how to do it yourself with our pick of the best gel nail kits.
Many at-home gel kits will often include a primer, a base coat, and a top coat that you will need to ‘cure’ – that means set to us – under an LED lamp.
However, some kits make it even easier for you, and come with an all-in-one nail polish formula, creating a quick and simple at-home pamper.
While it might take some practice to get your gels looking salon-worthy, once you’ve mastered the art it could save you hundreds of pounds in the long run.
So get ready to swap the salon for the sofa with our roundup of the best gel nail kits below. We know you’re going to nail it…
If you’re looking for a kit that’s easy-to-use, reasonably priced and delivers a good result, this nifty little number is for you.
All you need to do? Use nail polish remover to get rid of any dust or oils, then use the provided file to go over the surface of your nail. Apply a thin coat of the gel polish before curing it under the LED lamp for 30 seconds. Apply another layer of gel polish and cure again. Et voila! Salon-ready nails.
What’s more, we absolutely love the design of the cute macaron lamp, which looks good enough to eat.
The kit also comes in other colours, including Rose Gold and Cherry Red.
Like anything in life, the more prep you put into a project the better the result.
However, if you’re a busy girl-on-the-go, you might not have the time you’d like to spend beautifying your nails. The answer? The Fuse Nail Starter Kit. It keeps things simple with just one bottle of gel colour and a mini LED lamp.
And, while some kits require two coats of application, all you need here is one coat, 30 seconds of curing for each nail, and you’re done.
It is a cute kit that you can even carry around in your handbag – and the price is a deal-clincher, too.
Find a comfy spot, sit back, and get ready to give yourself a salon-quality manicure right at home.
This kit contains everything you need for that in-salon experience, including a gel cleanser to clean your nails, and primer to prepare them, and then the base/top coat and gel colour polish itself.
You can use the provided nail file to get the shape you want before you start, and the manicure stick to wipe off any slips with the colour.
Apply your base/top coat after the primer and cure in 15 seconds. Then, apply your gel nail polish and cure in 30 seconds.
Another layer of base/top coat will add a high-shine, and then a final application of the gel cleanser with a wipe (included in the pack) gives a super-gloss finish.
Extra bonus? The LED lamp is big enough to put all your fingers in at once, which is also less fiddly. Your no-chip colour lasts up to two weeks before you need a top up. It comes in 12 lovely shades, and all the components are also available to buy individually.
Many nail kits come with the gel colour included but, if you’ve got a set of go-to nail varnish colours that you love and would rather use instead, this set is the perfect solution.
It easily transforms your everyday polish into a super-shine gel finish. All you have to do is apply the gel top coat to your nail varnish and cure for 30 seconds under the good-sized LED lamp.
Finish with a wipe of the cleanser and suddenly your normal manicure will last a lot longer and boast a glass-like gloss. Impressive.
Call off the search! This is the gel nail kit to end all kits. Everything you could think of or need is included, meaning you won’t have to splash out on a salon visit for months.
There’s a nourishing cuticle oil to prep your nail bed, a cleanser and sanitiser, gel nail colours, a shine top coat and a host of accessories which even includes 20 foil removal wraps (no picking at peeling varnish here).
There’s even some nail jewels in case you fancy getting creative.
And, on that glittery theme, who can ignore the wonderful gleaming gold box it all comes in? Dive in and go pro.
Are you a bit of a magpie? This sparkly set will be right up your street. Perfect for any nail art enthusiasts, it’s a polish-to-gel kit so the only fiddly part might be adding the beads and glitter.
Buff your nails and shape to your satisfaction before cleansing with provided wipes.
Paint your nails with your favourite varnish and wait to air dry. Then, add the gel nail top coat and use tweezers to start adding your glitter and beads while it’s wet.
Once your nails are pretty-as-a-picture, cure them for 60 seconds.
Apply another layer of the top coat and then cure for a further 60 seconds.
Do the final rub with a cleansing wipe for added shine and you’ve got yourself some dazzling red carpet-worthy nails.
After a couple of weeks when you fancy getting creative again, you can easily remove the gels as the formula contains simple peel-off technology. Pretty neat, huh?
Enjoyed our roundup of the best gel nail kits? We’ve got a whole beauty section for you to explore.
Just fancy the lamp and not the full kit? Then take a look at our selection of the best nail lamps, here.
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