Do you want to hear a super short horror story? Imagine being stuck at home during the start of the pandemic with a chipped gel manicure and no way to remove it.
For a lot of us, that scary story was a terrifying reality. While trying to chip off our gel mani with random household objects was a little traumatic, it led to a significant shift in how we approached our beauty routines.
Rather than heading to the nail salon every other week, we began the search for the best at-home gel nail kit—and we found three!
We were nervous at first, but it turns out that doing your nails at home is affordable, creative, and fun! Each kit comes with a lamp, gel nails, gel nail polishes, base coats, and top coats, so you'll have everything you need to apply gel nails at home. We'll even share our tips for how to remove gel nails at home so that you can avoid a repeat of your early pandemic freakout.
Read on to learn about our top three at-home gel nail kits and take charge of your beauty routine.
3 Best At Home Gel Nail Kits
We tried out a lot of options for gel nail kits while we attempted to narrow down our favorites. We believe the best gel nail kit offers trendy colors, clearly labeled components, and easy-to-follow instructions. We've included our three top picks below.
1. Beetles Gel Polish Kit with 48W UV Light Nail Lamp
We immediately fell in love with the cute and affordable Beetles Gel Polish Kit, which comes with 12 different gel nail polish colors.
The kit comes with a 48W high-power nail dryer to cure all kinds of LED gel nail polish, gel base, and top coats. At only $38.99, this at-home gel nail kit is a steal.
The kit comes with a 48W high-power nail dryer to cure all kinds of LED gel nail polish, gel base, and top coats.
If you're looking for a beginner-friendly option, the Beetles kit is a great option.
They have 12 different kit options, one with pastels, brighter colors, nudes, and more so you can find your perfect match!
2. Modelones Gel Nail Polish Kit with UV Light 48W
At only $38.98, the trendy modelones Gel Nail Polish Kit is a great deal—especially when you see all the extras it comes with!
In addition to the 16 different gel nail polish options, you'll get stickers, rhinestones, and rivets to customize your salon-quality mani.
On average, nail designs last up to four weeks with this portable gel nail kit, which means half as much work for you!
Each set comes in a variety of gel nail polish colors from nudes to reds to pinks.
Try the modelones gel nail kit if you want an easy way to start your at-home gel nail manicure journey.
3. MEFA Gel Nail Polish Kit with 28 Colors and UV Nail Lamp
If you're indecisive when it comes to choosing gel nail kit polish colors, check out the META Gel Nail Polish Kit.
This set comes with a whopping 28 gel nail polish colors, including nudes, neons, and glitters, making it an incredible deal at this price point.
It comes with nail sequins, rhinestone gems, and everything you need to apply them to create sparkly, original nail designs.
With this range of colors and details, you can achieve many unique designs with this kit, making it the best choice for creative at-home nail artists.
If you don't know how to do gel nails at home, the MEFA gel nail polish kit has everything you need to practice.
3 Products You Need to Remove Gel Nails at Home
A gel nails at home kit is all fun and games until it's time to remove the polish. Luckily, the right products make removing your gel nails easy and intuitive. Do you have a nail drill, soaking bowls, and acetone on your gel nail kit checklist?
When you pick up the three products below, you'll never need to step into a salon to switch out your polish again!
The MelodySusie Electric Nail Drill
We love gel because it's sturdy and difficult to chip, but it does make it a pain when it's time to switch colors.
When you pick up the MelodySusie Electric Nail Drill, you'll gain access to a salon-quality tool that makes filing your polish away a snap.
This game-changing product is only $24.99, making it an affordable, must-have addition to your at-home manicure kit.
Be sure to read instructions from MelodySusie's page before using the drill. It's important to only file off the polish color from your nail. If you file too much you may damage your natural nail.
Once the color is removed, then you can soak your nails in acetone for gentle removal. We recommend using this next product for the soaking.
Nail Soaking Bowls from Yokilly
Gone are the days of using foil and cotton balls for removing gel nails.
The Nail Soaking Bowls from Yokilly allow you to save time trying to foil each finger and simply soak both hands in warm acetone.
Using gentle warm water cuts your soaking time in half, reduces use of acetone, and is an excellent deal at only $9.99.
Super Nail Pure Acetone 16 Fl Oz
Did you know many commercial nail polish removers contain additives that make removal less efficient? Don't pay the "pink tax" for a subpar product. Instead, invest in an efficient polish remover that works.
Pure acetone is the quickest way to get rid of any type of polish. Our favorite is the bottle from Super Nail, which gets the job done every time. At only $12.26 for 16 fl oz, you'll rarely need to replace it!
Doing Your Gel Nails at Home
Let's face it: maintaining your salon manicure can be stressful and expensive. You rarely catch a break between scheduling appointments, tipping the esthetician, and running back to fix chips.
Finding the best at-home gel nail kit can eliminate the need for expensive upkeep. It is a learning process, so don't expect perfection after your first try. Keep practicing, and eventually, you'll be able to go from painting solid colors to creative and fun designs.
Get your own gel nail kit today and customize your mani to your heart's content!
