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If traditional nail polishes aren’t cutting it anymore, it may be time to invest in an at-home gel nail kit: the next best thing to an in-salon treatment, at much less cost. Uv Top Coat
These compact kits are uber-easy to use. Plus, as an added bonus, a good gel kit means you can swap up your nail look whenever you please (as let’s be real, we’re all dangerously indecisive when it comes to nail designs).
But while we love a trip to the salon, we know that the main reason to invest in an at-home nail kit is to give your bank balance a well-deserved break. These gadgets are already a clever way to save £££, but we’ve also spotted a couple of discounted models in the January sales.
Today's best at-home kits contain everything you need to master the art of gel nails in the comfort of your own living room. But, first things first, it’s vital to master the craft.
The trick is to ensure your nails are perfectly prepped before you start to paint. Make sure they’re totally clean and free from polish. Take care of your cuticles too, gently pushing them back with cuticle cream and a hoof stick (yes, that's what they're called).
If you don’t want to invest in a full nail kit, there’s nothing stopping you from buying the essential components separately – and it works out to be cheaper.
So what do you need? It may be the most expensive part of making the transition to at-home nails, but you won’t get far without a lamp to set the gel. The CND LED lamp is always a reliable pick, but there are some great pocket-friendly alternatives that do the job just as well. You'll also require a top and base coat to ensure your polish stays shiny and chip free.
To ensure maximum success with an at-home kit, the most crucial thing is to keep your layers of gel thin: paint them too thickly, and they won’t set properly. There are so many different gel polish brands on the market, but Mylee is a brand that really stands out to me. It's bottles are well priced and will leave that salon-like shine once dried.
You can end your gel journey here: with a lamp, a top and base coat and a few colours, you’re set to go. But, if you want to up the ante and invest in a kit that includes everything (and more!), here are the five that impressed the most. Drum roll please….
Mylee's The Real Deal Gel Polish Kit is the full package; the kit features everything needed to create salon-worthy gels at home.
There are seven shades to choose from, including both classic and colourful hues, as well as the viral builder gel (a.k.a BIAB) that drove a TikTok frenzy for strengthening and lengthening natural nails. For real, people will be asking you where you get your acrylics done.
As for the essentials: the kit comes with the lamp (of course) a gel, remover, nail tools and the top and base coat. And cause we all love a bit of nail pampering, there's also a cuticle remover and oil to keep your polish looking polished for as long as poss. The reasons to invest just go on and on...
Mylee's Mighty Mani Polish Kit contains everything a newbie could possibly need when it comes to at-home nails.
Of course it comes equipped with the UV lamp to cure your nails, but it's also stocked with four nail shades, top and bottom coats, the prep and remove duo and a selection of tools that will support you in the process. Just think about how much you'll save on salon manicures...
This Beetles gel polish kit (with glowing reviews, we might add) has all you need for a salon-worthy look.
You get twelve chic nail polish colours, an LED lamp, one base gel, a duo of shiny and matte top coats, and a collection of glitter and nail-art add-ons – all for the price of a single salon visit. You can sign us up.
The lamp for this one has no bottom, making it less bulky for your bag – great for last-minute pampering or if you can’t go without having your nails refreshed on holiday.
A great add-on to the set above, these colour kits are like eyeshadow palettes for your nails. You can pick colour combos from Fall Harvest (rich maroons and oranges) to Manhattan (grown-up neutrals). We'll take one of each, please and thank you.
Inside each kit is 20 nail polishes alongside a base coat and two top-coat finishes: one glossy, one matte.
The good news is that this chicer-than-most kit comes with three totally classic nail shades: a pretty pink for everyday, a true black for when you are feeling vampy, and a perfect pillarbox red.
Bluesky polishes actually contain 1% more gel polymer (the stuff that makes it solid, glossy and shiny) than traditional Shellac, making this brand's polishes as hard as, well, nails.
The bad news is that there is no remover or foils included, so consider investing in those to save time when removing.
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