Table of Content
The instructions were somewhat confusing at first, but once she got it figured out, our tester said this kit was easy to use. She appreciated that it came with all the essentials for an at-home gel manicure, but the polish itself wasn't dry after the recommended 60 seconds under the light. Not only that, but it didn't seem to adhere to her nail beds and peeled off completely within two days. We chose nine gel kits to try in The Lab, our Manhattan product-testing facility. Our in-house testers carefully followed the directions to see how well the formulas, lamps, and finished results performed in a real-life setting.
Get a professional manicure from the comfort of your own home. The bad news is that there is no remover or foils included, so consider investing in those to save time when removing. 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). Syreeta Aaronis an educator for LeChat Nails, the company behind cutting-edge products such as the Gelée Powder Gel System, Perfect Match Gel Polish & Nail Lacquer, and thermal-activated Mood changing polishes. Melanie Rud is a Chicago-based writer with 10 years of experience covering beauty.
Best home gel nail kit for speed
Our pick of the best gel nail kits will help give your at-home manicure a shiny, salon-worthy finish, so you can enjoy experimenting with new colours and fixing those pesky chips yourself. We’ve spent weeks testing gel nail kits and have found the very best, rating each on price, ease of use and staying power, to help make picking one for yourself much easier. Whether you love a classic red, a chic and glossy black, or natural looking nude, these are the sets that will have your nails looking shiny and new within minutes. Most kits come with a UV, LED or UV/LED lamp, a top and base coat along with one or more gel polishes. Typically UV and UV/LED lamps require longer curing time, while LED lamps are much quicker and less damaging to nails.
That said, the entire panel liked the size of the LED lamp, the consistency of the polish and the built-in timer. It only took 10 minutes to manicure both hands, with most testers reporting no cracks for eight days. Still, doing your own nails isn't the most straightforward ordeal, especially if you don't know where to start. We’ve got all the FAQs, as well as a full edit of all the best at-home gel nail kits out there, from the more affordable options to top-rated starter gel nail sets. This is an adorable kit that delivered a better quality, longer-lasting gel manicure than we had anticipated.
The best at-home gel nail kits for salon-worthy nails
While the polish consistency is thick, as long as you apply thin coats, it’s easy to layer and just two coats are needed for each shade. There’s also three timers on the lamp – 30, 60 or 99 seconds, perfect if you lose track of how long your hand has been under it. It also has additional fun elements with silver foil flame stickers and diamantes which allow you to experiment with nail art designs.
First things first, are at-home gel nail kits actually worth it? Some can be expensive and if they're just going to chip, peel and damage your nails then we'd be better off booking in for a professional treatment, thank you very much. She was pleased with the results of her gel nails, commenting on the stunning color and smooth, exceptionally shiny finish. Unfortunately, they didn't last the full two weeks and ended up chipping after about six days. While we wish it had better staying power, this feature-rich set is an excellent value.
ELLE Edit: The 5 Best Gel Nail Kits For A DIY Mani
For this, trusty tools will certainly help, which is where gel nail kits come in... Shop the best press-on nails, top coats for nails, base coats for nails, cuticle removers and cute nail stickers to elevate your nail art game. The lamp is small, you can only fit four fingers in, so the thumb needs to be cured separately, but for the low price, it’s not off putting. It's worth noting that because there's no curing process involved, the final result isn't as hard as a typical gel manicure.
You can expect a glossy professional finish with no chips or smudges - and this whole set for under £40 is great value too. They've also included a step-by-step DVD to assist you in creating a flawless manicure. Offering formulated gel that reacts to UV light to create sturdy nail extensions, these can also just be used as a strong protective layer on top of your real nails. Of course, the neatness of your manicure is really down to how steady your hand is, as you have to be good at painting in the lines to give yourself a fabulous set.
We've Now Tested a Lot of Home Gel Nail Kits—These Ones Are the Best
This compact kit contains all the essentials for a fuss-free gel manicure at home. It comes in a neatly packaged box containing a LED/UV lamp, top and base coat, a 20 pack of cleanser wipes, a nail file and buffer and three full size gel polishes – a bright red, glossy black and dusty pink. Our favourite part of this kit was its speediness, requiring only 30 seconds of curing under the lamp for the base coat, then 60 seconds per coat of paint, and finally 60 seconds once you’ve applied the top coat. "The base polish dries quickly and the clear gel easily spreads across each nail," the tester says. "Plus, the light is easy to set up — just be aware that you need your own charging block." This is a basic starter kit with the bare bones of a gel nail at-home service.
Wearing back-to-back gels can be fine, so long as you’re applying and removing them properly, as above. Finish by applying a thin layer of top coat and cure for 60 seconds. Removal took longer than hoped, but nearly all testers thought their nails looked healthy afterwards.
Although it might not be ideal for folks who work with their hands, we still think it's a good choice for those interested in exploring at-home light-cured nails. There's a LED lamp, which is suitable for hands and feet and will set and dry your nails super quick and provide a glossy, long-lasting finish. The SensatioNail™ Nude Nail Polish Starter Kit has everything you need for ten gel polish manicures at home. 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. However, if you’re a busy girl-on-the-go, you might not have the time you’d like to spend beautifying your nails.
A decades-long DIY nail painter, she's tried multiple at-home gel formulas and drying lamps over the years. Of the above brands, she has personally used products from Sally Hansen, Gellen, Gelish, and Essie. Theresa has been covering nail care, makeup, skincare, and lifestyle products at Byrdie since 2020.
We tried several kits ourselves, complete with files, buffers, nail preppers, gel lacquers, top coats, and LED drying lamps. After testing nine sets in The Lab, we narrowed it down to the user-friendliest options that offer the best-looking results. Trying your hand at a DIY gel manicure might seem daunting, but with the right tools and products, we promise it's totally doable. Moreover, doing your nails at home will save you significant time and money. Our testers loved the choice of colours and most found the application straightforward, fast and streak-free.
Each set was assessed for drying time, ease of use, overall look, longevity, ease of removal, and nail integrity after removing the gel. The brand's starter kit earned a perfect score for ease of use, thanks to the straightforward instructions. It comes with a base coat, 12 bottles of gel lacquer, a top coat, several grooming tools, nail embellishments, and a UV drying lamp. While it says to dry each coat for one minute, our tester found that leaving her nails in a little longer allowed them to fully harden without any tackiness.
No comments:
Post a Comment