The Best Gel Nail Polish Kit
Our Review Process
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Our Picks For The Top Gel Nail Polish Kits
- 1. Modelones UV Light & Manicure Tools Gel Nail Polish Kit
- 2. Joytii Eco-friendly UV/LED Soak-Off Gel Nail Polish Kit, 24-Piece
- 3. Modelones Toxin-Free Low Smell Gel Nail Polish Kit, 24-Piece
- 4. GAOY Odorless Glitter Finish Gel Nail Polish Kit, 6-Piece
- 5. Beetles Long Lasting High-Gloss Gel Nail Polish Kit, 2-Piece
- 6. BabeNail Mini USB Nail Lamp Gel Nail Polish Kit
Modelones' unique polish kit comes with everything needed to create more than 1,000 nail styles. This all-in-one set has a base coat, seven soak-off gel polishes, top coats, nail care tools, stickers and rhinestone decorations.
The Complete PackageThis kit also comes with a UV nail lamp, so you can prep, paint, embellish and dry your gorgeous nails quickly and easily.
Talk about variety! Joytii’s gel polish kit has 20 different colors and two top coat finishes (matte and glossy), so you'll have 40 looks to choose from. The colors are made with natural pigments and resins, so there’s no bad odor.
Bold Colors, Two FinishesYou will absolutely love wearing this odorless, versatile polish.
Designed for people who want a huge range of options, this kit has every color of the rainbow and many more, with a total of 20 to choose from; each bottle is 7 milliliters, so you'll be set for a few seasons.
A Full SpectrumWith these colors, you can be demure, glamorous or playful, so feel free to express your personality (or mood) with the one you pick.
Gaoy's professional-quality gel nail polish kit brings nail art to your home, with six neutral shades that are enhanced with just enough glitter to up your game. They are odorless and free of toxins.
For Lots of PizzazzPaint your nails with these sparkly polishes and you are sure to get compliments from everyone.
Buying Guide
Gel nail polish lasts up to three times longer than regular manicures, but having them done at a salon can be time-consuming and expensive. Salons usually charge $35 and up for gel nails. In contrast, some DIY kits cost less than $20. It’s not hard to apply your own at home, and you can easily apply designs and other decorations with a steady hand.
The kits can include a few colors or as many as two dozen, plus base and top coats. You can also shop for kits that include things like nail clippers, files and buffers.
These kits usually come with two top coats. One will be for a matte finish, while the other will be glossy. You’ll also find polishes with glitter and kits that come with rhinestones to attach to your painted nails. Check the sizes of the polish bottles since some are smaller than others. Unopened, securely stored gel polish can last up to three years, but once opened, the shelf life is much shorter; if it thickens up and starts to smell strange, throw it out.
At-home gel nail polish applications don’t always require a UV lamp for drying, but using a UV lamp can result in a more finished look. These LED nail lamps emit UV rays that convert the gel from liquid to solid. These lamps are not expensive, and many kits include them. To remove the polish, you have to cover the nails with cotton balls soaked in acetone, wrap them up in tin foil and wait about 15 to 20 minutes.
What to Look For
- Many gel polishes are SGS-certified (Standard Global Services). This agency inspects, tests and certifies various products, including cosmetics.
- Look for gel nail polishes that have non-toxic, odorless ingredients.
- If you don’t like every polish color in a large kit, give some away as gifts or trade with family and friends.
- One bottle of base coat might not be enough for all polish applications, so you will probably need to buy more (especially for larger sets).
- Trim, file and buff your nails before applying polish; also, use nail clippers to trim around the nails.
- The UV lights usually have timers, and you’ll need to dry your base coat, polish coats and top coat separately.
More to Explore
While gel nail polish was invented in the 1980s, you can trace the history of nail polish as far back as 3200 BCE. Back then, Babylonian warriors had their fingernails manicured and colored before going into battle. It is thought that the ancient polishes were made out of kohl and that the society used different colors to signify one’s class.
Around 3000 BCE, the Chinese used nail colors to show their rank and dynasty and their polishes were made from things like egg whites, Arabic gum and beeswax. Historians also believe that Cleopatra used henna on her nails, with blood-red as her favorite color.
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