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To do so, we rounded up a handful of testers to research the most popular kits and try them out in our testing lab to determine which ones are worth the splurge. After thorough testing — taking into account ease of use and removal, drying time, quality, and post-mani nail health — we picked the best-performing kits. Ultimately, the Morovan Poly Gel Nail Kit impressed us most due to its salon-quality results and top scores in the aforementioned categories.
This manicure kit comes with eight gel colors, including two ombrés and six solids, plus a nail dehydrator, a primer, a base, and top coat, various grooming tools, and a drying lamp. You'll also get extension gel and foil for shaping your nails. Once our tester got the desired shape and length, the drying process was a breeze. The Morovan Poly Gel Kit earned perfect scores in most categories, including drying time, finished appearance, longevity, ease of removal, and nail integrity after removal. We only marked it down for ease of use since there was a slight learning curve to applying the gel nails.
Zoya Gelie-Cure Foundation Pro Travel Kit
The base coat usually needs to be cured for 30 to 60 seconds, depending on the brand, says Aaron, but your best bet is to follow the instructions of the particular products you’re choosing. Apply two coats of color, curing in between coats, and finish with one layer of topcoat. If the topcoat leaves behind a sticky residue, simply wipe it off with another alcohol pad, suggests Aaron. For a long-lasting manicure, you need a high-quality base coat and topcoat no matter what type of polish you use. With gel polish, you need a special type of base coat and topcoat that can be cured by UV or LED light.
Super pigmented, soft in application, some need only one coat of colour! Not only this saves my time and product, but gives me thinner, natural looking nails. Another gel-like nail polish that doesnt require a UV lamp.
Bluesky Gel Nail Polish Starter Kit
All of the ingredient labels on the gel nail kits we evaluated contained at least one methacrylate monomer, a known allergen. Consumers should avoid skin contact with these lacquers due to the sensitization potential. The good news is that any sensitization or contact dermatitis can be “resolved after removal ... The kit comes with the full suite of Gelish must-haves, from its prep formulas pH Bond (which removes excess oils from the nail for a longer-lasting finish) and Foundation .
If you’re interested in more professional-grade at-home treatments, check out our favoriteLED masks,keratin treatments, anddermaplaning tools. Set the second layer under the lamp, then apply the top coat. The main downside is that youll need to buy the polish in sets since individual colors dont seem to exist. You might also enjoy their glitter and magnetic color sets. Just be sure to store all colors in a dark place as the viewing window can expose them to UV light. On the downside, it will take a few layers to achieve an opaque finish.
How to buy the best gel nail kit
Nearly all gel nail kits include a base coat and topcoat with the colored gel polish. Avoid any kit that requires you to buy the base coat and topcoat separately. Gel nail polish includes a combination of monomers and oligomers in a brush-on formula.
Gurung has reached for CND’s shellac products for years because of their high quality and great coverage. She notes, “You don’t have to file the top layer of the gel, all you have to do is wrap it in an aluminum foil for mins and it just falls off in one piece.” For that reason, she notes it would be great for at-home use. Nail artist Kesang Gurung adds that the cuticle oil provided in the kit can and should be applied in the days and weeks after painting nails to help them last longer.
Our tester said the LED lamp seemed cheap and wished it plugged into a regular outlet instead of only through a USB adapter. While the results looked decent, some of the gel peeled off after a couple of days. While we planned to wait the full 14 days before removing it, most gel formulas we tried began peeling off prematurely. Since several kits had disappointing staying power, we ultimately selected easy-to-use options that delivered professional-looking results.
Most at-home gel nail kits tend to include either a UV, LED or UV/LED lamp. Well, UV nail lamps use a broader spectrum of UV wavelengths than LED lamps do. LED lamps tend to me more expensive too, though they offer a much faster curing time and are generally safer for your skin. That said, bear in mind that there are some UV gel polishes that can only be cured under a UV lamp.
It doesnt have much odor and cures quickly under an LED light. A base coat takes about 30 seconds, and each remaining coat takes about 60 seconds. Yet, it offers 300 colors in generous-sized kits like this one.
It also comes with Top it Off, Gelish's high-shine top coat that the brand claims "will not dull, chip or peel," a cleanser to remove any lingering sticky residue and Nourish cuticle oil to finish it all off. Despite how simple the manicure itself is, finding the right gel nail polishes and UV lamp for you might not be as easy as you'd expect. "Customers should keep in mind to look for kits that match their skill level," explains Bachik. "Some gel kits are three-step including a base coat, color, and topcoat, while others are only two- or even one-step, meaning there is no base coat and the whole process is easier." “A well-prepped manicure is a very important step in making your gel manicure last,” says Totty. To ensure you have a flawless at-home gel mani, opt for a gel nail kit that includes at least a few basics, such as nail primer, base gel, top coat, a couple of polish colors, and nail polish remover.
If applied properly, Aaron says that gel nails typically last up to two weeks. The other thing to note is that the set comes with only one shade, but you can buy more individually. 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. She said her nails were a little tacky after placing them under the lights for the recommended two minutes.
Most gel polishes last 2-3 weeks, depending on the person’s lifestyle. However a shellac manicure might not last as long, closer to 1-2 weeks, but the benefit there is that it is gentler on nails. Whether you’re a pro or a rookie, or are looking for something portable or affordable, there’s an option out there for you.
Hot water is particularly damaging to gel nail polish, so avoid long showers or baths when you have a gel manicure. For the best gel manicure, it helps to prepare the surface of your nails to make sure that the polish fully adheres. Some kits include a cleanser solution or wipes to remove any oils or residue from your nails so the polish goes on smoothly and stays in place as long as possible. As with all things, there is one downside — it takes a while for the gel to harden. "The multiple layers of polish make the manicure feel wet and tacky even after drying under the LED light for the recommended 60 seconds," the tester admits.
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