Who doesnt love getting a manicure? Its super helpful in helping us feel refreshed and more put together, and if you want to be extra (we do) theres plenty of nail art inspo to swoon over.

　　However, a couple of trips to the salon can soon cost you a small fortune, especially if you love your extensions and nail art. Well admit, its an expensive beauty treatment that we cant always afford.

　　Many of us on the Closer team have recently made the change and purchased an at-home gel nail kit, and we all agree it was a fabulous decision.

　　It may sound daunting at first, being in charge of your own nails, but there are plenty of helpful tricks and tips online. Plus, once you get the hang of it, doing your gel nails is straightforward and brilliantly fun.

　　If you do have any doubts on how to go about nailing your manicure, at the end of our guide weve listed in chronological order the steps to follow when doing your own nails.

　　Weve also included a list here of everything you need in a gel nail kit, so make sure your preferred gel nail kit includes everything you want:

　　• UV/LED lamp

　　• Gel nail primer

　　• Gel nail polish

　　• Gel nail polish top coat

　　• Gel nail polish base coat

　　• Prep liquid or cleanse/dehydrate spray

　　• Lint-free wipes/cotton wool

　　• Nail files 100/180 grit

　　• Nail buffer

　　• Nail brush

　　• Cuticle sticks

　　• Cuticle remover/cuticle nipper

　　• Cuticle oil

　　SHOP: The best at-home gel nail kits 1. Mylee Complete Professional Gel Nail Polish LED Lamp Kit

　　Editors pick

　　Price:89.99View offer Description

　　A truly professional gel nail kit, the Mylee Gel Nail Kit is packaged in a cute compact box, and the curing lamp comes in its own separate box. Mylee also has plenty of instructional videos to help you get started.

　　Review: I have been getting a gel manicure for years but was fed up of sometimes having to wait for an appointment so that my nails were noticeably growing out and as I also have my toes done as well it was costing around £50 per month. I did some research and this product came out as the best so I decided to give it a go. I tried it today and WOW I just love it! It is so quick and easy to use-the colours that came with it are great and I have been on the Bluesky website and bought a further 11 colours (I can feel an addiction coming on!).

　　2. All essentials

　　Recommended

　　Price:59.99View offer Description

　　A very efficient and compact gel nail kit - including a sleek lamp.

　　Review: After doing a bit of research I decided to go for a little bit more expensive starter kit. Bluesky was coming out at pretty good reviews too as a product. I’ve used this 4 times so far and I’m really pleased with the kit. Very easy to use with an online video to watch.

　　After receiving the kit, there is also a further discount voucher on their UK website to purchase gel nail colours. Again a bonus. I’ve painted families nails too and saving a fair bit of money too. All in all, I highly recommend this Bluesky starter kit.

　　3. 14 Day Mani Bestseller Gel Polish Starter Kit

　　Price:79 (was £170.50)14daymanicure.co.uk

　　View offer Description

　　New brand 14 Day Mani swear by its longstanding nails and easy-to-use kits that will keep your nails in tip-top condition. Snap up this bestseller gel polish kit to get the most out of your nails.

　　Review: I absolutely loved this kit. It was like the salon came to me. The products were of salon standard and I absolutely loved the results. It lasted the full 14 days. I couldn’t recommend this kit enough. I would give it five stars.

　　4. Modelones Gel Nail Polish Set 24 Colours

　　Best at home gel nail kit for colours

　　Price:15.99View offer Description

　　Already got a lamp, file, and the other mechanical bits but need the actual colours? This at-home gel nail kit from Modelones boasts 24 different gel colours. However, its important to note that it doesnt come with a gel base or a top coat.

　　Review: A great gel polish set. The colours are lovely and a very good range of them too. Easy application, just glides on. Very worth getting, would recommend to all.

　　5. LED Nail Lamp

　　Price:15.99View offer Description

　　Or, if youve got all of the gel polish colours but need the basics such as the lamp, nail files, and more, then this kit is ideal.

　　Review: This is honestly fantastic, the lamp itself does the job amazingly fast and it is so simple to use. I love all of the tools I got along with it as these really helped me to give myself a professional feeling gel manicure without the massive price tag for one trip! Would honestly recommend this to anyone looking into doing their own gels at home.

　　6. Lagunamoon Gel Nail Polishes Set

　　Best budget gel nail starter kit

　　Rrp:17.99View offer Description

　　As well as being vegan and cruelty-free, this awesome gel nail starter kit boasts everything you need for under £30.

　　Tried and Tested by Isabel Martins Abbud, Commercial Content Writer: I absolutely love this gel nail kit, purchasing it was one of the best decisions Ive ever made. Id been getting my nails done at salons for about 10 years and I wanted to start doing them myself to cut costs, and this kit made the transition seamless! It does only offer six different colour polishes, but as a starter I found this to be enough. Additionally, its a great bargain.

　　7. Vishine UV LED Nail Lamp Gel Nail Kit

　　Recommended

　　Price:29.99View offer Description

　　Its easy to see why this product is one of Amazons top choices. It boasts 2000 ratings with an average of 4.6 out of 5, and it has lots of added extras, like a dotting pen for nail art, striping tape, nail separators, and a cuticle fork.

　　Review: I was wary of ordering and researched loads of different kits. I wasn’t sure what to go for in regards to the wattage. This set however is by far beyond expectations, colours are beautiful. The gel goes on perfectly and cures under the light easily. The topcoat is amazing and there’s no tacky feeling left.

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　　How to do gel nails at home: Preparation: Make sure your nails are clean of any residue, be it nail polish or other, using a nail polish remover. File and buff your nails, ensuring youve got your desired shape, be it oval, coffin, or square. Make sure to cut any excess cuticles, as well as pushing them back.

　　Primer: Apply your gel nail primer before anything else.

　　Base: Next, youll need to apply your gel base coat and cure it for 15 seconds.

　　Colour: Select your gel polish colour, add a thin layer of it and cure for 60 seconds. Paint a second slightly thicker layer and cure for 60 seconds. A third layer is optional depending on how thick your polish is.

　　Topcoat: Once its fully dry, apply your topcoat and cure this for 60 seconds also. Whilst some topcoats do not require a wipe after curing, most do, as this removes any sticky residue. We also recommend adding some cuticle oil to your cuticles as well as some hand moisturiser as the UV lamp can dry out your skin. And voila! Your gel nail manicure is complete.

　　How do I remove gel nail polish at home? No matter how tempting it is, do not pick your gel nail polish off, it will weaken your nail bed and your nails will be prone to breakage. Use a nail polish remover, acetone is stronger but non-acetone will work it will just take longer, or a specific gel polish remover like this one from Mylee, and douse cotton wool or lint-free wipes with the remover placed on each nail and wrap with kitchen foil.

　　You can also snap up this Magic Gel Remover from Mylee, which is designed to remove gels in just six minutes and can be a huge time-saver for gel nail polish users who are used to spending a long time removing their gel manicure.

　　8. Magic Gel Remover Mylee

　　Price:10mylee.co.uk

　　View offer Description

　　Tried Tested by Deputy Commercial Content Editor, Natalie Corner: I have spent many hours sat with my nails wrapped in foil, so was eager to try out this product from Mylee that promised to save me so much time. I was a little too precious with the product at first, and after waiting a few minutes nothing was peeling but I could feel a tightening sensation which shows that it was working. Impatient as ever, I added a few more dollops of the thick gloopy liquid to my nails and after about 10 more minutes I had some results. I would however say that it worked better where there were thinner layers of clear gel. For colour polish layers it took a few attempts to scrape it off. I think if I had a simple design this remover would be my go to. I need something stronger for the intricate patterns and layers of gel I usually do!

　　Need some nail art inspo? Check out these cute designs below: