Do Your Nails Like This, and Everyone Will Think You Spent the Day at the Salon

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(Image credit: @betina_goldstein)

I don't know about you, but these uncertain times have taught me an important lesson: I'm a lot more self-sufficient in the beauty department than I thought. Now, I'm not brave enough to cut my own hair, but I've taken the plunge with at-home facials, chemical peels, and even eyebrow lamination (sort of) without any disasters to speak of. I have to admit that this hot streak has got me feeling cautiously optimistic that I can take on the next treatment on my wish list: an at-home gel manicure.

Typically, having this shiny, chip-resistant varnish applied to our fingernails means spending lots of time and money at the nail salon. But now that visiting such places has been complicated by events outside our control, it's high time we get familiar with carrying out this task at home. Traditional nail polish is great (and, in fact, I've been more partial toward it for a while now), but I have to admit that my increased handwashing takes a serious toll on any regular paint job I try to perform on my nails. The thought of perfectly painted, long-lasting enamel that will stay put for weeks on end is too enticing to ignore. 

Thankfully, there are tons of at-home gel manicure kits to address any and all nail goals. Ahead, check out the eight best sets on the market to get started on the path to professional-looking manicures from the comfort of your home.

For the Nail-Health Advocate: Zoya Gelie-Cure Foundation Travel Kit

Complete your kit:

For the Beginner: Red Carpet Manicure Essential Starter Kit

Complete your kit:

For the Glitter Fanatic: Vishine Gel Nail Polish Starter Kit

For the Drugstore Maven: Sally Hansen Salon Gel Polish Starter Kit

For the Nail Art Enthusiast: Modelones Gel Nail Starter Kit

For the Minimalist: Orly Gel Fx Starter Kit

Complete your kit:

For the At-Home Pro: Red Carpet Manicure Pro 45 Train Case

For the Salon-Brand Purist: Gelish Mini Soak Off Professional Gel Nail Polish Starter Kit

Not ready to commit to an at-home gel manicure? Check out these natural nail-enhancing finds instead:

Long-wear nail polish:

Application perfectors:

Expert grooming supplies:

Soothing hand care:

Associate Beauty Editor

Courtney Higgs is a Cancer sun, Libra rising beauty enthusiast with about six years of experience in the editorial space. She was previously Who What Wear's associate beauty editor after spending many years working on the West Coast edit team at InStyle Magazine. She graduated from California State University, Northridge, with a BA in communication studies and pivoted to editorial after spending her college years working in the legal field. Her beauty philosophy is simple: She believes there are no wrong answers and that discovering our favorite beauty products and rituals is a journey, not a sprint. When she's not geeking out over products, she can be found adventuring around L.A. with her fiancé; watching reality TV with their French bulldog, Bernie Mac; or relating way too hard to astrology memes.