20 Best Gel Nail System (2024 Update)

Worth it, I don’t see acrylics lasting much longer in the nail salon industry so this would be a great alternative as apposed to hard gels which is a lot harder to practice. If you’re a beginner nail tech and looking to move up in the world of nail enhancements this is your best bet. No more worrying about powder to liquid ratios and it does dry until you cure it. Just keep practicing until it feels smooth for you. I use a tip under mine, some people prefer forms. Find the method to your own madness.aura.d

Ive never tried Polygel before and from watch Nail Career Educations YouTube videos about it I knew I needed to try it. From learning how to do nails on my own from YouTube videos, and having no acrylic or gel experience, I feel like Polygel is the perfect product to play with to perfect the proper nail structure (especially the apex which is especially important since I wear my natural nails very long). Polygel is also amazing since it will never cure unless you put it under a lamp, so you have all the time to get the shape you want so you can save time and effort on filing later. And this is a great deal since the Master Kit comes with everything you need for the system, and no license is needed to buy from here.kalani_kutie96

Such a dependable great quality product. I have used Gelish products for 5 years now and have never been disappointed yet. Other brands work that's true, but I love the Gelish line. They sell all the products that work with there systems and you can depend on them working if you follow all their instructions to the que. The colors are the most desirable and the application instructions can be found all over the web. Can't go wrong with this brand. Spend the money!pmryan911

I have the mini macaron individual nail lamp that actually looks like a macaron and comes with a full size polish in rose gold. I bought this set expecting similar success but I was a bit disappointed. First off the mini polishes are really hard to use. The brush is so short that it makes applying the polish incredibly difficult. I know what they were going for but the design is all wrong. A taller narrow bottle would have been better if they wanted to make minis. The shorter bottle is so frustrating that alone makes me want to return it. Secondly the lamp while aesthetically cute is not practical because you have to cure the thumb separately from the fingers. This feels like a huge design flaw. I want a salon quality gel manicure at home and I don’t see why a lamp this size won’t accommodate my whole hand. The other thing is that the lamp doesn’t seem to cure as well as the single finger lamp. Now to the pros, the colors are beautiful and limited edition. According to their website they can only be acquired through this deluxe set. But again the bottle brush are a pain. The bottom of the lamp is removable for pedicures but is difficult to slide the bottom of tray in and out. Overall it’s pretty but I feel like they leaned too hard into beauty and not enough into function.shakti.g

I have used this twice now and I love it! I feel like if you set your expectations properly, it’s a great product. The thing I hate most about painting my nails is that I never have time to let them dry properly so they always dent and chip. These cure right away in the machine so even if my kids interrupt me for something, I can get up and then come back to doing my nails. I’ve had mine on for 3 days now with very minimal chipping. With normal polish by day 3 it’s halfway gone. Keep the coats thin and do 2 coats, drying in between. Is it the same quality as a salon manicure? No. But I paid the same cost as a salon manicure to be able to do it whenever I want so this is a perfect filler to take away from having to get my nails done every 2-3 weeks. The photo is from today, day 3.Kerhi002

I wanted to try Le Mini Macaron for a while, because it looked so easy and was in such cute packaging, plus not having to go to a salon really appeals to me. I saw the Rose Gold and Cherry kits on sale once, and my daughter got them for me for Christmas. I followed the directions and BAM! Beautiful long-lasting manicure at last! Since then I've experimented with other one-step brands and had good success, but this one is the best so far. The process is super-easy, smooth application and a 30-second cure, will not chip (on me at least), does not dull out. Additionally, it is easy to remove. A couple of the colors are sheer, but all-in-all, I may just give up regular polish for Le Mini Macaron. My next step is the maxi lamp kit.Lanie

Really happy with my purchase its great quality polish and everything is working well I am recommending! Will save a fortune not going to the nail bar1bluetrac

So easy to use and results are great, highly recommend. The products included are high quality and I achieve lasting results.everythingispeachy

I have the mini macaron individual nail lamp that actually looks like a macaron and comes with a full size polish in rose gold. I bought this set expecting similar success but I was a bit disappointed. First off the mini polishes are really hard to use. The brush is so short that it makes applying the polish incredibly difficult. I know what they were going for but the design is all wrong. A taller narrow bottle would have been better if they wanted to make minis. The shorter bottle is so frustrating that alone makes me want to return it. Secondly the lamp while aesthetically cute is not practical because you have to cure the thumb separately from the fingers. This feels like a huge design flaw. I want a salon quality gel manicure at home and I don’t see why a lamp this size won’t accommodate my whole hand. The other thing is that the lamp doesn’t seem to cure as well as the single finger lamp. Now to the pros, the colors are beautiful and limited edition. According to their website they can only be acquired through this deluxe set. But again the bottle brush are a pain. The bottom of the lamp is removable for pedicures but is difficult to slide the bottom of tray in and out. Overall it’s pretty but I feel like they leaned too hard into beauty and not enough into function.shakti.g

I have used this twice now and I love it! I feel like if you set your expectations properly, it’s a great product. The thing I hate most about painting my nails is that I never have time to let them dry properly so they always dent and chip. These cure right away in the machine so even if my kids interrupt me for something, I can get up and then come back to doing my nails. I’ve had mine on for 3 days now with very minimal chipping. With normal polish by day 3 it’s halfway gone. Keep the coats thin and do 2 coats, drying in between. Is it the same quality as a salon manicure? No. But I paid the same cost as a salon manicure to be able to do it whenever I want so this is a perfect filler to take away from having to get my nails done every 2-3 weeks. The photo is from today, day 3.Kerhi002

I wanted to try Le Mini Macaron for a while, because it looked so easy and was in such cute packaging, plus not having to go to a salon really appeals to me. I saw the Rose Gold and Cherry kits on sale once, and my daughter got them for me for Christmas. I followed the directions and BAM! Beautiful long-lasting manicure at last! Since then I've experimented with other one-step brands and had good success, but this one is the best so far. The process is super-easy, smooth application and a 30-second cure, will not chip (on me at least), does not dull out. Additionally, it is easy to remove. A couple of the colors are sheer, but all-in-all, I may just give up regular polish for Le Mini Macaron. My next step is the maxi lamp kit.Lanie

These are the full size (15ml) version which is fantastic. I had previously bought the mini set which are only 9ml. I just used it for the first time this morning and I'm very pleased. The only issue I noticed is that since the bottles are larger, so are the brushes in them, This can make keeping the product off of the cuticles a bit harder.da115509

I am so in love with this brand and when I saw that Woolies are stocking it, I was so relieved. Woolies online store is so convenient and easy to work with. They are known for their quality and this product is the best there is although it's a bit pricey. Over all the gelish brand gel products are the best!! Please stock some more gelish colours.Amee

After I follow the steps, my nails are still sticky. I wipe them off with rubbing alcohol and the stickiness is gone. First time doing my own nails with uv and gel nail polishes. Pretty good kit. Would've given a 5 if my nails didn't end up sticky.Angela T.

These are the full size (15ml) version which is fantastic. I had previously bought the mini set which are only 9ml. I just used it for the first time this morning and I'm very pleased. The only issue I noticed is that since the bottles are larger, so are the brushes in them, This can make keeping the product off of the cuticles a bit harder.da115509

I am so in love with this brand and when I saw that Woolies are stocking it, I was so relieved. Woolies online store is so convenient and easy to work with. They are known for their quality and this product is the best there is although it's a bit pricey. Over all the gelish brand gel products are the best!! Please stock some more gelish colours.Amee

After I follow the steps, my nails are still sticky. I wipe them off with rubbing alcohol and the stickiness is gone. First time doing my own nails with uv and gel nail polishes. Pretty good kit. Would've given a 5 if my nails didn't end up sticky.Angela T.

I actually have the 16 color + base and top coat kit but it wasn't available for me to select. All in all, this is a nice kit. I probably won't use some of the shades but it had the best option on Amazon for neutral + glitter combinations. The shades I am wearing in this photo are 030 (the pink), 108 (white as a base for ring finger), and 278 (gold glitter). I like that they included the base and top coat; which makes it easy to do a complete look. Warning – the bottles with the actual shades are quite small. Only the base top coat are full size. But that's okay with me since I wanted to test out the formula and sample their shades prior to committing to a full size bottle. Overall, pretty good…for now. We shall see.vicki.n

I love this product. Since getting the nail kit I have saved so much time and money avoiding going to the nail salon. The kit is super easy to use, but with practice you can create such fun designs. I love the colors and the polish lasts for a week or two like any other gel. Easy to remove and apply, I don’t think I will ever go back to regular nail polish again!caroline.a

I purchased the full set from Amazon with a light and tools, decorations and colors along with the glossy and matte top coats. It was around 45 bucks. The colors are great. This was my first set in trying at home gel uv polish. I LOVE IT. Easy to use and have gone back direct to beetles site to buy more colors. I highly recommend this set and products from beetlesjoann .b

I bought this on a whim after researching the prices of gel manicures at the salons in my area and being too impatient to wait for an appointment. It seems kind of pricey at first, but will pay for itself after a few applications and it comes with literally everything you will need – including files, lint free wipes, cuticle sticks, cuticle oil, and polish remover. I found the instructions to be very user friendly and the results I got are pretty good for my first time. Once I get better at painting my own nails I feel as if my results will be pretty close to salon quality. The entire experience took a little under an hour, I just watched a TV show while I did it. It hasn't been long enough to see how long they will last but so far I'm happy with my purchase. Make sure you wipe the nails at the end or they will continue to be tacky!Olivia

Full disclosure, I actually bought the "Best Day Ever" kit but evidently that kit is no longer available (no wonder I got it for so cheap lol; yay clearance). It appears the only difference though, my kit included some items to prep the nails and foils to help remove polish. I'm so happy with my purchase I wanted to leave a review and this seems to be the closest thing to what I got. A couple extra notes for full context: 1) my only other experience with gel polish was years ago, purchasing an at home kit I saw in an infomercial. It did not go well. And 2) I'm not very good at painting nails. Very messy. But I still try because I love all the pretty colors. 😀 Gave myself a manicure last night and idk if it's the formula of the polish, the brush design, or both, but every step applied so quickly and easily! My hands are pretty shaky so usually I have to go really slow so my nails look somewhat decent. But this stuff seemed to just glide on perfectly with little effort. Even during the tacky phase of each step if I accidentally touched or bumped a nail, it didn't get messed up (this happened with the 1st kit years back). My manicure isn't flawless by any means but I think with some practice it'll get there. I can't afford regular trips to a salon to have pretty nails, so products like this are really great. I would highly recommend these kits and really looking forward to adding more polish colors to my collection!Summer

I am completely sold on this line! With right at eight years of experience using this product, I can say without a doubt, it is the best I have found for at home use. I highly recommend this line! I have spent lots of money paying to get my nails done, now I do not have to anymore! I do have one more thing to tell you…if you work with your hands, in any kind of chemicals, or have your hands in water almost 24/7, you will not like this, unless you use gloves. Chemicals can break down the adhesive in a short amount of time, therefore making the wear time much shorter than the two weeks I had told you about. I am a pharmacy technician and work with my hands a lot, I have had no trouble whatsoever keeping this gel polish line on. My sister however, it did not work so well for her. She is really rough on her hands (her words not mine) and refuses to use gloves (again her words not mine) when cleaning, so it wasn't a good fit for her. I'm a glove girl when it comes to cleaning, so that is just something to think about before you make your decision about your purchase of this product. I feel like anyone who loves to have their nails done and it look professional, this is definitely the ticket! The color I have on in my pictures below, is a discontinued color. It is the last of it…"CRY"!CoffeeGirl325

Okay, so far I love this thing. I bought it today. Did my fingers and toes, and I am giddy. I used to paint my nails all the time in high school and younger; used to like to do designs (stripes and what not) before there were appliques in every store. Festive/holiday colors, and all that jazz. I lost that drive when I became a barista years ago because nail polish is a no-no…I was excited when I could just do clear. I've gotten my nails professionally done like twice in my life, and, while it's neat to have it done, I've never been one to keep up on that sort of thing, partially because of the cost, partially because of time (and frequency), and partially because I'm just not that high-maintenance. Well, I'm in a job now where I have occasion to meet vendors, etc, and I need to look more professional on a regular basis. I was going to go to a salon this weekend, but I really didn't feel like laying down the cash for something that I was going to have to go back for repeatedly…but I also know that just painting my nails doesn't really work anymore because it chips off too easily and I *really* don't have the time to reapply every few days, and have to wait for it to dry without being productive (very annoying). So…long story short (too late), I took the plunge and bought this baby today. It came with Red Carpet Red (obviously), so I bought white as well and went with the classic French tips. They could look better, but that's only because I am out of practice and didn't use any guides, but, aside from my own lack of expertise in this area, I am as happy as I could be, and I will get better with practice. And now I'm actually *excited* to do my nails again. Can't wait to get some more colors and get all festive and junk. Fingers: It took about 2 hours from start to finish, but, as stated, I am out of practice…plus I had to read the instructions very carefully and do everything step-by-step because I didn't want to risk messing anything up…and it didn't help that I was watching Criminal Minds at the same time, as well as cooking dinner. I packed it up and then decided to do my toes (also French tip), and this time it took a little over an hour. So, considering that I didn't have to leave my living room *and* I got to watch Shemar Moore all within around the same time it might have taken to drive to a salon and get all four extremities done, I'd say this was a really good deal. It will have more than paid for itself in two 'visits.' Hopefully it will last as long as it should and my excitement will remain intact…but if it doesn't, I will at least first try to determine if it was 'user error.' Very very glad I decided to go for it. Oh and I love the little train case it comes with.ambiehead

I had tried a girlfriend's gel polish set a year or so ago and vowed I would get a set for myself. Well, I put it off and once in a while would look online and the prices would put me off. I was in Ulta one day with this same girlfriend and stumbled across the Red Carpet Manicure set in the train case – it was a great value anyways, but it was ON SALE! So, I bought it. I couldn't wait to go home and give it a shot!! I won't lie, the first attempt was a little rough – I put it on a little too thick and got a few ridges and bumps. So, I've done it again since then, put on much thinner coats, and my nails came out gorgeous!!! They're shiny and perfect and beautiful… and did I mention SHINY?!? I love it!! The Red Carpet Reddy color that came with the kit is a very classic and chic red and looks fabulous. I can't wait to get other colors and do a French manicure! Be sure to follow all the directions to the letter and you'll have a beautiful manicure. I've done it a few times now and it lasts at least 2 weeks, after that I found that my nail growth made a small gap. If it hadn't been for that, they probably would have last much longer. It took me longer to remove than to do a new manicure. I also love the fact that you can do things IMMEDIATELY after your nails are done. No more having to be careful for hours!! I've never had gels done at a salon, but I imagine anyone that does go regularly would save a fortune by getting this set. If you're on the fence, get it – you won't regret it!!Happy customer

I love this kit! If you follow the directions, your nails turn out just as good as getting them done at the salon. I am loving it. The only con is that the light is a little small so I have to do my thumb separately, but that's really not a big deal. The benefits and price of this kit, outweigh the small inconvenience. It's a great starter kit that has everything you need.T-Kay

Love love love! There are not enough words to express how much I love this too coat! It is a bit on the pricey side, however, it is well worth it! Other top coats have never held up as well as this one. There is no smudging, and they last for several days before chipping (which is the first top coat to ever do that for me). I honestly always have at least a bottle (sometimes two) of this stashed away. Highly recommend!member-94eaa

Its just your average top coat. Calling this anywhere close to gel is a joke. I followed up a red gel couture polish with this matching top coat and within a few hours my nails have all ready chipped and worn on the tips. Save your money and get a lower cost alternative, it's going to do just as well. This also drags off the color of your polish with it regardless of how long your polish has been drying. I wanted to love this and I wanted it to last more than a few hours.katie.l

This top coat is pretty good! It was very easy apply, and went on very smooth. I had no issues applying it. It did take 5-10 minutes to fully dry. Within the first couple of days I was noticing that the polish under the top coat started the break apart but the top coat was still doing well. By day 3 I was starting to see some small chips on some of my nails, but one nail I had tried a different kind of gel polish from Essie (the blue/grey nail) and that one didn't have any chips yet. It is day 4 now of wearing the polishes, the blue/grey polish on my left hand (my non dominant hand) has a small chip at the side, but my right is still doing well. It seems like the polish underneath determines how well the top coat does and lasts. Some last, some don't. It's a pretty good top coat though!louise.c

Amooo mi nueva compra en Amazon es fácil , saca de apuros yo estaba a punto de comprar todo por separado, pero una compañera me recomendó comprarlo así por kit y wow! Estoy aún emocionada ♥️♥️🤩ericca.r

This is the worst 🤣 it's trash. I really had high hopes for this. I got it for mother's day. First, it came with a faulty power cord. I had to switch it around with one that I already had for it to turn on. Secondly, It doesn't actually cure the gel polish. I made sure to put it on very thin, But it deposits almost no color. After two coats that was supposed to be purple in brown. The lights are so minimal that You're not sure if it's actually hitting the areas that needs to. I ended up curing for 3 minutes on each layer and it still did nothing. When I went to put the top coat on, The nail polish was still completely liquid. In the end I ended up being able to wash my hands with soap and water and get it all off. Waste of an hour.amberlee.j

With the Covid-19 I haven’t been able to get my nails done. I am one who has gotten their nails done every 2 weeks for the past 4 years so you can imagine how upset I was when the salon closed! I ordered this kit thinking it would be bad quality and cheap products and boy was I WRONG! I love this kit so much it has such cute colors and is so easy to use! It comes with all the tools and instructions needed and that’s a great price for all included! 10/10 recommend!steppy.t

I love this product! It’s made doing my nails at home super easy. The colours were beautiful and lasted about two weeks. I’ve been using it for about 2 months now and won’t go back! Highly recommend this product.chelsey.c

This is a great starter kit. I like that inside the light where you place your hand is bumps to guide you as to where is best to place your fingers. The instructions for the entire process are easy to follow. The key to placing the polish is to ensure it doesn't sit in the cuticles or the sides where the nail meets the skin. This formula is long lasting and in my humble opinion is professional quality. I use the foundation or base coat then any brand of gel color including other professional brands and then finish with the step 3 or top coat. The top coat is so shiny and really makes the colors pop. The top coat feels so silky, the product lasts a long time, and ny friends cannot tell I do it myself. Great investment. I have had my kit for 7 years and the light is still curing polish like a champ! In the money i have saved using this kit I basically paid for it by a couple of uses rather than going to the salon. Nothing but kudos for this kit.stephanie.j

I bought this product at the Shoppers Drug mart and I am enjoy this product. I never see it product in this store and I am so happy to get it. This is a pretty good starter kit! It comes with everything you will need to complete a gel manicure. It includes the base coat, top coat, and nail color. It also includes fancy alcohol pads to remove the sticky layer. An orange wood stick to clean under nails and push back the cuticles. It also includes a nail file/ buffer. Most importantly it includes an LED lamp to cure your polish after every layer. A nice addition is that it includes pure acetone for easy removal. I am enjoy this product and highly recommended for home manicure 💅.tanya.s

I've always wanted to be able to have classy, painted nails without spending a ton. Regular nail polish always chips way too fast. This is the product I've needed all my life! This kit can really give you salon quality at home. I want to buy more gel polish colors! Tips: You must follow the instructions to a T in order to achieve the best results. Also, if you wash dishes or cook frequently, I recommend you wear gloves to prolonge the life of the nails.Druski

Did gelly tips for the first time in under an hour! Definitely not perfect but I was so surprised how easy it was. Anyway, I used regular polish after buffing the tips, then a quick dry top coat and I waited a whole day to top coat with this gel top coat. It didn't chip, not even at the corners! I am very impressed!Sarah K.

I really do love the products. Much easier to handle and work with then others I have tried. It is worth the money. With that being said I am still having problems with keeping it to adhere to my nails. But I haven’t given up and so far they haven’t given up on me. Customer service is wonderful I am a true novice with extremely flat nails at 50 something.Holly G.

I am sooooo addicted to this builder in a bottle. The curing time is minimal and I have not had any heat spikes while using this builder. I watch the site constantly for deals and pop-up flash sales so that I can stock up!! This stuff is the truth!! I just started doing my own nails (self taught) and this product helped me to become a whiz at it. I am working to perfect my styles, but for the most part I love every set. I highly recommend Kiara Sky to ANYONE. Professional or Beginner. See for yourself!!!!Angelia H.

The best ever for clear builder gel nails. Great movement, dries quick. Size will last forever you don’t need much in each layer to build up the nails. The only complaint is the heat spikes 😭 but I still love this product.aquie.h

The product itself is easy to use, easy to cure and wipe and topcoat. However, even with rigorous nail prep (roughing up and dehydrating) I still had issues with them popping off same day or next. I was able to lay one back down with more builder gel, only to have another nail crack a chunk off. I have thin nails so I love the idea of a strengthener like this to get some length, but not overly impressed with the longevity.felicia.m

Let me start by saying I am not a licensed cosmetologist, I’m just someone who wants to be able to give myself salon-level manicures. I ordered the IBD builder gel in Pink 2, and was super excited to try it out. At first I was thrown off by now bubblegum pink the product appeared, but it actually comes off a lot lighter and more natural looking when you apply it to the nail. The product is kind of stringy, but this isn’t a real issue, just something I wasn’t really prepared for. It works well with slip solution, and doesn’t bubble as easily as polygel so you can really go in and smooth it out. It’s not super self-leveling, probably because it tends to run a little during sculpting. I definitely recommend applying this product in multiple thin coats, though 2 really does the trick. A drawback is it’s very easy to see the separate coats after application, though this might just be user error. It’s only been a couple hours since I’ve applied these extensions, but they’re very light, not noticeable, and seem to be very strong. The gel is soft enough to file and shape by hand. I didn’t have as many problems with product getting into my cuticle area as I did with poly gel and builder in a bottle. For personal use, I think this product will last quite some time and I am very happy with how natural the finish product feels, especially since I tend to pick at my nails. Great product, look forward to getting better at using it.aivlys

I am so excited for my new gel nail polish kit! I love the pink and it came with 4 other great colors to choose from! It was super easy to use, I found simple step-by-step instructions online and my nails came out so well! It did take me longer the first time, but it's worth the money since I won't need to go back to the nail salon to have my gel nails done. It's definitely worth it. If you're willing to take the time every 3 weeks or so to do your nails, you won't be disappointed! This kit is amazing!snminor12

IDIOT PROOF!!!!!! This was the best money I’ve ever spent. No more 45-60$ manicures (not to mention the cost of pedicures!) I love how easy it is to use, I find myself doing my nails at least once every few weeks and gelish is very easy to remove with the correct acetone products. The learning curve isn’t too bad, you need to be careful not to apply too close to the nail bed, seal the tips and apply thin even coats. The only issues I’ve ever had with gel manicures is that they can sometimes peel off. This is due to my nails not being completely free of oils and dehydrated before application. After a few tries you’ll be a pro and the money you’ll save is incredible. Everyone should get one of these!katya.l

This product is absolutely worth every penny spent. I had been spending $30+ every two weeks just to keep up with gel nails, so it basically pays itself off in a couple of times! Within my area of work my hands are constantly in water, so normal nail polish and no nail polish are not an option for me. My nails look really good even after my first try, and I'm excited for the next time I get to do them. I definitely recommend you purchase this if you are on the fence about it in any way:) (the shipping was also VERY fast!) have a nice day!caia612

I thought these were cute, I bought them at Sally beauty around Christmas for a dinner party. I thought they looked nice, they just didn’t last very long. They are on the thinner side. I don’t think I would buy then again.kerri.e

I am so excited for my new gel nail polish kit! I love the pink and it came with 4 other great colors to choose from! It was super easy to use, I found simple step-by-step instructions online and my nails came out so well! It did take me longer the first time, but it's worth the money since I won't need to go back to the nail salon to have my gel nails done. It's definitely worth it. If you're willing to take the time every 3 weeks or so to do your nails, you won't be disappointed! This kit is amazing!snminor12

IDIOT PROOF!!!!!! This was the best money I’ve ever spent. No more 45-60$ manicures (not to mention the cost of pedicures!) I love how easy it is to use, I find myself doing my nails at least once every few weeks and gelish is very easy to remove with the correct acetone products. The learning curve isn’t too bad, you need to be careful not to apply too close to the nail bed, seal the tips and apply thin even coats. The only issues I’ve ever had with gel manicures is that they can sometimes peel off. This is due to my nails not being completely free of oils and dehydrated before application. After a few tries you’ll be a pro and the money you’ll save is incredible. Everyone should get one of these!katya.l

This product is absolutely worth every penny spent. I had been spending $30+ every two weeks just to keep up with gel nails, so it basically pays itself off in a couple of times! Within my area of work my hands are constantly in water, so normal nail polish and no nail polish are not an option for me. My nails look really good even after my first try, and I'm excited for the next time I get to do them. I definitely recommend you purchase this if you are on the fence about it in any way:) (the shipping was also VERY fast!) have a nice day!caia612