I typically visit a salon to do my nails every two weeks but that can add up, especially when there’s a lot you can actually do yourself from home. A friend recommended the Rosalind Gel Polish Starter Kit, which comes with pretty much everything you’d need. However, there are many other options worth considering, whether you want to do a full manicure and polish or just keep your nails clean and nicely cut and shaped.
Best Overall: ROSALIND Gel Nail Polish Starter Kit
If you’re into gel nails and want to be able to replicate a manicure and polish job you would get at the salon right at home, this is a great kit to get started. Of course, you’ll need lots of practice and some general knowledge of what to do, but that’s what YouTube is for!
This kit comes with 12 gel nail polishes in a gift box, an LED UV lamp with USB power cable, matte top coat, no wipe top coat and base coat, two nourishment oil pens, nail file, nail buffer, nail brush for your hands, tool storage bag, cuticle fork, cuticle pusher, nail clipper, nail separator, nail paint line, and nail removal wipes.
It’s everything you would need to do your own nails, or nails for someone else in the family, from start to finish. Clean up and shape the nails and cuticles, select a nice polish, and paint them, coat by coat. Then, you use the UV lamp in between coats to quickly cure and dry them.
It’s an ideal all-in-one kit if you want to get everything you need and don’t want to end up buying individual pieces. Just make sure you need everything in the kit before buying, since this is an expensive option.
Pros:
- Has everything you need
- Comes with nail polish
- Includes UV LED lamp for nail curing
Cons:
- Expensive
- Might include items you don’t need
- Limited polish selection
Best Overall
ROSALIND Gel Nail Polish Kit
Has everything you need
Get salon quality nails using this kit that includes everything you’d get to clean, polish, and cure, from start to finish.
Best for Maintenance: QLL 3-Pack 7-Piece Manicure Set
For those who just want to keep their nails clean, shaped nicely, and in good shape without any frills, this is a great basic and affordable option. It includes nail clippers, diagonal nail clippers, nail file, and nail pick, plus a few items for grooming other parts of your body, like eyebrow scissors, eyebrow tweezers, and an ear pick. Store everything in the included travel case.
It’s super affordable so you’d be surprised to realize that the set actually includes three sets of the same kind for a total of 21 pieces. Each set of seven pieces comes with a different colored case. It’s ideal for gifting to family and friends, or to maintain proper hygiene and ensure that everyone has their own set in the house.
The tools are made from stainless steel and are small and lightweight, with cases in bright and bold colors so everyone knows which is which. These aren’t high-quality grooming tools but as secondary sets for travel or a back-up set for the occasional nail maintenance, you can’t go wrong.
Pros:
- Three separate cases and sets included
- Extra tools for grooming eyebrows
- Affordable
Cons:
- Very basic
- Difficult to get tools out
- Not high-quality materials
Best for Maintenance
QLL 3-Pack 7-Piece Manicure Set
For basic care
For keeping nails trim, clean, and nicely shaped, this kit is simple and affordable but it will meet your basic nail care needs.
Best for Nail Art: AIFAIFA 69-Piece DIY Nail Art Tools Decoration Manicure Kit
For getting fancy and all dressed up for a special occasion, nail art is a great way to spice up an outfit. There’s no reason you can’t do this from home. This kit is like arts and crafts for nail art lovers.
It has a whopping 69 pieces, from nail sticker decals to French tip stickers. There is nail striping tape, wheels of rhinestone decorations, 3D nail art decorations, sequins, and even Chameleon powder flakes. Depending on your level of artistic talent, you can create fun and quirkly or classy and sophisticated designs of differing levels of complexity. Follow online tutorials and blogs to get inspiration as well.
Along with all of the nail decorations, this kit also includes some of the basic tools you’ll need, like a toe separator if you want to do your toenails (this keeps your toes from touching one another and the polish from smudging), sponges, cleaning brush, dotting pens, liner brush, and tweezers if you want to clean up rogue hairs on your toes or fingers.
Keep everything organized in the handy clear detachable organizer, which has two layers and two detachable slots. It’s big enough that you can use it to store other items as well, like lipstick, makeup, and costume jewelry. The lid snaps shut and has a carrying handle so you can easily bring it from room to room when you’re ready to do some nail art.
Pros:
- Lots of fun nail art items
- Includes basic art tools
- Handy carry case
Cons:
- No grooming tools included
- Clear carry case looks cheap
- Seems more designed for business
Best for Nail Art
AIFAIFA 69-Piece DIY Nail Art Tools Decoration Manicure Kit
Art for your nails
This kit is full of decals, stickers, glitter, and more for expressing your personality through fun nail designs at home.
Best for Acrylic Nails: Complete Salon Acrylic Kit by Kiss
If you’re like me and have been wearing acrylic nails for some time, you realize how it can get expensive to keep visiting a salon to fill them every two weeks. Not to mention that it’s tough to go back to your “regular” nails after you’ve had them for so long. Adventurous types can opt for this kit to try and put nail tips on themselves.
It comes with white tips, natural tips, and sculpture forms for five complete applications, along with gear for up to 10 refills. If you refill every two weeks, which is pretty standard, this means each kit can last you at least four or five months, depending on how often you want to remove and re-do a full set of nails entirely.
Along with the tips, the kit comes with acrylic primer, liquid, and powder, glue, nail file, brush, and other accessories. You would need to buy a nail drill separately if you want to ensure the nail is in the right condition to apply the tips and acrylic powder in the first place. You can also attempt the process without one.
The price is tempting to at least give it a shot to see how well you can do your own nails or, more likely, have someone else in the family do them for you. Ideally, if you already have acrylic nails that are salvageable via a fill, you can use this kit simply for refilling for as long as you can, and the tips for replacing broken nails until you can make a trip out to a salon.
Pros:
- Five complete applications
- Maintains acrylic nails
- Affordable
Cons:
- Need a nail drill
- Tutorial would be helpful
Best for Acrylic Nails
Complete Salon Acrylic Kit by Kiss
Maintain acrylic nails
Maintain the acrylic nails you already have or apply new ones with this handy DIY kit that can provide salon-quality results.
Best for Nail Color: Nicole Miller Nail Polish Set
If you’re the type who just likes to apply nail polish and change it out frequently to fit your mood, the season, or just to change things up, this set might be all that you need. It includes six regular-sized 7mL bottles of nail polish in different colors so you can keep your nails looking attractive.
The pigmented colors are basic shades of pinks and purples, which are in style and in-season all year ’round. They are easy to apply and quick to dry as well. Apply one coat, let it dry for about two minutes, then apply the second coat.
This isn’t the highest end nail polish and the colors aren’t exactly bold and vibrant. However, to keep your nails painted and looking fresh with solid matte colors that will match with any outfit and/or occasion, it’s an affordable and decent set.
Pros:
- Always trendy colors
- Quick drying
- Six shades
Cons:
- Need a top coat
- Very basic colors
- Can be prone to clumping
Best for Nail Color
Nicole Miller Nail Polish Set
Keep a fresh coat
Keep your nails continually updated with a fresh coat of polish in a subtle yet always in season shade of pink or purple.
Best for Kids: Alex Spa Ultimate Nail Glam Salon Kit
Kids might want to keep their nails beautifully designed as well, not to mention that nail art and care can be a fun project for them. This kit has everything a child over the age of eight years old would need to have a fun nail decorating party.
It comes with 427 pieces in all, including four vibrant 4mL bottles of different nail polish colors, four glitter colors, 72 nail appliques, 305 nail stickers, 38 foil strips, and two toe separators. It also has the nail care products necessary to prepare their nails for the ultimate art project, including a nail file and brush. Instructions are also included.
Older kids, or younger kids with help from their parents or older siblings, can try out the different polishes on their hands and feet, keeping them looking fun and adorable. Younger kids without supervision can opt for the appliques, which you can simply stick onto your nail then file down. There’s no mess nor drying time required with those.
Pros:
- Fun activity for kids
- Plenty of options
- No-dry appliques
Cons:
- Could get messy
- No carry case included
- Not a lot of polish
Best for Kids
Alex Spa Ultimate Nail Glam Salon Kit
Fun nail care for kids
This kit won’t just keep kids’ nails looking cool but is also a fun activity that will keep them busy for hours.
Best for Professionals: Lerods Manicure Set
Perfect for travel or keeping in a bag, briefcase, toiletry kit, or overnight bag, this stylish set oozes sophistication. The tools, which include a flat clipper, nail file, cuticle pusher, multi-purpose scissors for doing things like getting rid of hang nails, and a bonus pair of eyebrow tweezers, all come housed in a premium case.
The case is made of brown leather with strong stitching and a magnetic closure to keep all of the tools securely inside, whether you’re throwing the kit into a briefcase or keeping it in your bathroom medicine cabinet.
The tools are all made from aluminum and the entire set comes with a gift box, making it the ideal item to give as a gift to someone looking to keep their nails in tip top shape.
Pros:
- High quality
- Attractive and discreet case
- Has all of the essentials
Cons:
- Expensive
- Paying for gift box you might not need
Best for Professionals
Lerods Manicure Set
Perfect for travel
Pop the stylish leather case in your bag or toiletry kit and use the tools on the go for basic clean-up of your nails.
Bottom line
Given that salons are closed in many places, chances are you’ll have no choice but to do your own nails for the next little while, and potentially even longer. Which nail care item you choose will depend on your needs: do you want to actually try and attempt adding nail tips yourself or just need to clean up your cuticles and file the nails? Are you into elaborate nail art or just want to add some color?
For the price, the ROSALIND Gel Nail Polish Starter Kit can meet your basic needs to clean your cuticles and cut and shape your nails but has plenty of other accessories so if you decide to do more, you can. While I have been living with boring and bland nails for about a month-and-a-half now, I am starting to feel the itch to do something more exciting with them. Instead of digging through the bathroom cabinet to see what old bottles of nail polish I might have, this set provides some cool and fun options, along with all of the tools needed to first shape and clean up my nails.
It’s also the perfect gift for someone who loves taking care of their nails because even if they won’t use everything off the bat, there are useful items for basic grooming. Once they decide to add some color, everything stores neatly in the included bag that they can pull out and explore what to do next.
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Christine Persaud resides in Toronto, Ontario Canada with her husband and 8-year-old son. While her primary focus is writing about consumer technology, she has also written on a wide breadth of other topics, typically with her beautifully done nails clacking away on the keyboard as she works. In her spare time, she loves to bake, cook, drink wine, and spend time with her family, including her husband and 8-year-old son.