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Updated September 25, 2023: This article on the best gel nail polishes was updated with new releases and product picks for fall, as well as tips on how to remove gel nail polish at home.

At this point, gel nail polish needs no introduction. Many of the mani-obsessed have moved away from regular old polish in favor of this durable alternative, as the best gel nail polish lasts longer, rarely chips, and offers a brilliant shine.

That said, an in-salon gel manicure can get expensive (as much as $40 in major cities), but now it’s super easy to DIY a gel manicure at home. While it’s simple enough to buy a bottom and top coat, along with the best nail polish colors for winter, some brands offer nail polish sets with everything you need. Many offerings from Amazon’s beauty lineup include LED lamps at affordable price points, so you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank, too.

All the top beauty retailers offer gel nail polishes to amp up your at-home salon, including Ulta, Nordstrom, Sephora, and Amazon. Innovative new formulas from brands like Sally Hansen and Essie also cut out the need for a UV lamp, so you can apply and remove long-lasting gel nail polish without any special equipment necessary.

We’ve rounded up the best gel nail polishes on the market to add high shine, opaque color to your claws, without the hefty price tag of a salon appointment.

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Best Gel Nail Polish with LED Light 

This little kit has everything you need in the most adorable miniature form. The best part is that the polish that’s included is a three-in-one formula, which means that you won’t have to layer on multiple coats. The kit comes with an LED lamp that’s the shape and size of a macaroon (how cute), a nail color, a file, stick and alcohol wipes.

What reviewers say: “This was such a simple way to make my nails look professionally done when I didn’t have the time or money to head into a salon — and bonus, I’ll be able to keep using the polish and light for a good while, for multiple uses. This is the second color I’ve tried and I really love this one.”

Price upon publish date of this article: $37.99

Courtesy of Amazon

Le Mini Macaron DIY Gel Manicure Kit $37.99 Buy Now At Nordstrom

Believe it or not, you can achieve the same shiny finish and durable wear power without a UV light. Sally Hansen’s innovative Miracle Gel formula lasts up to eight days with just a coat of color and top coat. Plus, it removes just like a typical polish, so it’s quick and easy to swap out your color.

Price upon publish date of this article: $12.99

Courtesy of Ulta

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Nail Polish $12.99 Buy Now At Ulta

Best Professional Gel Nail Polish

Gelish is a salon staple, and they sell their polishes online as well. This set features six classic colors inspired by Marilyn Monroe, including a cherry red, silver sparks, ballerina pink, and a glittery purple. All of the colors will last up to three weeks, just like they do in the salon.

What reviewers say: “Gelish nail polishes are always good quality. The colors in this are good and bright. They are mini bottles so it’s good to see if you really like them.”

Price upon publish date of this article: $53

Courtesy of Amazon

Gelish Mini Marilyn Color Collection $53 Buy Now At Amazon

Best Gel Nail Polish Kit 

These nail polishes always come in a set of gorgeous colors that will last you throughout every season. This set from Beetles includes nine colors, such as white, varying shades of pale pink and even some deep browns for an all-over neutral vibe. These polishes have also maintained a near-perfect star rating, even after tons of reviews. People love that it lasts and that one coat provides enough color payoff; they rival some of the best press-on nails on Amazon with their gorgeous results.

What reviewers say: “Absolutely love the colors and how shiny they are.”

Price upon publish date of this article: $13.99

Courtesy of Amazon

Beetles Gel Nail Polish Set $13.99 Buy Now At Amazon

If you love Essie nail polishes, try out their Gel Couture polishes that don’t require a UV light. This gel color goes on with easy application thanks to its wide brush. It comes in over 40 rich color options and dries super shiny in a matter of minutes.

What reviewers say: “I was so excited when I got this new nail polish in. As a mom of two daughters we frequently play at home nail salon and they were thrilled with a new color choice to add to our collection. I was excited because it dried quickly and stayed on for multiple days without chipping which is rare for me. I will definitely be buying this formula again in more shades.”

Price upon publish date of this article: $13

Courtesy of Ulta

Essie Gel Couture Longwear Nail Polish $13 Buy Now At Ulta

Best Nude Gel Nail Polish 

Gaoy’s nail set features six colors, all of which are super wearable year-round. It has white and an off-white shades, three nude options, and a deep red wine color. This brand is also non-toxic and low-odor, which makes them even better to use regularly. Reviewers love the colors and say that they’re super long-lasting.

What reviewers say: “Just what I was looking for. These are so beautiful and they can be sheer as well as built up to a more opaque color. My favorite one is 1004 since it is a more nude color. If you’re thinking about them, just do it and you won’t regret it.” 

Price upon publish date of this article: $15.99

Courtesy of Amazon

Gaoy Nude Gel Nail Polish Set $15.99 Buy Now At Amazon

Gelish is one of the most beloved gel polish brands around, and this little bottle inspired by the ’90s flick “Clueless” has us totally trippin’. It comes in the perfect sky blue color in a small size, so you can use it for a season before switching it up. This collection is the go-to option if you want different colors that go well together for your pedi and mani.

What reviewers say: “Excellent opacity and stayed unchipped on my nails for two weeks.”

Price upon publish date of this article: $12.95

Courtesy of Amazon

Gelish Summer Clueless Mini Gel $12.95 Buy Now At Amazon

Best Gel Nail Polish on Amazon

Rosalind‘s set is fab if you love to add a little sparkle to your tips. With three glitter colors, including white, creamy pink, and black, you’ll have plenty of evergreen choices to wear for all kinds of dressy or casually glamorous occasions.

What reviewers say: “I absolutely love this set of gel polish. I have pricey gel polishes that won’t stay on or would chip. I’ve had these for over a week now and they still look great. No chips or peeling. Not going to lie, I was worried because it’s so affordable but they work great and the colors are beautiful. I definitely recommend these for first timers or if you’re not willing to spend a lot. They’re worth the price.”

Price upon publish date of this article: $9.99

Courtesy of Amazon

Rosalind Gel Nail Polish Set $9.99 Buy Now At Amazon

Best Gel Nail Polish for UV Light

Gelish is such a trusted gel polish line that professionals love, and this duo is a great choice if you’re looking for a next-level shiny base and top coat. Not too thick and not too thin either, this base coat will work to protect your nail while the top coat will leave it perfectly glossy. You can use these with other brands of polish as well. Reviewers love that the top coat helps any gel polish last much longer.

What reviewers say: “After looking at what the basics kit contained, I decided I would get more bang for my buck by buying this set. The Foundation (Base Coat) and Top it Off (Top Coat) are absolutely essential in applying gelish polish. I highly recommend this set and the Gelish nail system as a whole.”

Price upon publish date of this article: $32.95

Courtesy of Amazon

Gelish Dynamic Duo Essentials $32.95 Buy Now At Amazon

If you are new to the DIY gel nail polish game, this is hands-down the best at-home gel nail polish set. This kit from Modelones includes both matte and glossy polishes (some of the best UV gel nail polish out there, by the way), shaping tools, an LED lamp, and even glitter and gemstones for accessorizing your manis.

What reviewers say: “The quality is really great for the price. It’s super easy to use and I love how quickly and smoothly it cures out all the streaks.”

Price upon publish date of this article: $38.99

Courtesy of Amazon

Modelones Gel Nail Kit $38.99 Buy Now At Amazon

If you’re used to hitting the salon for a coat of color, you may be scrolling beauty retailers and wondering, “which gel nail polish is best?” You can always lean on customer reviews for honest accounts of different polish brands and order gel colors with the highest reviews. Brands such as Gelish, Beetles, and Gaoy are widely available on Amazon. Other nail care brands that are best known for their normal polish formulas and extensive color options, like Essie and Sally Hansen, also provide gel polishes that apply just like their familiar formulas. When in doubt, take cues from the professionals who swear by brands like Rosalind, Modelones, OPI, or Deborah Lippmann. The best gel nail polish brands will vary in price, so if you’re new to gel application, try out a more affordable gel polish brand first and then experiment with prestige products after plenty of practice.

First and foremost: gel nail polish can last up to three weeks at a time with no chipping or dulling of the color. Unlike false tips or press-on nails, gel polish is applied directly onto your natural nail. It’s super resilient and will even make your own nails stronger (just make sure not to peel it off, which can damage the nail). Finally, one of the best aspects of a gel mani is that they dry immediately. That’s right, as soon as you pull your hand out of the LED lamp, you’re good to go.

There are three different gel types you’ll need to master the perfect at-home gel mani. First, a gel manicure requires a bottom coat, followed by the actual colored polish and then the top coat. Each coat needs to be cured under a UV light in order to polymerize — aka harden and dry the polish. This polymerization process is often called “curing,” typically takes about 30 seconds under the nail lamp.

The truth? You really can’t. Now, there are some gel-adjacent polishes that claim to be super long-lasting, however, if there is no UV lamp or your bottles of polish aren’t marked as a gel formula, the polish won’t actually harden and they may not be as long-lasting.

Gel nail polish is beloved for its super durable wear that lasts up to two weeks without pesky chipping. While this is a total plus, it could also be a curse if you love to rotate your nail colors based on your outfit, the seasons, or your mood. It’s important to carefully remove gel nail polish to prevent long-term damage to the nail bed. The best gel nail polish remover is simple acetone, however it won’t wipe away gel color quite as easy as it would a regular nail polish formula.

Follow these steps to remove gel nail polish with acetone:

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To curate this guide for the best gel polish for nails and DIY manicures, we browsed the best beauty retailers for top-rated brands, high-value kits, and inspiring seasonal collections. We paid special attention to user-friendly UV lamps, professional-quality formulas and tools, price points, and functional versatility to suit all kinds of home salon set-ups. We sifted through customer reviews to select the most satisfactory products and considered key factors such as wear time, finish, easy of application, dry time, and color pay off. Learn more about us here.

Brittany Loggins is a freelance writer who’s work has been published in outlets like InStyle, Real Simple, The Cut, and Architectural Digest.

Olivia Cigliano is a Commerce Writer & Producer at Footwear News and WWD where she writes shopping content across fashion, beauty, footwear, TikTok style trends, and more. Cigliano received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Emerson College, and her byline can be found in publications including Elite Daily and CR Fashion Book. She is currently based in New York City. Cigliano updated this story for the best gel nail polish in September 2023 with new releases and fresh nail polish product picks.