I got tired of paying nail salon prices so I started doing my own hard gel manicures at home. I'm no expert, but these are the products I've been using that I'd recommend! *everything is from Amazon
Sections
6
equipment
tools
gel necessities
polishes
nail decorations
storage
equipment
budget friendly! I've been using this lamp since I started
UV LED lamp
I use this if I'm ever doing my nails at night and need some extra light. It has 5 different light modes and adjustable brightness levels
LED dimmable table lamp with USB charging port
great electric nail drill! there's a range of speeds and it's relatively quiet
electric nail drill
must-have for using an electric nail drill! it pulls the dust down so it isn't getting everywhere and you're not inhaling all of it
nail dust collector
I lay this mat down on my table to put everything on. it'll keep your surface clean and it's easy to wipe off
silicone mat
tools
I don't mess with my cuticles too much but these tools have worked well for me
3pcs cuticle tool kit set
SO convenient to have! it holds your nail polish and you can adjust the angle so it tips the bottle if you need it to
spill-proof nail polish holder
I use this to hold my brush cleaning liquid but you could use it for alcohol or acetone too
crystal nail dish
How cute is this! I use this to brush the dust off of my nails/hands after filing
rose soft dust cleaner brush
I use one for alcohol and one for acetone
2 pack pump dispenser
buffing your nails ensures the polish has a surface to hold onto
nail buffers 100/180 grit
I like to use these for shaping my nails
100/180 grit emery boards
I prefer to use these ceramic bits on my nails and the included cuticle remover bits work great
21 pcs nail drill bits sets with case
you'll need these for wiping your nails so that no dust/lint is left behind
lint free nail wipes
use one of these with some alcohol after you file your nails to make sure you're removing all leftover dust
nail scrub brush
these are the brushes I currently use to apply the hard gel and clean up the gel and polish with
nail art brushes
tons of brushes to use for nail art
31pcs nail art brushes
gel necessities
I use hard gel (doesn't soak off) because I do an overlay on my long natural nails but if you're going to use acrylics or have shorter natural nails you can use a soft gel (soaks off)
ibd hard builder gel clear
making sure your nails are free of any oils/moisture before application is key to a long lasting manicure!
nail dehydrator and primer
protect your hands from those UV rays!
UV protection gloves
this will keep your brushes from drying out
brush cleaner & restorer
this cuticle oil works really well and smells good. I put some in a dropper that I carry in my purse too
revitalizing cuticle oil
you'll need this to make sure the surface of your nail is clean and also to clean up any gel before curing
99% isopropyl alcohol
polishes
I would recommend polishes from any of the brands shown below!
you'll need a base and top coat if you're using gel polish
no wipe gel top and base coat
swap out the regular top coat for this glitter one!
iridescent glitter gel top coat
this set comes with black and white polish
white and black gel polish
these are colors I use as a base if I'm doing french tips
jelly nude pink polish set
love a jelly nail polish! these shades of brown are really cute for fall
jelly brown gel nail polish set
these browns are so pretty for fall
brown gel polish set
these are actually as reflective as they claim! I love to use these colors around the holidays
reflective glitter polish set
the cat eye is really cool but this also layers pretty over a nude base coat without using a magnet
glitter shimmer holographic cat eye polish
this is my go-to pink nail polish. it's the perfect shade
baby pink gel polish
you'll need this to remove your gel nail polish
100% pure acetone nail polish remover
nail decorations
nail glue! I never have any issues with my nail decorations coming off
nail rhinestone glue
for when you want shiny lil butterflies on your nails
gold and silver butterfly stickers
I love the variety of these! I've used almost all of them
9 boxes of nail gems/accessories
beads and pearls and 3D butterflies!
3D nail beads and butterfly charms
more fun nail decorations
nail art kit
storage
so you can keep all of your nail polish organized in one place
nail polish organizer case
I use this to hold the brushes I use most often
brush holder
this can hold bits for your nail drill as well a the drill itself depending on what you have. I use this to hold my nail files and cuticle tools
