The Best Gel Nail Kits, Tested by Beauty Experts

In the GH Beauty Lab, we have a century-plus worth of experience testing beauty products, including nail polish. In our last nail polish test, we sent over 174 polishes to consumers and evaluated more than 3,700 surveys and tested products both in the Lab and with consumer testers. In consumer tests, we ship products to testers who give honest feedback on factors including ease and evenness of application, dry time, resulting shininess, chip resistance throughout wear and, finally, ease of removal. In our Lab, we enlist a manicurist to professionally apply polish and give grades for ease of use, application and coverage while we record dry time every 30 seconds and measure gloss using a specialized gloss meter.

For our evaluation of gel nail kits, our Beauty Lab pros assessed ingredient safety by checking them against the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) database, which classifies substances based on whether or not they may be carcinogenic, and California’s Proposition 65- the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Prop65) databases, which provide a list of substances that are known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. From there, we also reviewed, if available, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) safety assessments final reports for any ingredients that were red flags from our initial scan of the three databases.

After thorough review of eight gel nail kits currently on the market, we found the only ones that will give you gorgeous results and that you can feel good using, knowing they've been thoroughly vetted for safety by our pros, based on available data to date.

As long as you know what to look for and what to avoid. We recommend that at a minimum, gel nail kits should contain packaging that meets FDA Cosmetic Labeling Requirements with a proper ingredient label on the primary packaging for the safety of the consumer. Here's what else to keep in mind when shopping:

?? Purchase gel nail kits from reputable retailers and brands. Based on our analysis, we found that some products sold on third-party retailer sites posed a safety concern to consumers as they did not have proper ingredient labels on primary packaging, did not clearly state the name and place of business and/or had misspelled ingredients on the ingredient label, which does not meet FDA Cosmetic Labeling Requirements. We suggest purchasing UV gel manicure kits from trusted brands like the ones included above, and, when shopping at third-party retailers like Amazon, be sure to check that the item is being sold by a reputable storefront or a verified brand marketplace. ?

?? Avoid skin contact when applying gel polish. All of the ingredient labels on the gel nail kits we evaluated contained at least one methacrylate monomer, a known allergen. Consumers should avoid skin contact with these lacquers due to the sensitization potential. The good news is that any sensitization or contact dermatitis can be “resolved after removal ... or discontinuing work with gel manicures," according to a 2016 literature review in The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. If any redness or irritation develops on skin or near eyes after gel application, completely remove the lacquer from the nails immediately.

?? Use the correct light source with your nail kit and follow manufacturer instructions. If the incorrect light source is used or if the time allowed for curing is not sufficient, higher levels of the acrylate monomers (which are allergens) may remain on the nail which can cause allergic contact dermatitis. Use kits as directed, but as a rule of thumb, use them in a well-ventilated area and keep away from heat, sun, open flames and reach of children.

Gel nail polishes are cured using UV or LED lamps and some gel nail polishes can even use both. While both are effective, according to the International Journal of Women's Dermatology, “LED lamps accomplish photocuring more quickly because they emit a narrower spectrum of light. However, UV lamps are less expensive and are therefore more routinely used in the photocuring process.” It is super important to use the proper light source for the corresponding nail polish, so use the lamp your kit comes with and closely follow usage directions.

While you may immediately think of skin damage when you hear "UV," damage to skin from UV exposure during gel manicures is basically a nonissue, according to new studies. “The risk of developing non-melanoma skin cancer was 11-46 times lower than the risks of being exposed to natural midday sunlight,” according to a 2013 study in the Photochemistry and Photobiology. A 2014 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association echoed these findings, saying the average UV-A energy exposure during a typical gel manicure is low enough to be unconcerning. If you're still worried, the American Academy of Dermatology says you can apply a broad-spectrum water-resistant sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher before getting a gel manicure to your hands, or put on dark, opaque, fingerless gloves.

When shopping, seek out these key items and tools for the best DIY gel manicure results:

?? Lamp: If you're just starting out and don't already have a lamp, be sure to check the kit contents to see if there's an LED or UV lamp included since that's needed to cure the polish.

?? Gel nail polish: Of course, your kit should come with at least one polish in a shade you like. We recommend buying any additional polishes from the same brand to ensure compatibility with the light from your kit as well.

?? Additional polishes: Some kits come with more than one color for versatility. We also like when a kit comes with both gel base and top coats for the longest-lasting DIY manicure.

?? Manicure accessories: Depending on what you have and what you need, look for useful extras like files, buffers, cuticle pushers, cuticle nippers, nail brushes or even nail art accessories and tools.

Every kit differs and may have slightly different directions, and you should be sure to follow your kit's instructions carefully to get the best results. Generally, here's what to do:

1. File and buff nails until you get the desired length and shape and clean up cuticles.
2. Use the included nail cleaner/prep or wipe nails with an alcohol pad to remove any natural oils and make sure there is no residue left on the nail.
3. Apply the base coat and cure under the lamp (typically for 30-60 seconds, but defer to your kit's instructions).
4. Apply two coats of your chosen color, curing for the recommended amount of time in between coats.
5. Finish with one layer of topcoat and cure again. If nails feel a little sticky or tacky, wipe with another alcohol pad.

With a background in color cosmetic development, Danusia Wnek, a chemist in the Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab, has spent years evaluating nail polishes and nail treatments in the Lab and with consumers. For this article, she authored a testing report that included the results of an in-depth review of gel nail polish kits' packaging, up-to-date ingredient safety review and provided usage suggestions and safety considerations for consumers.

Good Housekeeping Institute Deputy Editor Jessica Teich has over 10 years of experience formally researching, testing and writing about beauty products, regularly teaming up with the GH Beauty Lab's scientists to write about the very best nail products on the market, according to their testing data. A lover of nail polish, gel and otherwise, she wrote this article based on the findings from Wnek's report and by gathering additional recommendations from prior Beauty Lab evaluations.