Tired of painting your nails every week to cover up cracks and chips? We are, too. Gel polish is a wonderful invention that has improved enough to make long-lasting manicures easily accessible to every DIY nail artist or casual painter.
But wait, isn’t gel polish the stuff that requires lights? Yes, but no. We’ll get into that more in a bit, as well as the 10 best gel nail polishes. What to Look for When Choosing Gel Nail Polish
If you’re new to gel nail polish, or at least the DIY kind, you probably have very little knowledge about what kinds there are and what you need to look for. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place because we did all the research for you. Let’s take a look at the basics you need to know before you buy. What Is Gel Nail Polish?
It isn’t wise to buy something you don’t understand, even if it’s just nail polish, so let’s make sure you know exactly what it is.
Gel polish functions a bit differently than regular nail polish. Regular nail polish forms a film when it dries. The film causes the polish to stick to the nail and have a glossy finish. It dries with air exposure and can dry faster when you blow on it or hold it up to a fan.
Gel polish, however, requires special light to “dry.” We say “dry” because the teeny particles it’s made of actually solidify and harden with the use of a light. Instead of creating a film, it creates a sturdy shell that will last much longer than regular polish. Curing Lamp Required…
Traditional gel polish needs light to harden. But, it’s not just any light – you need UV or LED. UV lights were the original way gel polish was cured, but LED lights are becoming more popular because they’re faster and safer.
Curing lamps might sound like a hassle, but they’re actually quite portable and easy to use. You typically have to buy them separately, but the Vishine Gel Nail Polish Starter Kit includes a lamp in it. There Are Exceptions
Gel nail polish is a product of the 1980s, but you can thank the ingenuity of the 21st century for drugstore gel polish that doesn’t require any kind of lamp. This type of polish is a hybrid between regular polish and gel polish.
What is this Frankenstein of a polish, and how does it work? Let’s look at its qualities:
- Regular nail polish qualities: Easy application, easy removal, no UV or LED lights needed
- Gel polish qualities: Long-lasting, dries quickly, uses top coats that utilize natural light
So, it does use light to dry, but not in the same way as traditional gel polish. Indirect light or your bedroom light will suffice, and blowing on it will work, too. Required Tools
Regular polish allows us to indulge in laziness. You know what we mean: quickly applying color, waiting ten minutes to let it dry, and then letting wear and tear and handwashing take care of the polish trapped in your cuticles.
Gel polish doesn’t work that way. You’ll need some tools to apply and remove this polish (except for our dear hybrid friend. They’re more understanding of our lazy tendencies). Base and Top Coats
Every gel and hybrid gel will have a top coat. The top coat is what gives the polish its strength.
Base coats are recommended, but not necessarily required. They help the polish stay on longer and protect your nails, but many hybrid gels don’t include base coats in their 2-coat system. Traditional gel polish kits should come with base coats, and it’s best if you use them if you want the manicure to last for as long as the bottle promises. Curing Lamp
Gel polish won’t dry without a curing lamp. It’ll remain sticky and will never set, no matter how much you huff and puff on it. That’s the downside of DIY gel manicures. Even if you just want to try out one color, you have to buy the lamp to go with it.
That’s where hybrid polish comes in. You don’t need a lamp for it, but it won’t last as long, either. Nail File and Acetone
Gel polish is difficult to get off. If you get a salon gel manicure, you’ll have to go back to get it removed. It really stays on the nail. To get it off at home, you’ll need to buff it with a nail file to break the shell and then soak it with acetone.
Another point goes to hybrid polish – it can come off with regular nail polish remover.
Just keep in mind that the harder it is for a polish to come off, the longer it will last. Isn’t that what we’re after, anyway? Gel Polish Finishes
Gel polish doesn’t have as many finishes as regular polish does, but there’s still enough variety to make it worth collecting them all.
- Gloss: This is the basic finish that every gel polish has. A glossy top coat will accentuate it and really make it shiny.
- Matte: The matte finish comes from the matte top coat and not the colorful polish itself. Matte top goats are available for both regular and hybrid gels.
- Glitter: Glitter is usually added to the polish, although you might find top coats that have glitter in them. Glossy top coats work best with glitter polishes because the shiny finish brings out the glitter.
- Color changing: There are gel polishes that change colors based on temperature. Cold hands will result in one color, neutral hands another color, and warm hands a third color. Both matte and glossy top coats work great with these.
Duration
Gel polish has a reputation for lasting longer than regular polish, and it’s true. The polishes that are cured with lights can last for up to four weeks. Hybrid gels should last about two weeks.
How long it lasts will vary from person to person based on how you applied it, how long you let it cure, and how nail polish often you use your hands. A dishwasher at a restaurant and a secretary in an office will have incredibly different results.
Now that you know what to look for let’s jump into the ten best gel polishes we could find. Top 10 Best Gel Nail Polishes 20231.Best Overall Gel Nail Polish: Essie Gel Couture Nail Polish + Top Coat
Why we like it: A light isn’t needed for this polish, so it’s great for those who are new to gel nail polishes so they can try it out without spending a lot of money.
Editor’s Rating:
This complete polish kit from Essie is perfect if you’ve never tried gel polish before. It includes a top coat so you don’t have to worry about accidentally buying something that won’t work. You don’t need a curing lamp since it’s a hybrid polish. If you’d rather use a lamp, the Vishine starter kit includes everything you need.
This 2-pack kit includes a top coat, but you’ll need to buy a base coat separately if you want to have one.
Both polishes have a glossy finish, so they’ll look shiny in most lighting. Essie doesn’t have a matte top coat available for their gel line, so gloss is the only option.
This polish promises up to 2 weeks of no chipping and continual shine, which is much longer than regular nail polish. It’ll take about 10 minutes to dry, but this will depend on how many coats you used and how thick they were.
You can use any kind of nail polish remover when you want to take it off. While that is a plus, it’s also the reason the polish can’t last up to 4 weeks as traditional gel polish can.