Gel manicures at home are no longer exotic: a lamp, a couple of bottles and a bit of practice are enough to keep your nails looking good without a salon appointment. AliExpress is one of the most popular places to shop in this category, and some nail products sell in the tens of thousands. We picked eight items with the highest sales and ratings from 96%, which together make a home kit from scratch.
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How we chose
The main criterion here is popularity. We looked at recent sales and the share of positive reviews, not at price. The good news is that the best-selling nail products are also cheap: every item in the list costs under £5. Prices are as of 31 October and change often on AliExpress, especially ahead of the 11.11 sale.
The list follows the order of the work: equipment first, then coatings, then tools and decoration. If you are just starting out, take the first four items and add the rest as your interest grows.
Equipment: the lamp and the drill
1. UV/LED lamp for curing gel polish
Without a lamp, gel polish will not cure, so this is the first thing to buy. This model is designed for drying and curing gel polish and has sold more than 8,000 units with 98% positive reviews. For a home manicure such a lamp is enough: what matters is that your whole hand fits and all nails get light at the same time. It is easier to cure the thumb separately, laying it flat under the diodes. It costs £4.39, down from £9.15.
Price on 31 October: £4.39
Sold: 8421+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
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2. Manicure kit: 20000 RPM drill and lamp
A starter kit that includes a UV/LED lamp, a 20000 RPM nail drill and cuticle tools. For professional work that power is not enough, but for removing old polish, shaping and cuticle work at home it does the job. The kit has sold more than 8,000 times, which is understandable: for the price of one bottle of good polish you get the basic equipment in full. It costs £3.06, down from £6.38.
Price on 31 October: £3.06
Sold: 8052+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
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A tip for beginners: use the drill at low speed and do not keep the bit in one spot. The nail heats up quickly, and discomfort is a signal that you are pressing too hard.
Coatings: base, top and colour
3. BORN PRETTY: base, top and strengthening gel
BORN PRETTY is one of the best-known gel polish brands on AliExpress, and this item leads the list for sales: more than 13,000 orders. You can choose base gel, top coat, rubber base and strengthening gel in 10 ml bottles, all removed by soaking. The base and top determine how long a manicure lasts, so do not skimp on them, while you can mix and match colour polishes. Price: £2.34, down from £4.86.
Price on 31 October: £2.34
Sold: 13067+ pcs, positive reviews: 96.1%
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4. VOKY set of 6 gel polishes
Six seasonal shades in one box, more than 10,000 sales and 98% positive reviews. Sets are handy because the colours are already matched in one palette and are easy to combine. The seller positions the set as a gift, and ahead of the holidays it really is a good option for anyone into manicures. It costs £3.02, down from £6.05.
Price on 31 October: £3.02
Sold: 10932+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
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The quick option: press-on nails
5. Soft gel nail tips, 550 pieces
If you have no time for a full gel manicure, soft full-cover gel tips come to the rescue. The pack has 550 pieces in medium and short lengths and various sizes, so matching a tip to each nail is easy. You can coat them with any gel polish in advance and stick them on in a few minutes. More than 8,000 packs have been sold. Price: £4.00, down from £8.34.
Price on 31 October: £4.00
Sold: 8672+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
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6. Nail glue, 7 g
The best-selling item in our list by number of orders: more than 13,000. It is a super-strong glue for press-on and acrylic nails and tips, and also for rhinestones and decorations. A 7 g tube lasts for many applications if you do not leave it open. The main rule: apply a thin layer and press the tip down firmly for a few seconds. It costs only £1.32, down from £2.75.
Price on 31 October: £1.32
Sold: 13382+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
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Tools and decoration
7. MR.GREEN cuticle nippers
Good nippers are needed even by people who use a drill: they are handy for removing hangnails and leftover cuticle. MR.GREEN is a well-known manicure tool brand, these nippers are made of stainless steel and have sold almost 6,000 times with 98% positive reviews. A good tool lasts for years if you do not use it for rough jobs. The price is £3.43, down from £6.87.
Price on 31 October: £3.43
Sold: 5877+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.1%
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8. Glow-in-the-dark nail stickers
The easiest way to get a design without any drawing skills. The set has 12 or 30 sheets of self-adhesive stickers with a glossy shine that glow in the dark. You place the sticker on the colour coat and seal it with a top coat, so it lasts as long as the manicure itself. Almost 8,000 sales at under £1.50: it is £1.27, down from £2.55.
Price on 31 October: £1.27
Sold: 7981+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
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What to buy first
The minimum starter set is a lamp, the BORN PRETTY base and top, and one or more colours. If you want to remove polish with a drill right away, it makes more sense to take the kit with the drill instead of a separate lamp, since the lamp is already included. Tips and glue are useful for anyone who wants a quick result for a party or simply does not like sitting over their nails for long.
A few practical tips. Degrease your nails and gently buff off the shine before applying the base, otherwise the coating will start to peel after a few days. Apply gel in thin layers: a thick layer cures worse and can wrinkle. And do not forget the skin around the nail: gel that gets on it is best wiped off with a stick before curing.
A word on delivery times: ahead of 11.11 the load on logistics grows, so if you need a kit by a specific date, it is better to order early.
