At-home manicure systems - what's new, what's good?

November 1, 2024 6:23 PM

For many years I have exclusively been doing gel nail polish manicures at salons but would like to stop. I'd like to revert to polishing my nails at home, but there are many new systems available compared to when I was last doing this. What do you recommend? I'm looking for options that won't further damage my nails, which are quite weak and brittle.

So back in the olden days when I was polishing my nails at home there was just polish. You put it on your nails and you waited for it to dry. I always really struggled with this aspect of putting on nail polish at home, I was constantly smudging the polish which is why I vastly prefer the convenience of gel nail polish that cures instantly with no need to wait for it to dry.

But doing frequent, often back to back gel nail manicures for many years has been making my nails quite a lot thinner and weaker so I'd like to revert to options that don't damage my nails.

Now there seem to be many options for at-home manicures:
- gel nail polish strips - these seem to be like stickers that you put on your nail? Are these easy to use?
- at home gel nail curing systems - I expect these would be as bad for my nails as the salon gel manicures that you cure under a UV lamp? But maybe I'm wrong?
- dip powder nails - I know nothing about these.
- 'drying drops' that you can put on normal nail polish and it allegedly dries immediately?

... And probably lots of other nail polish systems too. What have your experiences been, and what would you recommend? As I say, I'm keen to avoid anything that makes my nails even more brittle and weak.

Bonus points for any brands you are really loving. I used to love indie brands like cirque and picture polish but am really out of the loop on who's making fun and good quality colours these days.

posted by unicorn chaser to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (18 answers total)

I do whatever 2 step (usually a color base and a clear top (matte or shiny) "gel-like" polish in colors I like. Sally Hansen, whatever at target. My nails famously reject polish, but these kinds last a long time before chipping.
posted by atomicstone at 6:28 PM on November 1

Dip is definitely just as bad for your nails as gel, but you do save yourself the UV exposure. It is a newer iteration of Acrylic nails.

I was recently introduced to 'Dazzle Dry' which lasts about as long as a regular polish but dries 100% in about 5 minutes, which really helps. It goes on similar to regular polish but you have a couple more steps/coats. There are home kits. I plan to purchase one soon.
posted by miscbuff at 6:44 PM on November 1

+1 to dip being just as bad for your nails as gel, as is at-home "real" gel as you've surmised.

I don't think there exists the perfect combination of chip-proof longevity and not damaging to the natural nail. But if you're OK with regular polish longevity and just want instant-dry, I've found the "real nail polish" stickers to be pretty easy to use if you're handy with a glass file and definitely smudge-proof. They chip about as easily as normal polish does on me but generally look good for a few days. As far as brands, I've tried Color Street because a friend sells them but for non-MLM I've heard good things about Dashing Diva.
posted by serelliya at 7:01 PM on November 1

+1 to looking into Dazzle Dry. Recently went twice to a salon that had it and now I'm thinking I may be willing to paint my nails again on the regular - it's been lasting longer than regular polish for me, and the dry time is fantastically fast. Easy to remove (more like regular polish than gel) and no noticeable impact on nails so far.
posted by NikitaNikita at 7:40 PM on November 1

If you haven’t tried Sally Hansen Insta Dri, it really does speed up drying (~60 seconds) and resist chipping. Have not tried Dazzle Dry, so can’t compare.
posted by momus_window at 8:53 PM on November 1

I would avoid the gel options because of the risk of developing gel allergies from sensitization to the chemicals getting on your skin—as the linked post points out, this could cause problems if you need similar materials used in dental work down the line.

I paint my nails all the time and have thin, peeling nails as a baseline. I recommend a good base coat like Nail Envy that’s aimed towards nail repair rather than something like ORLY Bonder that’s meant to prolong manicures but possibly at the expense of your nail health. I use just regular nail polish and then a quick dry topcoat (currently the Sally Hansen topcoat in a clear red bottle) when the layers of polish underneath are mostly dry and that usually dries enough to keep me from destroying my manicure while it’s curing. There are a lot of decent quick dry polishes like Sally Hansen insta-dri and Essie Expressie too!

The polish strips are fairly easy to use and instantly dry, but I always kind of tear the edges which annoys me from a sensory point of view because I can feel the uneven edges, so I don’t usually use them.

My favorite indie brand these days is Mooncat and I have bought various polishes from the monthly limited edition nail polish site Polishpickup.com (open right now!)—the indie options have lots of super fun special effects like thermal, magnetic, solar, and glow in the dark. But I like Essie a lot for more basic colors. Some other brands to look at might be ILNP, Atomic, Moonshine Mani, Ethereal, or Beaux Reves.
posted by music for skeletons at 10:31 PM on November 1

I do two things somewhat regularly:

Just paint with regular lacquer. Essentials include using a cleanup brush with acetone, since I don't paint perfectly, and using a quick dry top coat (Seche Vite for me, but there are plenty of others). If you weren't using a quick dry top coat before, it makes SUCH a difference in drying time. Like 5min before I can carefully do things, and 20min before I can just forget about it altogether.

Custom press-ons that I make myself. I'll apply them with the adhesive stickers if I just want to wear them for the evening, or using nail glue for longer wear. Either way, I soak them off with hot water and oil so they are reusable, and there's no damage to my nails. I'll almost always do press-ons for magnetic polishes, so they dry with nice sharp lines that don't disperse, as well as for any nail art that requires some dexterity, since it's a lot easier to paint nails that are not attached to my hand already. (I use the Gel X tips from Apres, since they fit me well, but I don't apply them with gel. Mainly it's a matter of finding a brand that works for you with as little modification as possible.)
posted by ktkt at 1:25 AM on November 2

I really like the Essie rollerball cuticle oil, it’s nearly no mess, you can use it without a flat surface, it’s little and fits in a pocket or bag, and the apricot cuticle oil is legitimately effective. I just wish it was refillable. I’ve tried more expensive cuticle oils that don’t do squat; Essie really helps my perpetually dry skin and makes my nails grow way faster. It soaks it fast and has a light pleasant scent that isn’t synthetic to my nose. So pick it up while you’re focusing on your nail health.

Get a small angled brush and dip it in polish remover to clean up the edges of your paint job. This makes a big difference when you’re doing nail polish at home, and with your non-dominant hand. Youll have to let go of some perfectionism when going from gell manicure expectations to regular polish at home, but a clean up brush can bridge that gap.

I like the Sally Hansen Insta Dri quite a lot, it’s thicker than many formulas and can be a touch unwieldy because of that, but it comes in a lot of bright fun colors and really does dry fast. You have to make sure your nails aren’t oily at all though, or it likes to peel off. If you’ve got a base coat on there first it will be less peely.

In your circumstance I’d try a few of the different nourishing base coats that are available now. There has been an emphasis on manicure as skin care for a while now and there are lots of products out there.
posted by Mizu at 1:30 AM on November 2

Most brands offer gel like polish ranges now that do not require curing. You apply and remove them like normal polish. I get more than a week of chip free wear out of that kind of polish, often two but I am not hard on my nails.

The drying drops go a long way. I tend to do my nails in the evening watching tv before going to bed. I have been known to wake up with my bedding imprinted in my touch dry but not dry polish. The drops seem to reduce that a lot.
posted by koahiatamadl at 5:24 AM on November 2

I cannot be bothered with any actual nail polish personally. I really like imPRESS brand stick on nails. Couldn’t be easier, no glue, and last quite a while (5-10 days) if you prep well. I get a lot of compliments when I use them.

Biggest downside is it takes a few times to get your “numbers” right - figuring out if your pointer is a size 6 or 7, your thumb is a size 1 or 2, etc. You should almost always go a size smaller than you think. Slightly too big nails for your nail beds = very poor adhesion.

If you find that removal is too difficult, you can soak your fingertips in nail polish remover for a minute or two and that will soften the glue.
posted by seemoorglass at 6:38 AM on November 2

If you want to go back to regular air-dry lacquer polish, look into the various quick dry top coats. They dry to about 90% in 4-5 minutes, so you can do normal tasks that don't put a ton of pressure on your nails (like prying open a can top or reaching into a tight pocket). It dries to 100% in a half hour or so and really protects your manicure. You can also use drying drops or drying spray to get it drier faster. I have a target brand spray that gets the job done pretty well. Seche Vite was mentioned above and it works great and is easy to find in a drug store, but I find I get shrinkage around the nail tip. I like the one from KBShimmer the best of all the ones I've found. The other drug store brands have quick dry top coats but they're not nearly as quick dry as this one.

If you're interested in strengthening your nails, I wholeheartedly recommend Duri Rejuvacote 2. I use it as a base coat and it has helped my nails immensely. I think I learned about all of these products from Kelli Marissa on Youtube. She also has videos about at-home gel manicures if you're interested.

My favorite nail polish brand is ILNP. So sparkly, and a lot cheaper than some of the other indies. I didn't like their top coat because it wasn't quick enough to dry. KBShimmer also has some really fun sparkly colors. Mooncat is also a fan favorite, but a little more expensive.
posted by little king trashmouth at 7:01 AM on November 2

I only have experience with regular air-dry polish, but my strategy for quick dry and long wear is:
- Good base coat (they're usually thin and dry quickly; what's best may depend on body chemistry)
- Pick a color that's similar to skin tone (to make grow-out less noticeable), light (to make chips less noticeable), and/or has some glitter (to make getting a perfect line near the cuticle less important)
- Do two thin coats to speed drying (light/neutral/some glitter also helps prevent the need for a third coat)
- Use a good quick-dry top coat--Seche Vite is supposedly designed to be applied before the last coat is fully dry and that has worked well for me, provided I use a generous amount to avoid drag
- Use a cleanup brush in between color coats and after topcoat (fills some of the drying time)
- 'Wrap the tip' with basecoat, topcoat, and first color coat, unless your nails are too short

My go-to if I'm going on travel or might not have time to redo my manicure for two weeks is the lighter end of the Holo Barista collection (I also like their top and base coats but wouldn't put in an order just for that). Notably, this is glittery but removes easily with acetone. But my go-to if my time is very limited is a sort of pink-tinted clear all-in-one (which I bought in a foreign country and am going to have to replace soon) plus a clear topcoat. Having something on protects and strengthens a bit.
posted by aincandenza at 8:45 AM on November 2

Oh also: nail oil (I like this one) applied after manicures to rehydrate the cuticle and adjacent skin after acetone exposure, and a few times per week (including under the tip) to help improve nail health.

Before starting the manicure, you want to dehydrate your nail bed with 100% acetone (Target sells it) or maybe isopropanol to help everything stick. Lots of polish removers have moisturizers in them, which is fine if you're taking off your polish and not replacing it, but can interfere with adhesion otherwise.
posted by aincandenza at 9:10 AM on November 2

I have been straying and returning to Zoya for like 10 years, I think. Their Anchor and Armor add extra steps but prolong the manicure really well, even on my sometimes flimsy nails. And their colors are spectacular.

Get on their mailing list and/or facebook group, as they have deals all the time.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:37 AM on November 2

I have autoimmune issues that have screwed up my nails big time so I need a simple routine that conceal nail problems but doesn't take too much time and effort. This routine leaves me with nice nails that look "professional enough" and don't make my nails worse. The one nail with a severe permanent split occasionally still splits but if you don't have that problem, this should be enough for you.

I use cuticle oil (I've tried several, but not the Essie yet) every night on my cuticles as part of my wind-down routine. It helps with my tendency to get hangnails. Also important: when you wash your hands, use lotion afterwards.

For actual manicures, every 5-7 days I do the following routine:
- Remove all nail polish with non-acetone remover.
- Wash and completely dry nails.
- File nails into shape, clipping if they're too long. Too long for me is if they catch on the trackpad of my laptop when I'm trying to drag with them.
- Use Sally Hansen cuticle remover to kill cuticles & reshape nail base. (I have a nail pusher and cuticle trimmer to help, also obviously nail nippers.) Don't leave that stuff on for too long, but it really does help with the cuticles!
- Remove all the liquid left with paper towels.
- Use one of those four-in-one shaping tools to clean up the texture of my nail and fix ridges (I have some due to autoimmune issues). The tool will tell you the order to use the surfaces.
- Wash and completely dry hands.
- Use Londontown Illuminating Nail Concealer to polish, with one or two layers. I use the pink one and it gives a bit of color, but not enough to look like more than a light French manicure. For fun colors, I would look at the Essie line that's designed for a single coat (I think it's called Expressie). The Butter London jams nail strengtheners are too bright for me but might be up your alley.
- Do something that won't screw up my nails while they dry.

Most of my tools are Revlon and available at the drug store.

Good luck! Bum nails are hard to deal with. I hope you find a solution that works for you!
posted by gentlyepigrams at 11:05 AM on November 2

I can’t speak to the polish side of things, but as a lifelong cuticle-picker I’ve got a lot of empathy for the weak/brittle issue you’re dealing with. The advice is always pretty simple - use cuticle oil or cuticle cream, push back cuticles with an orange stick, etc. - but I’ve never been able to get in the habit.

This past year I came across r/calmhands, a subreddit for folks who are struggling with biting/picking, and a huge number of people recommended a YouTube account called The Salon Life. Somehow, her way of presenting that same old advice has really helped me. She recommends a really simple routine for folks who are trying to regrow nails - a small amount of nail oil a few times each day, using a tiny bit of Kerasal on cuticles every night, cuticle remover and gently pushing back cuticles once a week.

I learned about nail oil pens from her: they have a little paintbrush-like tip that allows you to dab the tiniest bit on each nail. One of the reasons I’ve avoided nail oil in the past is that droppers or rollers dispense so much oil that my hands would get greasy, making it hard to type or open doors or do anything, really. With a little tiny dab from a nail oil pen, and an oil that’s mostly jojoba, I can work it into my skin/nail surface pretty quickly, and don’t get left with greasy fingers. They’re also easy to carry around in a bag or backpack (though be warned that they can leak on planes!). Bliss Kiss is a super-popular brand that sells pre-filled pens, but I think there are lots of options.
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 11:06 AM on November 2

Also, when I did try for a hot minute to polish my nails and struggled with drying times and smudging/wrinkling, I came across advice online recommending a drop of oil, any kind (apparently, some of the solvents in polish are oil-soluble). I never actually timed the drying process, but a drop of jojoba-based nail oil always seemed to make my janky polish jobs dry in less time, with the added bonus of helping my cuticles.
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 11:17 AM on November 2

I love Dazzle Dry! I only paint my toes but it lasts 3-4 weeks on them.
posted by beyond_pink at 4:51 PM on November 2