Gel manicures are all the rage at salons everywhere because of their durability and speedy drying time, not to mention the fact that they're less damaging than acrylics. But you don't have to shell out the $30 or more every two weeks for a pro job. Beauty stores like Ulta now carry the gel polish and equipment needed to get a fast, flawless gel manicure at home. The Red Carpet Manicure line offers a base coat, tons of gorgeous colors and a top coat, plus a special remover that quickly takes off the polish. And that LED light from the salon hasn't been forgotten. The line offers one for just $20 and a "Pro" version - which is stronger - for $36. The light is used after each coat of polish to "cure" it and dry it almost instantly.
For an investment of about $75 - depending on how many polishes you have to have! - you can treat yourself to multiple gel manicures. If you don't want to invest in the special curing light, no worries. You can opt for NutraNail's line of GelPerfect polish. It uses a hybrid formula that sets in just 5 minutes, according to the company Web site, and there are a dozen colors so far to choose from. The application might take a little more time, but you'll get that shiny, hard finish of a gel manicure. The four-step process involves using an activator, color, more activator, and repeating the color, plus a topcoat, while dousing the used brushes in a special cleaner between coats. But again, for a reasonable $12 per bottle, you can't beat the deal.