Beetles Gel Nail Polish Kit with U V Light -54 Pcs 32 Colors Gel Nail Set

Why it's worth it

A 54-piece gel kit with 32 colors, four topcoats, a base, a lamp and prep tools. It's the rare beginner set where every step you need is already in the box, and the instructions tell you the one thing most kits skip: dehydrate the nail first.

If you've never done gel and want one purchase to cover it, this is the one. You get 32 colors, a base coat, a no-wipe top, a matte top and a glitter top, plus 14 tools and a lamp. Nothing sends you back to the store mid-manicure. That matters more than it sounds — the most common way a first gel attempt fails is realizing halfway through that you're missing a step's worth of product.

The polish itself is the reason this kit keeps its reputation. Owners describe it as pigmented enough to cover in two thin coats, not streaky, and glossy after curing. Beetles's own guidance is blunt about prep: buff the surface, sides and edges until they're matte, wipe with a dehydrator, then cure each layer. Follow that and you'll get the two-plus weeks people report. Skip it and you'll get lifting.

From our review of 10 nail care kits for home manicures, by Sarah Wright, Editorial Associate

What we like

• +If you've never done gel and want one purchase to cover it, this is the one
• +The polish itself is the reason this kit keeps its reputation
• +The lamp is the compromise
• +This also lands well as a gift, which is how a lot of these get bought

What to know

• –The color range is what it is
• –Removal is the traditional soak-off routine — acetone, cotton, foil wraps, fifteen minutes of sitting still