Want to Try a DIY Gel Manicure? I Got Everything I Needed For Less on Amazon

I looked at a variety of high- and low-end UV lamps, and this seemed to give customers the most bang for their buck. The Uming UV Nail Lamp has a solid five-star rating, since unfortunately that lamp is unavailable in the UK, the LKE Professional UV LED Gel Nail Lamp Polish Curing Dryer (£21) is similar in its properties and has a four and a half star rating. It has 10-, 30-, or 60-second intervals.

I put a lot of thought into which polish to buy. Out of all the brands I've selected during in-salon manicures, I've never found a discernible difference in quality when it comes to gel polish. After scoping out a variety of sets at various price points, I settled on the Coscelia 8 Colours Gel Nail Polish Set (£7), which has four and a half stars and features several options for colour combinations. This set seemed very Autumn-friendly, and I can confirm that they're all very flattering in real life, too.

Think of the Mylee Nail Gel Polish Prep Wipe + Remover Cleanser (£10) as the bookends to your manicure. You need the remover to take off your previous polish, and the cleanser is to swipe on after your topcoat. Your nails will be sticky even after you've cured your final coat under the UV lamp, so this will make them nice and shiny.