Unless I get the most perfectly applied prep, an at-home manicure never lasts past 3 days without chipping or peeling off. It’s frustrating! That’s why I’ve thrown out all my regular polish and become a full-time gel-polish convert. When they first came out a few years ago, they were only available in salons (the CND brand). Then, brands started making at-home versions that included a lamp to cure the polish. Ok, getting better, but now we have a handful of brands that have gel polishes that don’t require a UV lamp to cure. Some need a topcoat, some do not , so I put an asterisk next to the ones below that require you to use more than one product, like a base coat/primer and/or top coat, with it.

Are you going to join the “throw-your-regular-polishes-out” movement?

1. SALLY HANSEN Miracle Gel Nail Color shown here in Throwing Shade - $9.99 @ ulta.com.

2. *L’OREAL Extraordinaire Gel-Lacque 1-2-3 Nail Color shown here in Decadent Indulgence - $7.99 @ lorealparis.com. 

3. COVERGIRL XL Nail Gel shown here in Rotund Raspberry - $7.49 @ covergirl.com and walgreens.com. 

4. *CND Vinylux Weekly Polish shown here in Pretty Poison - $9.95 @ ulta.com.

5. NAILS INC. LONDON Gel Effect Polish shown here in Kensington High Street - $14 @ nailsinc.com.

6. *REVLON Colorstay Gel Envy Nail Enamel shown here in Wild Card - $7.99 @ ulta.com.