7 DIY manicure kits that are worth your money in 2025.

I need to talk immediately about Ezmio. This Australian-founded company is the brainchild of four fab female founders, and their at-home manicure range is truly *chef’s kiss*. There’s the Gel Builder Polish, which is a thicker formula that smooths ridges, helps prevent breakage, promotes nail growth and gives that builder-in-a-bottle (AKA BIAB nails) vibe. Plus, their signature One Step Gel is a standout – it doesn’t require base or top coat (ideal for anyone in a hurry, which is approximately everyone). It’s also vegan, cruelty-free, and free from 12 harmful chemicals commonly found in nail polish and makeup.

Both of these premium polishes are available as part of their Basic Starter Kit – which yes, is currently on sale, meaning by the time you’ve done your own nails 10 times, you’ve landed yourself a $13 manicure, my friend! Not bad girl maths, hey?

Okay but have you tried gel nail wraps? Because this is one of those beauty inventions that is actually somewhat life-changing. Semi-cured gel wraps are exactly that – a gel polish formula that has been semi-cured, ready for you to peel off, wrap over your nail, trim the excess, and finish curing with a UV light.

Can confirm: it’s quite possibly the absolute easiest way in the world to score yourself a gel manicure at home, zero smudges and spills guaranteed. You will need a UV curing lamp for these bad boys, though – which you can grab right here.

Does a two-pack count as a nail kit? I think so! Sally Hansen Miracle Gel has been around for a long time, and for good reason.

As the name suggests, it delivers a gel-like mani, but without the need for curing lamps. Nope, the light of the sun is enough to dry this formula – so it isn’t quite as instant as a proper gel mani, but an easy, affordable option for your DIY manicure.

You don’t even need a base coat for this product pairing – just swipe on two coats of polish, let it dry for five minutes, and seal with the Miracle Gel Top Coat. We love a quickie!

You’d be hard-pressed to find a mani anywhere for $12, and with this cute kit, you could have a bunch of them. The OXX Gel Polish Kit comes with the USB-rechargable UV curing lamp, one very pretty shade of polish (Dusky Pink), a cuticle stick and a nail file, which is everything you need to achieve premium nails at home.

Sure, the UV lamp is small – one-finger-at-a-time small – but hey, for that price, who’s complaining? And if the colour’s not your vibe, no biggie – you can pick up more OXX Cosmetics UV Gel Nail Polish shades for $6 each.

One for the maximalists and and the glitter girlies, the Sistaco Trial Kit lets you play around with their iconic Mineral Bond System in cute minis so you can get a feel for their clever powder-based formula before going all in. And yes, you’ll want to, because this system makes a DIY manicure that looks like you’ve been to the salon easy.

The how-to is simple: You paint on abase coat, cure it, then buff the coloured powder onto the nail, before sealing it all in with a top coat (and another blitz under the curing lamp). Is it magic? Quite possibly! The trial kit includes their cult Rose Gold Holographic powder, which will have you staring at your nails nonstop, plus a lamp, base/top coats, remover, and applicator.

Speaking of as-easy-as-it-gets… do you know just how far press-on nails have come since the nineties and noughties?

*Grabs you by the shoulders and shakes gently* These are not the fakies of your youth!!

Iconic nail brand O.P.I’s XPress/On press-ons give you literal flawless, glossy nails in under five minutes flat — no glue, no UV, no patience, and practically no effort required. Better yet, they’re strong, comfy, and shockingly natural-looking. Great for commitment-phobes or anyone who likes to change their nails as often as their outfits, and a full set costs less than a cocktail. What a winner.

If the endless dry time of classic nail polish is your nemesis, same. Dazzle Dry is a four-step system that nixes this particular problem, gives you glossy, chip-resistant nails without needing a UV lamp – and they dry in five minutes. Literally. FIVE. MINUTES. Hundreds of positive reviews online can’t be wrong, and these polishes are it if you want a quick, lamp-free option.

The formulas are vegan, non-toxic, and are created to help your nails get healthier over time, which is a big bonus; and the shades in the range are super chic (hello, Prima Ballerina). It’s $99 for the Trial Set, but think of how many overpriced salon manis you’ll skip.