Let’s be honest—getting your nails done is a whole financial commitment. You walk into the salon thinking, “Just a simple set today,” and somehow leave $100 lighter, wondering how a few coats of polish turned into a luxury expense.
But what if I told you that you could get salon-quality nails at home—without the biweekly drain on your bank account? Enter the world of DIY nails, where you can achieve flawless Gel X extensions, perfect gel manicures, and even intricate nail art without spending a fortune.
For myself, doing my nails started in my second half of high school. I used to bite my nails and I figured out that painting my nails with regular polish seemed to deter me from biting them. That then rolled into gel polish and then eventually acrylic sets (which then damaged my natural nails from the over filing of my nail bed and the harsh acrylic chemicals). Recently I realized just how costly my mani pedi’s were becoming on top of what I previously mentioned. My average trip to the salon was around almost $300 every month for a full set of acrylic nails or a fill plus a gel pedicure. I didn’t want to give up the salon quality look but also knew I couldn’t carry on spending SO much per month on my nails. So after a ton of extensive research I came across the Una Gella Gel X nail system and it has seriously forever changed my life!
You may be thinking, “I’m not a nail professional, I have no idea how to do my own nails!” Trust me, if you’ve gotten your nails done professionally even a handful of times, you know more than you think! Plus, practice makes perfect! There are tons of online tutorials on how to do this, research it and see if it’s the right fit for you!
Let’s break down how much you’re really spending at the salon, how much you could save by switching to at-home nails, and the best products to get started—including the Una Gella Gel X system (that I currently use and love!) that’s changing the game.
💰 The Cost of Salon Nails vs. DIY Nails
Salon Prices in 2025
According to industry reports, the average price for a full set of gel acrylics at a salon is $70-$85, with fills costing around $55. If you’re getting biweekly fills, that’s $1,430-$2,000 per year depending on salon and location—and that’s before being upsold on a pedicure, adding nail art, repairs, or tipping your nail tech.
DIY Nails: The Cost Breakdown
Switching to at-home nails means a one-time investment in tools, but the savings add up fast.
- Una Gella Gel X Starter Kit – $77.88
- UV/LED Nail Lamp (MelodySusie 48W) – $79.99
- Rechargeable Nail Drill (MelodySusie) – $39.99
- Gel Nail Polish Set (Variety of Brands) – $20-$50
- Nail Prep Tools (Buffers, Cuticle Pushers, etc.) – $15-$30
💡 Total DIY Starter Cost: Around $250
After the initial setup, refills and polish changes cost next to nothing—meaning you could save over $1,000 per year just by switching to DIY nails.
✨ The Best At-Home Nail Products for Salon-Quality Results
Gel X Nail Extensions: Una Gella Gel X Kit
💰 Price: $77.88 Una Gella’s Gel X system gives you long-lasting, lightweight extensions that look just like salon acrylics—but without the harsh chemicals or damage.
The items I personally use from Una Gella are the long coffin nail tips (this is the shape I like best on my hands but they have many others to choose from) and their nail glue gel. I started doing my nails with these a few months ago and I’ve done probably about 10 sets and I am just now purchasing my very first replacement kit for the nails tips I use! Talk about value for your money! $12 for the tips and I got TEN sets out of them!
UV/LED Nail Lamps
💰 Best Professional Option: MelodySusie 48W – $79.99 (this is not the one I personally use, but based on reviews and wattage, it should be sufficient) 💡 Why You Need It: Gel polish AND the Una Gella Nail Glue Gel WON’T cure without UV light, so a good lamp is essential for long-lasting results.
This section doesn’t have a budget option because the cheap little UV lights you see on Amazon or TikTok shop WILL NOT correctly cure your nails if they aren’t a strong enough wattage. I saw tons of reviews on TikTok stating that the Una Gella system doesn’t work and their glue never stuck down and the nails just kept sliding off their fingers. Either they weren’t curing the nails with the glue at all or the light was simply not strong enough. This is the thing that I recommend reading reviews for and opting for a stronger more expensive light to ensure your nails and the polish cure correctly. The one I use is from DND Gel and it was $160 dollars but is a professional LED UV lamp with 36 Watt output. It works perfectly and I’ve already recouped the money I put into purchasing it one time, ten times over!
Nail Drills (Dremels) for Shaping & Prep
💰 Best Cordless Option: MelodySusie Rechargeable Nail Drill – $39.99 💰 Best High-Power Option: DORAGYM 66W Nail Drill – $49.99 💡 Why You Need It: A nail drill makes prep easier, ensuring smooth application and long-lasting wear.
Things to be aware of for dremels (PLEASE READ REVIEWS AND DO YOUR RESEARCH). Unfortunately all dremels are not created equal. These tools have a motor that run them and if they are cheaply made the motor will die. This is another product I recommend purchasing a more expensive option with better reviews. This will ensure you aren’t having to buy 3 or 4 dremels because they keep breaking on you.
Gel Colors, Base & Top Coats
💰 Best Affordable Gel Polish Set: $20-$50 💰 Best Long-Lasting Top Coat: $10-$15 💡 Why You Need It: Gel polish lasts weeks, giving you chip-free, salon-quality nails at home.
I personally use Kiara Sky and DND Gel (professional brands you can buy on their websites) for all my polish needs! They both have fantastic quality products! My perfect combo so far has been Kiara Sky primer and top coat combined with a DND Gel color. It creates a a very smooth and easy surface to work with. The DND Gel base & top coat were a little too thick for me and it didn’t create the look I was going for but you live and you learn! The average prices for DND ($10 for Gel only and $12 for both gel and regular polish, sometimes there are sales that end up making the polish $4 to $6 instead!) Kiara Sky is a bit higher averaging around $13 per gel polish but think about how many uses you’ll be getting out of them!
Essential Nail Prep Tools
💰 Cuticle Pushers, Buffers, Nail Files: $15-$30 💡 Why You Need It: Proper prep = longer-lasting nails.
The tools I use most besides my dremel, are cuticle clippers (for trimming cuticles as well as trimming the sides of the plastic nail to get my desired shape), Kiara Sky 80/100 grit nail file, cuticle pusher, and of course cuticle oil! These have little to no immediate replacement need. The only thing you’ll need more of eventually are dremel tips which are incredibly cheap to replace.
💅 Why DIY Nails Are the Future
Switching to at-home nails isn’t just about saving money—it’s about taking control of your beauty routine. No more waiting for appointments, no more rushed salon visits, and no more overpriced fills.
Plus, there’s something weirdly therapeutic about doing your own nails—it’s creative, relaxing, and gives you full control over your style.
So whether you’re perfecting your Gel X technique, experimenting with nail art, or just trying to cut costs, DIY nails are the ultimate beauty hack.
