Six years ago, my husband said to me, “Maybe one day you could start your own nail business.”
That one comment is actually what got me into the nail industry.
Not long after that, I got my nail technician license and started working professionally. I eventually moved on to a different business, but I never really stopped doing nails. I still do my own nails at home, and it’s something I genuinely enjoy.
My setup is obviously a little different now than it was when I was working as a nail technician. I’m only doing my own nails, so I don’t need a full professional station at home.
At the same time, I’m probably more particular about what I use because I’ve worked with so many nail products and tools before.
And nail products have changed a lot.
There are so many more options now than there were when I was working in the industry. New gel brands, cordless tools, lamps, drills — there’s always something newer to try.
I’ve tried plenty of them over the years, but I’ve also realized that newer doesn’t automatically mean I need to replace something that already works.
These are the products and tools that have actually stayed in my at-home nail setup.
The Base & Top Gel I Keep Coming Back To
G-Jelly Base Gel
G-Jelly is probably one of the products in my setup that I would have the hardest time replacing.
I’ve tried different base gels over the years, but I always seem to come back to this one. It applies smoothly, it’s easy for me to control, and I’ve had really good results with adhesion.
There are definitely more base gels available now than when I first started working in nails, including plenty of newer Korean brands. But so far, I haven’t found one that gives me a reason to stop using G-Jelly.
Last year, I went to a nail salon while I was visiting Korea and noticed G-Jelly sitting there.
I recognized it immediately because I already had the same product at home.
I remember thinking, Oh, they still use this too.
Of course, seeing it at one salon doesn’t mean everyone in Korea uses it. I just thought it was funny to see one of my longtime products sitting in a professional nail salon thousands of miles from home.
I’ve used it for a long time, it works for the way I do my nails, and that’s really why I continue buying it.
OPER Top Gel
If G-Jelly is the base gel I keep going back to, OPER is the top gel that has stayed with it.
I’m pretty picky about the final finish of my nails. I like a really clean, glossy finish, and OPER consistently gives me the look I want.
That shine is probably the main reason I keep buying it.
There are so many newer top gels available now, and I’ve tried other products over the years. I just haven’t found anything that makes me feel like I need to replace this one.
Funny enough, I also saw OPER being used at a nail salon when I visited Korea last year.
So there I was in Korea looking at both G-Jelly and OPER — two products I already had in my own nail setup at home.
I don’t really have a major downside to give for either of them. I’ve used them for a long time and haven’t had a reason to stop.
Sometimes that’s the whole review.
The Tools I Actually Use at Home
MelodySusie Nail Drill
I’ve had my MelodySusie nail drill for years.
There are much newer nail drills available now with different features and designs, but mine still does what I need it to do, so I’ve never felt much urgency to replace it.
It’s lightweight and comfortable for me to use, which matters when I’m sitting down to do my own nails.
Because I worked as a nail technician, using an e-file already feels very normal to me. At home, though, I mostly want something practical and reliable. I don’t need a huge professional setup when I’m only doing my own nails.
Mine has already proven itself by lasting this long.
One thing I would say if you’re completely new to doing your own nails is that the tool itself isn’t everything. Learning how to control an e-file safely matters much more than simply buying an expensive machine.
As long as this one keeps working, I’m going to keep using it.
Melodysusie Nail Drill https://amzn.to/4yN1Jwm
SUNUV UV/LED Nail Lamp
My SUNUV lamp is another tool that has been part of my setup for a long time.
Honestly, that’s probably the biggest compliment I can give a nail lamp.
I don’t want to think about my lamp every time I do my nails. I want to put my hand in, cure my gel, and move on to the next step.
This one has been reliable for me and cures my gel evenly, so I haven’t felt the need to constantly upgrade it.
There are so many nail lamps available online now, including very inexpensive ones, but this is one of those tools where I care much more about reliability than having the newest design.
Mine works. That’s what I need from it.
If it eventually stops working, SUNUV would still be one of the first brands I would look at for a replacement.
SUNUV UV/LED Nail Lamp on Amazonhttps://amzn.to/4AAUZDJ
MelodySusie Cordless Nail Dust Collector
A nail dust collector is one of those things that doesn’t seem very important until you’ve done enough filing at home.
Nail dust gets everywhere.
When I’m filing or using my nail drill, I’d much rather have most of that dust going into a collector than all over my table and everything around me.
I especially like having a cordless one.
When I do my nails, I already have my lamp, drill, gel bottles, files and everything else sitting around me. Not having another cord running across the table makes the whole setup a little easier.
For the way I use it at home, the suction has been enough and I haven’t had any major issues with it.
Do you absolutely need a dust collector if you only do your nails occasionally? Probably not.
But if you regularly do gel nails at home and use an e-file, it’s one of those things that makes the process a lot cleaner and more comfortable.
MelodySusie Cordless Nail Dust Collector on Amazonhttps://amzn.to/4xL09dE
Blue Cross Cuticle Remover
This might be the least exciting thing in my setup.
But I’ve used it forever.
Blue Cross is one of those simple products that does what I need it to do, so I’ve never really felt the need to search for a fancy replacement.
I use a small amount around the cuticle area to help soften the dead cuticle before cleaning everything up.
That’s pretty much it.
There are newer cuticle products with prettier bottles and nicer packaging, but this is exactly the kind of product that reminds me why I don’t automatically replace something just because a newer version exists.
If it works, it works.
Blue Cross Cuticle Remover on Amazonhttps://amzn.to/4hbKVcI
What Working as a Nail Technician Changed About the Way I Shop
I think I buy nail products very differently now than I did when I first got into nails.
There was a time when I wanted to try everything.
Now I’m much more interested in finding something that works and keeping it.
For my own nails, a reliable base and top gel matter more to me than having a huge collection of products I barely use. I want a lamp I can trust, a drill that feels comfortable in my hand, and tools that make doing my nails at home easier.
I also don’t think you necessarily need to replace your tools every time a newer model comes out.
There are definitely products available today that weren’t around when I worked as a nail technician, and I’m sure some of them are amazing.
I still like trying new things.
But if something I’ve owned for years continues to work exactly the way I want it to, I’m perfectly happy to keep using it.
Final Thoughts
It’s funny to think that I originally got into nails because of one random comment from my husband.
I don’t work as a nail technician anymore, but I’m still glad I learned how to do nails professionally. It’s a skill I’ve continued using for myself all these years later.
My nail setup is much simpler now than it was when I was working.
I try new products when something genuinely interests me, but I don’t feel like I need to replace everything just because something newer comes along.
G-Jelly and OPER are probably the best examples of that for me. Even with all the newer nail products available today, they’re still in my routine. Seeing both of them at a nail salon when I visited Korea last year was just a fun little surprise.
And the same goes for my tools.
If my drill still works, I use it. If my lamp still cures my gel the way I want, I keep it. If a simple cuticle remover has worked for me for years, I’m not replacing it just because the bottle isn’t cute.
My setup will probably change over time.
But for now, this is what has actually stayed.
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