Skip the Salon: How At-Home Gel Nails Can Save You Thousands

  • 6 min read

Tired of shelling out a small fortune every two-three weeks just to maintain your perfectly polished nails? If you’re feeling the pinch, look no further than at-home gel manicures. Not only are they convenient, long-lasting and fully customisable, but they also save you a tonne of money.

Let’s break down exactly how much you can expect to save by doing your own gel nails at home with Gelous, and why an at-home gel nail kit is a smart investment for your beauty routine.

The Cost of Nail Salon Visits

Let’s face it, gel manicures from a salon can cost a pretty penny. Having surveyed 10 nail salons in our area, the average cost of a gel manicure with removal sits around $65 - ranging from $45 to $90 or more. When visiting the salon every two weeks to keep your set looking fresh, this cost quickly adds up to leave you out of pocket by over $1600 a year. That’s not even taking into account any additional charges for nail art, treatments or special polishes such as Builder Gel to help strengthen and lengthen the nails. It’s obvious that the expense of salon gel manicures can become too great, but fortunately, there’s a more cost-effective solution that still promises a flawless gel manicure every time - Gelous at-home gel nail kits.

Salon Name

Gel Manicure & Removal Cost

Satomi Nails $90 NZD
ProfessioNail $45 NZD
The Art of Nails $70 NZD
Nail Garden $50 NZD
The Beauty Merchant $75 NZD
The Nail Studio $90 NZD
Bon Nail & Spa $75 NZD
Fearless Beauty $45 NZD
STJ Fashion $55 NZD
Icandy Nails $50 NZD
Average Cost $64.50 NZD

Prices accurate as at the publishing date.

The Cost of a Gelous At-Home Gel Nail Kit

With a Gelous Gel Nail Kit, you can achieve the same stunning, salon-quality result at a fraction of the cost. Gelous’ affordable, all-inclusive Starter Kits come with everything you need to create flawless manicures in the comfort of your own home, including a Base Coat, Top Coat, Colour Coat of your choice, UV/LED Gel Nail Lamp, Nail File, Orangewood Cuticle Sticks, Cuticle Oil, Lint Free Wipes and Manicure Removal Clips. Add on an acetone-based remover for an extra $18, and you’ll pay just $158 all up. While the initial investment may seem higher compared to a single salon visit, this kit is designed to create multiple manicures, giving you far more bang for your buck. With each polish lasting for around 40 manicures, each Gelous gel manicure will cost you around $3.95. That’s over 16 at-home manicures for the price of one salon appointment.

Cost per Manicure

Cost per Gel Manicure - Gelous At-Home Kit vs. Auckland, New Zealand Salons

Prices accurate as at the publishing date.

Just How Much Money Will I Save With a Gelous At-Home Gel Nail Kit?

Let’s break it down. If you’re heading to the salon every two weeks for your gel manicures, you’ll be spending around $1700 a year on your nails - at least. If you invest in a Gelous Gel Nail Kit for around $158, you’ll save well over $1000 in just one year, even when purchasing additional Gel Nail Polish and Remover as desired. That’s a lot of money that you could put towards other things you love, all the while still enjoying gorgeous nails.

With each Gelous Gel Nail Polish lasting around 40 manicures, the initial cost of the Starter Kit quickly pays for itself. Creating 40 flawless manicures for the price of just 2-3 salon visits, your kit doesn’t stop there, instead promising to create thousands more stunning sets with the Gelous UV/LED Lamp boasting up to 50,000 hours of use. Meanwhile, 40 gel manicures at a salon will leave you over $2500 out of pocket, with this number only rising every two weeks. By using a Gelous at-home gel nail solution, you’ll save all this and more. With a Gelous Starter Kit, you only need to purchase additional Gel Nail Polish, Remover, and Tools when necessary, so once you've made the initial investment, your ongoing costs are minimal. Think about it, what would you do with the thousands of dollars you’d save?

If you're looking to save money in the long run without sacrificing quality, Gelous' at-home Gel Nail Kits are the way to go.

Cost of 40 Manicures

Cost of 40 Gel Manicures - Gelous At-Home Kit vs. Auckland, New Zealand Salons

Prices accurate as at the publishing date.

Is It Hard to Do Your Own Gel Manicure? Will My Nails Look as Good as the Salon?

While going from getting gel manicures at a salon to doing them at home may seem daunting, it's actually quite easy once you get the hang of it. You don't need to be a professional to achieve a salon-quality result! With the right tools, a bit of practice and some patience, you'll be able to create beautiful, long-lasting nails with ease. Applying Gel Nail Polish is just like applying regular polish, with the added step of using the UV/LED Lamp to harden the polish and give it its high-gloss finish.

Gelous makes doing your own gel manicure simple and stress-free with detailed instructions, video tutorials, blogs with expert advice, and a supportive Facebook community to guide you every step of the way. Plus we’re only a phone call, email or DM away. You’re sure to create stunning nails that rival those of a salon, there’s no need to feel intimidated!

Are There Any Other Pros of DIY Gel Nails?

Convenience

No more scheduling appointments and rearranging your day to fit in a salon visit - with Gelous' at-home Gel Nail Kits, you can do your nails from the comfort of your own home whenever it suits you. Whether that’s around your working hours, in between your children’s nap schedules, or even at the last minute before an event, you can’t beat the convenience of DIY gel nails.

Creativity

Unlike nail salons, where you may have limited options for nail art or be charged extra for certain designs or colours, doing your own gel nails offers you the freedom to fully express your creativity and customise your manicure to your liking. You can mix and match colours to your heart’s content, experiment with different designs and create unique looks that perfectly match your style. Want to try out that trending nail art you saw on Instagram? Go for it. Gelous makes sure you’re confident in doing so, with hundreds of Nail Art Tutorials to polish up your skills, a well-loved collection of easy-to-use Tools, and a wide range of beginner-friendly Nail Art Polishes and Decals. With Gelous, it’s never been so easy and cost-effective to get creative. By doing your own gel manicures, you’re free to create custom looks that are uniquely yours, the possibilities are endless - and they won’t break the bank.

Control

Taking control of the ingredients in your beauty routine is essential, particularly if you have sensitivities or allergies. By doing your own gel nails, you have complete control over the products and ingredients you use, allowing you to customise your nail care routine according to your unique needs. At Gelous, we understand the importance of clean and safe beauty. That's why our products are vegan, cruelty-free and 10-free, meaning they are free from 10 harmful chemicals commonly found in nail products such as formaldehyde, toluene, and DBP. By taking control of your nail care routine with a Gelous DIY Nail Kit, you can have peace of mind knowing that the products you’re using are safe and truly aligned with your personal values.

Gelous Vanilla Latte Gel Nail Polish - photographed in New Zealand on model

How Long Do At-Home Gel Nails Last?

With proper prep, application and aftercare, you can trust your Gelous at-home manicure to last for at least two weeks without any signs of fading, peeling or chipping. Matching the longevity of a salon manicure, by using the right products such as Builder Gel and Rubber Base Coat, your manicure is likely to last even longer. Plus, you'll have the added convenience of being able to touch up or redo your nails whenever you like without having to schedule and pay for another appointment. With Gelous’ easy-to-follow instructions and salon-quality formula, you can be confident your gel manicure will last when it matters most.

Switching from the nail salon to DIY Gelous gel manicures is a no-brainer if you want to save money without compromising on quality. With an easy-to-use, high-quality at-home Gel Nail Kit, you can say goodbye to the inconvenience and expense of regular nail salon visits, and hello to the freedom, flexibility and money-saving benefits of Gelous at-home gel nails. Experience the difference for yourself with a Gelous Gel Nail Polish Kit today - your wallet, and your nails will thank you for it.

Get your Gel Nail Polish and Gel Manicure Kits now, with free shipping on orders over $100 throughout New Zealand including Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Tauranga and more! We also ship throughout United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Europe and the rest of the world with free shipping available.