Transparency Contact For UK nail techs

Written for UK nail techs

Professional nail products, ranked for UK nail techs.

UK comparisons of professional nail products: builder gels, bases, top coats, gel polish, lamps, e-files and dust extraction, with GBP prices checked on UK retailers.

See the comparisons This month’s top picks

14 categories · 70 products · GBP prices checked on UK retailers

Comparisons

Pick a category

Builder gels Overlays, strength and extensions in a bottle or pot. HEMA-free builder gels Builder gels made without HEMA, checked against their ingredients. Top coats Shine, seal and the finish the client actually sees. Base coats Adhesion, and everything else depends on it. Rubber base gels Flexible strength for thin and bendy nails. Gel nail polish Colour that covers in two coats and holds three weeks. HEMA-free gel polish Colour ranges made without HEMA, checked against their ingredients. Nail primers The step that fixes lifting on difficult nails. Nail dehydrators The prep step that takes oil off the plate before primer. Nail lamps Even curing, every finger, all day. Electric nail files Removals, prep and cuticle work without the hand fatigue. Polygel and acrygel The strength of acrylic without the liquid or the smell. Nail drill bits The right material and grit for each stage of the set. Nail dust collectors Capturing the dust before you breathe it.

Our method

How this site works

  1. We set the criteria first

    Every comparison page lists the criteria it ranks on, from cost per millilitre to published formulation and UK stock. The same criteria are applied to every product on the page, ours included.

  2. We check UK prices and stock

    Prices are taken from UK retailers, converted to include VAT where a trade supplier shows them without, and dated. Where something was out of stock on the day, we say so.

  3. You decide in a couple of minutes

    A direct answer at the top, five products, a side-by-side table and a short buying guide. Built to be read on a phone between clients.

Read how we rank

Guides

The latest guides

Plain, practical explanations of the decisions behind the products.

Guide How to choose a builder gel Viscosity, cure time, removal method and cost per ml: the things that actually decide whether a builder gel suits the way you work. Guide How to choose a gel top coat No-wipe or wipe, soak-off or file-off, and why the shine goes flat: how to pick a top coat that holds up for three weeks. Guide Base coat vs rubber base: what is the difference? One is a thin adhesion layer, the other adds flexible structure. When to reach for each, and when neither is the answer.

See all guides

FAQ

Four questions, answered straight

What is Nail Tech Guide?

Nail Tech Guide compares professional nail products sold in the UK: builder gel, base and top coats, rubber base, gel polish, primer, nail lamps, e-files, drill bits, polygel and dust extraction. Every price is in pounds, includes VAT, and is checked on a UK retailer on a stated date.

How are the rankings put together?

By desk research, not lab testing. For each category we set out the criteria on the page, compare what the brands publish against them, check the price and stock on UK retailers, and rank on that basis. We do not claim to have tested these products ourselves, because we have not.

Is Nail Tech Guide independent?

Yes. No brand sponsors this site, no brand has paid to appear in a ranking or to move up one, and none of our outbound links is paid. We are not a shop and we take no commission when you buy. Our transparency page sets out exactly how the rankings are decided and how prices are verified.

Who are the comparisons written for?

Qualified nail techs working in salons, from home or mobile, and anyone trained who is buying professional kit. Where a product is really a consumer one, we label it as such rather than pretending otherwise.