I tried doing my own gel manicure at home with a $38 kit. Some people would love this, but I’d rather pay more for a professional set.

• I get my nails done every month and have tried everything from Gel-X to Russian manicures.
• I’ve never done my own gel manicure at home, though, so I was excited to try it.
• Le Mini Macaron’s gel-manicure kit was only $38, but I felt using it required a lot of work.

Although I’m well-versed in getting my nails professionally manicured — I go every month and have tried everything from Russian manicures to artful press-on sets — I’ve never done my own gel polish.

If you’re on my side of TikTok, you may have also been scared away from doing it yourself for fear of developing a gel allergy or contact dermatitis from improper technique.

Many gel polishes contain reactive ingredients that can cause irritation if absorbed into the skin.

To shake off my hesitations, I spoke with Christina Kao, the cofounder of Le Mini Macaron, about best practices before using the company’s at-home kit.

Here’s how my first gel manicure at home went.