My $38 kit included a macaron-shaped LED lamp with a USB cord, a blue shade of three-in-one gel polish, a cuticle stick, a nail file, and 10 gel-remover wraps.

I easily spend hundreds of dollars a month to do my nails, so this bundle felt like a steal.

Before diving in, I asked Kao for her best tips.

To start, she recommended I file my nail surfaces and wipe them to remove dust or oils to ensure my nails are properly prepped.

Le Mini Macaron sells special alcohol-based nail cleanser prep pads that can help with this, but they don't come with the kit. The wipe-looking product I got is actually a gel-polish remover for taking the manicure off.

Instead, I swiped an acetone-free polish remover down each nail, which is supposed to help the gel polish adhere better.

Next, I was ready to apply my polish.

Kao also said the polish bottle should be rolled, not shaken, before use to avoid making any air bubbles in its thick texture, so I tried to keep that in mind throughout the process.

I quickly realized my hands were not made for performing professional manicures — that much was evident after my first attempt at applying the polish.

I got it on my fingers a few times and was a little worried, but Kao said I just had to make sure I cleaned any polish off my skin before curing. So, I did.

After a few tries, I also got my application method down.

The instructions explicitly said that the first layer of polish should be very thin. I applied a light coat on one nail before putting it under the LED lamp and repeated that process 10 times.

The lamp in my kit only had one button, which activates the light for 30 seconds to cure the polish. It conveniently shut off automatically when it was finished.

She recommends running a cuticle stick along the edge of your nails before turning on the light. Then, be sure to cure the gel completely — about 30 seconds under the little LED lamp.

I knew my nails were weaker and more sensitive because I felt a light burning sensation when I cured the gel, which some refer to as a heat spike.

This heat sensitivity is usually indicative of damage to the nail plate and can compromise a manicure's longevity.

After all that work, it barely looked like I had any polish on my nails.

I get gel manicures often enough to know that the first coat never looks like the final product, so I wasn't worried.

I followed that same process with a thicker second layer of polish. The barely-there blue became a beautiful pop of color with a glossy finish.

The three-in-one polish doesn't require a top coat, and I didn't buy one, so once each nail was painted and cured, my manicure was done. The entire process took me about an hour.

My application wasn't perfect, but I was happy with the results.

I was also surprised at how relaxed I felt during the manicure. This kit was perfect for a novice like me — I felt my confidence grow throughout the process.

The Le Mini Macaron website said the gel polish can last up to two weeks. Unfortunately, by the time I was halfway through a five-day trip abroad, I noticed a few significant chips.

I made an effort to be a little more gentle with this manicure, but I guess some combination of my nail damage and newbie skills cut the longevity short.

Despite a few chips, my manicure looked pretty good.

The small kit is also quite travel-friendly. The light could be plugged into a computer or portable charger for applying touch-ups as needed.

However, my touch-up attempts looked bumpy or raised when I was trying to fix a small chip by adding more polish. I found it easier to remove the polish from my nail entirely and go through the application process anew.

Putting my already damaged nails through that much didn't feel sustainable for me. I'd rather pay more for a professional manicure I know will last three to four weeks.

That said, this kit could be great for beginners or those looking to experiment with new nail techniques.

I'm also interested in attempting an at-home gel pedicure since the lamp has a detachable top. Since I don't care as much about chipped toenails, that might be my money-saving hack.

My $38 kit included a macaron-shaped LED lamp with a USB cord, a blue shade of three-in-one gel polish, a cuticle stick, a nail file, and 10 gel-remover wraps.

I easily spend hundreds of dollars a month to do my nails, so this bundle felt like a steal.

Before diving in, I asked Kao for her best tips.

To start, she recommended I file my nail surfaces and wipe them to remove dust or oils to ensure my nails are properly prepped.

Le Mini Macaron sells special alcohol-based nail cleanser prep pads that can help with this, but they don't come with the kit. The wipe-looking product I got is actually a gel-polish remover for taking the manicure off.

Instead, I swiped an acetone-free polish remover down each nail, which is supposed to help the gel polish adhere better.

Next, I was ready to apply my polish.

Kao also said the polish bottle should be rolled, not shaken, before use to avoid making any air bubbles in its thick texture, so I tried to keep that in mind throughout the process.

I quickly realized my hands were not made for performing professional manicures — that much was evident after my first attempt at applying the polish.

I got it on my fingers a few times and was a little worried, but Kao said I just had to make sure I cleaned any polish off my skin before curing. So, I did.

After a few tries, I also got my application method down.

The instructions explicitly said that the first layer of polish should be very thin. I applied a light coat on one nail before putting it under the LED lamp and repeated that process 10 times.

The lamp in my kit only had one button, which activates the light for 30 seconds to cure the polish. It conveniently shut off automatically when it was finished.

She recommends running a cuticle stick along the edge of your nails before turning on the light. Then, be sure to cure the gel completely — about 30 seconds under the little LED lamp.

I knew my nails were weaker and more sensitive because I felt a light burning sensation when I cured the gel, which some refer to as a heat spike.

This heat sensitivity is usually indicative of damage to the nail plate and can compromise a manicure's longevity.

After all that work, it barely looked like I had any polish on my nails.

I get gel manicures often enough to know that the first coat never looks like the final product, so I wasn't worried.

I followed that same process with a thicker second layer of polish. The barely-there blue became a beautiful pop of color with a glossy finish.

The three-in-one polish doesn't require a top coat, and I didn't buy one, so once each nail was painted and cured, my manicure was done. The entire process took me about an hour.

My application wasn't perfect, but I was happy with the results.

I was also surprised at how relaxed I felt during the manicure. This kit was perfect for a novice like me — I felt my confidence grow throughout the process.

The Le Mini Macaron website said the gel polish can last up to two weeks. Unfortunately, by the time I was halfway through a five-day trip abroad, I noticed a few significant chips.

I made an effort to be a little more gentle with this manicure, but I guess some combination of my nail damage and newbie skills cut the longevity short.

Despite a few chips, my manicure looked pretty good.

The small kit is also quite travel-friendly. The light could be plugged into a computer or portable charger for applying touch-ups as needed.

However, my touch-up attempts looked bumpy or raised when I was trying to fix a small chip by adding more polish. I found it easier to remove the polish from my nail entirely and go through the application process anew.

Putting my already damaged nails through that much didn't feel sustainable for me. I'd rather pay more for a professional manicure I know will last three to four weeks.

That said, this kit could be great for beginners or those looking to experiment with new nail techniques.

I'm also interested in attempting an at-home gel pedicure since the lamp has a detachable top. Since I don't care as much about chipped toenails, that might be my money-saving hack.

Nomundari Uuganbayar, the co-owner of Tokyo Nails in Chicago, said red is the people's choice right now.

Though it's a well-loved color all year, it's extra fun and festive around Christmas.

Uuganbayar recommends shades that have a vintage-red feel, like Big Apple Red from OPI.

Teresa "Tere" Rodriguez, a Chicago-based artist and licensed nail tech who specializes in gel extensions and structured manicures, said they've noticed clients tend to neglect nail maintenance in the winter.

Whether you're too busy or trying to save money, the nail tech recommends planning ahead of time and getting a shorter, almond-shaped manicure ahead of the season.

Compared to other styles — like coffin or stiletto nails — it tends to break less easily.

Uuganbayar suggested looking into dark colors, specifically wine, burgundy, and (especially) navy blue.

Lincoln Park After Dark by OPI is a prime example, reminiscent of the dark winter sky.

Rodriguez also said they've seen clientele trade in pinks and nudes for darker shades.

Jenny Duranski, the founder of Chicago-based salon Lena Rose, said people are still holding on to their glazed-doughnut nails — a trend made popular by Hailey Bieber.

"It's so universal and flattering on everybody," she told BI.

To achieve that pearlescent effect without dealing with tricky chrome powders, Duranski recommends the Heavenly Top Gelcoat from Aprés Nail, which offers undertones of gold, blue, pink, green, and purple.

Rodriguez and Uuganbayar both suggested going short for the winter, especially if you're preparing for holiday parties that require a lot of hands-on activities, like cooking.

Luckily, Duranski told BI that more nail techs are learning to apply fun designs on shorter lengths, offering some inclusivity to nail-art fads.

"There's still a misconception that if you have shorter nails, you can't get nail art, and that's absolutely not true," she said. "With longer nails, you can do a whole storyboard, which is fun. But on short nails, you can have quick hits of nail art."

Winter is a great opportunity to get festive with your sets. Consider ringing in the new year with sparkles.

"Glitter rules the holidays, especially New Year's," Duranski told BI.

Think gemstones, encapsulations, glitter gel, and glitter top coats.

If glitter doesn't fit the aesthetic of your cocktail dress, give gold chrome a whirl.

Uuganbayar suggested a gold-chrome French manicure with a few big stones across the set to make a statement at your next holiday party.

Dark-blue hues are in right now, and Uuganbayar said they make a great backdrop for ombré designs that mimic a snowstorm.

If you want to take your set a step further, try adding textured snowflakes for even more of a winter-wonderland feel.

There was an exception for "Brat" green this fall, but neons have been out of style for quite some time, and they're not coming back this winter.

However, Uuganbayar said the shade may be appropriate if you're going on a tropical destination trip with more summery vibes.

Sweater nails don't really fit in with this season's nail-art designs.

The textured trend incorporates 3D knit-like patterns on autumnal polishes.

"It's been done, and people are looking for something a little bit more artistic," Duranski said.

Line-heavy nail art had its fun in the sun, but now it's leaving the scene.

Uuganbayar told BI that she did a lot of line-work designs in her salon — especially with different shades of neon — this summer, but the technique has faded out of fashion for the winter.

After scouring online sources, from Instagram to Vogue articles, I came across Nail Club Paris, a New York-inspired salon that offers services including Gel-X and nail art.

Of all the ones I clicked through, I thought this salon's website was the easiest to navigate, and I particularly liked the aesthetic based on the photos.

I made my appointment online two weeks ahead of time. With the help of Google Translate (my grade-school French is quite rusty), I booked a spot for gel extensions and gel polish with a tortoiseshell French-manicure design.

Before getting into the review, I must admit to committing multiple nail offensives before and during this appointment.

I can blame my cold, the stress of traveling, or the confusion of acclimating to a new area, but I definitely should've known better.

My first sin was being about 15 minutes late. Usually, salons offer a grace period for tardiness, but I wasn't sure what timeframe applied to this salon.

I arrived with "Je suis désolé" ("I'm sorry") bubbling up my throat and explained, in English, how the traffic delayed me. Maëlle, my nail tech and the only employee in the salon when I arrived, reassured me and guided me to my seat.

The second sin was not booking a nail removal with my appointment. At the time, I was wearing professional press-on nails and assumed they would pop or fall off easily like the store-bought ones I'm used to.

Not booking the appropriate services can throw off a nail tech's entire schedule and create delays for future appointments.

Maëlle gave my press-ons a small tug and immediately reached for her nail drill. Though she was impressed by how sturdy they were, she was worried about how long the removal process would take because she had another appointment after mine.

Even with the language barrier, the anxiety was evident. I felt guilty for putting her in this position.

Maëlle's English was far better than my French, so we intermittently spoke about the politics in our respective countries and our admiration for nail art.

She proudly talked about the salon's New York loft theme, and I agreed that I saw the vision. The exposed brick and funky color palette felt like a subtle love letter to my home state.

As we settled in, Maëlle put on a Kali Uchis playlist and fell into a deep focus as she sang along to the Colombian artist's lyrics. Her hypnotic trance signaled to me that she was about to lock in, and I was prepared to witness absolute magic.

The manicure technique felt no different than the ones I've gotten in the US. After filing and soaking off my press-on nails, Maëlle prepped my nails and cuticles.

We settled on Aprés gel as a base, a softer extension that covers the entire nail bed. Compared to acrylics, it's supposed to cause less damage to the natural nail as it grows out.

The durable gel should last anywhere from three to six weeks, depending on your nail care. I'm used to getting Aprés in the US, and the process didn't differ just because I was overseas.

After nail prep, Maëlle found the best-fitting extensions for each finger and applied an adhesive before curing them onto my natural nails. She then shaped them into pointed almonds and tested out the best base color to match my nail tone.

Though the manicure process wasn't unique, I was so impressed with Maëlle's prowess.

She told me she had eight years of experience under her belt — and her expertise was evident in her light touch and speed. Though my tardiness and nail removal set us back, Maëlle's ability to breeze through the manicure was borderline mind-blowing.

Instead of applying extensions and art one nail at a time and switching between hands, Maëlle did the process one hand at a time. This meant she didn't cure the gel polish until she was done with the entire hand, which can be risky as she could accidentally smudge a previous nail along the way.

Much to my surprise, no nails were smudged, nicked, or impacted by the technique.

I opted for tortoiseshell crescents on every nail. The design had to be done in layers, starting with a base of very light brown and eventually creating a pattern with darker shades of brown and black on top.

Maëlle meticulously followed the reference picture I showed her — right down to the charms that she miraculously had in stock.

Most of the manicure was filled with Maëlle quietly singing — and me silently holding my breath, hoping I wouldn't delay the next appointment.

However, the conversations we were able to have were fun and lighthearted. We bonded over our love for certain manicure techniques and preferences for almond and stiletto shapes. Even with a limited shared language, our passion for nails bridged the gap.

At the end, I paid 150 euros, about $162. My original appointment was listed as 125 euros, but the nail removal cost an additional 25 euros.

I also left a cash tip of 30 euros because of how incredible and accommodating Maëlle was.

This appointment was in the same time and price range that I'm used to in the US, so I was interested to see how the manicure would hold up. My usual sets sometimes lift by the third week.

In the days following my manicure, I noticed a few air bubbles under the extensions, which can be caused by a number of things. Since the bubbles were toward the center of the nail and not the sides, they were sealed in and didn't affect the set's longevity.

Over the next few weeks, I was definitely more rough than I usually am with my manicures. After Paris, I was on a quick trip to Maine, where I hiked and climbed rocky terrain at Acadia National Park.

The fact that no nails broke or even loosened was incredible, and I could only hope they'd fair just as well for the rest of the month.

After four weeks, I was still receiving compliments about how fresh the design looked.

Because of the simple and elegant French tip, I could barely see my natural nails growing under the nude base. Despite the initial bubbles, I also didn't experience any chipping or lifting.

It was beyond evident that this manicure could last both physically and aesthetically, and that's always worth the money for me.