At-Home Nails in London: Mobile Manicure & Gel

A manicure is one of the easiest treatments to have at home. It needs a table, a lamp and a bit of space, and very little else. When the nail PRO comes to you, there's no walk home with wet polish, no squeezing freshly painted toes into trainers and no sitting in a busy nail bar waiting for your slot.

It suits a lot of people: anyone working from home who can book a lunchtime appointment, new parents who can't easily get out, friends getting ready for a hen do, and holidaymakers who want their nails done the night before a flight. On GLAM LAB, nail PROs set their own menus and prices and show recent sets in their portfolio, so you can judge the finish before you book.

Treatments you can book

• Classic manicure. Shaping, cuticle care and regular polish. At home you can actually sit still while it dries, which is half the battle.
• Gel polish manicure. Cured under an LED or UV lamp, dry the moment you leave the table, and typically good for two to three weeks.
• Builder gel or structured manicure. A thicker overlay on your natural nails, often called BIAB, that adds strength and shape, with infills every few weeks.
• Pedicures. Classic or gel, with the PRO bringing a foot bowl, towels and tools.
• Nail art. Anything from a fine French tip or chrome finish to hand-painted designs, usually priced on top of the base service.
• Removal. Proper soak-off removal of gel or builder gel, either on its own or before a new set.

Some mobile PROs also do extensions such as acrylics or hard gel. These take longer and create more dust and odour, so a well-ventilated room makes a real difference.

A word on gel and allergies

The British Association of Dermatologists has spent several years warning about a rise in allergic reactions to (meth)acrylates, the chemicals in gel and acrylic nail products, with HEMA among the most common triggers. The risk goes up when product touches the skin or isn't fully cured, which is one reason dermatologists are wary of DIY gel kits.

A trained nail technician keeps product off the skin, uses a lamp matched to the gel system and can offer low-HEMA or HEMA-free ranges if you ask. If your fingertips itch, swell or blister after a gel set, or your nails start lifting from the nail bed, have the gel removed and speak to a pharmacist or your GP. Whatever you do, don't peel gel off. It takes layers of nail with it.

Setting up at home

• A table in good light, close to a plug socket for the lamp.
• Clean, dry hands with no hand cream on the day, as oils stop polish bonding properly.
• Tell your PRO in advance if there's an old set to remove, as it adds 15 to 20 minutes.
• For pedicures, a comfortable chair and a towel or easy-to-wipe floor under your feet.
• A window open a little if you're having extensions or a lot of filing done.

What it costs in London

Every GLAM LAB PRO sets their own prices, shown on their profile before you book. As a rough guide to the wider market, a gel manicure at home in London typically costs somewhere around £30 to £55 as of 2026, with central London appointments towards the top of that range. Builder gel usually costs more than a standard gel manicure because it takes longer, and removing an existing set (often around £10) or adding detailed nail art is normally charged on top.

Nails alongside hair and makeup

If you're getting ready for a wedding or a big night, book nails a day or two ahead so you aren't juggling a lamp and wet hands between your hair stylist and makeup artist on the morning. For why so many Londoners now book beauty this way instead of queuing at a nail bar, read our piece on frictionless, on-demand glam.

Frequently asked questions