The 6 drugstore nail-kit buys that’ll let you fake a salon mani-pedi

There was a time in my life where I was getting manicures once a week—it was a luxury that I treated myself to, and also a way to help keep my nail biting at bay. There’s something about having healthy, manicured nails that makes you feel like you can take on the world (even if you’re the kind of person who spends five minutes looking for your keys before realizing they were in your hands all along).

But eventually, I had to accept that I am very much not a mani-every-week person for a variety of reasons. For one thing, setting aside time to relax and get my nails done started to actually trigger my anxiety (LOL, because of course it would). Round-trip, this ritual began to eat into my time and became the opposite of what I had intended. For another, I’m but a humble writer and weekly manis became an expensive habit that seemed overly indulgent.

So while I still love to treat myself to the occasional salon mani, most times you can find me doing my own nails while I rewatch Parks and Rec—I just had to get the right tools first. But, good news: There are tons of quality drugstore nail products out there, which let you build a  kit like the pros use for less than $40. The only thing missing are those dreamy hand massages…

Drugstore nail-kit essentials

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream $6

Japonesque Velvet Touch Pedicure Kit $10

Sally Hansen Vitamin E Nail & Cuticle Oil $6

Flowery This Little Pinky Nail File $2

Tweezerman Combo Nail Clipper Set $10

Trim Easy Hold Cuticle Remover/Pusher $5

Are you a nail biter? Here’s how mindfulness can help. Also, these supplements will give you your healthiest, strongest nails ever (like, seriously though).