If you've ever stood in front of a wall of gel polish options — online or in-store — and felt completely overwhelmed, you're not alone. The Australian market is flooded with gel polish brands, and figuring out which ones actually deliver on their promises can feel like a full-time job.
Whether you're a nail technician stocking up your salon cart or someone who loves doing their own nails on a Sunday afternoon, the brand you choose matters. It affects wear time, colour payoff, nail health, and honestly, your whole mood when the manicure turns out flawless.
So let's cut through the noise. Here's an honest look at the best gel polish brands available in Australia right now — what they do well, what to watch for, and how to pick the right one for you.
What Actually Makes a Good Gel Polish?
Before jumping into specific brands, it's worth knowing what separates a great gel polish from a mediocre one. There are a few things every quality formula should deliver.
Wear time is the obvious one. A good gel polish should comfortably last two to three weeks without chipping, peeling, or lifting at the edges. If you're getting less than 14 days, the formula (or your application technique) might need a rethink.
Pigmentation and consistency matter more than most people realise. You want a polish that gives you full, even coverage in two coats — not something watery that takes four coats to look opaque. The consistency should be smooth and self-levelling so it doesn't pool around the cuticles or leave brush strokes.
Ingredient transparency is becoming a bigger deal, and rightfully so. More Australians are looking for formulas that are vegan, cruelty-free, and free from harsh chemicals like HEMA, formaldehyde, toluene, and DBP. Your nails absorb what you put on them, so cleaner formulas are always a win.
Colour accuracy is something that doesn't get talked about enough. We've all been burned by ordering a shade that looked like dusty rose online and arrived looking like bubblegum pink. Brands that invest in accurate product photography and true-to-bottle colour representation earn serious trust points.
And then there's curing compatibility. A quality gel polish should cure cleanly under standard UV/LED lamps without wrinkling, under-curing, or leaving a tacky residue that won't wipe away properly.
The Best Gel Polish Brands in Australia Right Now
OPAL Professional — Premium Australian Craftsmanship
If you're looking for a brand that combines professional-grade quality with genuine Australian roots, OPAL Professional is one to have on your radar.
Established in 2019, OPAL is an Australian-owned brand that's built its reputation from the ground up — starting with nail professionals and salons before making its products available to everyone through their online store. Their gel polish range is 100% vegan and cruelty-free, and the formula is designed to deliver 21+ days of chip-resistant, high-shine wear.
What sets OPAL apart from a lot of brands in this space is their attention to colour. Every shade is inspired by Australian landscapes and locations — think wine regions, coastal towns, and native flora — and the colour accuracy between what you see online and what arrives in the bottle is genuinely impressive. For anyone who's been burned by misleading product photos, that's a massive relief.
Their range extends well beyond gel polish too. From BIAB (Builder in a Bottle) for nail strengthening and extensions, to builder gels, dipping powders, and professional nail accessories, it's a full professional system rather than just a colour collection.
OPAL has already been trusted by over 1,000 nail professionals across Australia and New Zealand, and with their expanding online presence, the brand is quickly becoming a go-to for home users who want salon-quality results without the salon price tag.
Best for: Nail professionals, serious home users, anyone who values Australian-made quality and clean formulas.
Price range: Mid-range professional
Shop OPAL gel polish: Browse the full collection | See what's new | Best sellers
OPI GelColor — The Global Standard
OPI barely needs an introduction. It's one of the most widely recognised nail brands on the planet, and their GelColor line has been a staple in Australian salons for years. OPI offers a staggering range of shades — hundreds of them — with seasonal collections that keep things fresh.
The formula is consistent, the colour range is unmatched, and you'll find it stocked in most professional beauty suppliers across the country. OPI also recently transitioned to vegan and HEMA-free formulations, which is a welcome step for a legacy brand.
The downside? OPI sits at the premium end of the price spectrum, and availability of individual shades online can sometimes be hit-or-miss in Australia. The brand also primarily caters to the professional channel, so getting your hands on genuine GelColor (not the Infinite Shine regular line) requires a UV/LED lamp setup.
Best for: Salon professionals who want a trusted global brand with the widest colour selection.
Price range: Premium
CND Shellac — The Original Gel Polish
CND essentially invented the modern gel polish category with Shellac, and it remains a popular choice in Australian salons. Shellac is known for its thin, natural feel on the nail — it doesn't have that thick, heavy look that some gel polishes can give.
Wear time is typically around 14 to 18 days, which is solid but not quite as long as some newer formulas on the market. The colour range is smaller compared to OPI, but the shades they do offer tend to be beautifully curated and consistently accurate.
Shellac requires CND-specific base and top coats for best results, which locks you into their system. That can be a positive (guaranteed compatibility) or a negative (less flexibility), depending on how you look at it.
Best for: Salon professionals who prefer a thinner, more natural-feeling gel polish.
Price range: Premium
Gelous — At-Home Favourite from New Zealand
Gelous has carved out a loyal following in Australia and New Zealand as an accessible, beginner-friendly gel polish brand. Owned and operated out of New Zealand, Gelous positions itself as the brand that makes professional gel nails achievable at home — and they deliver on that promise for the most part.
Their starter kits are a popular entry point, and the formula is 10-free, vegan, and cruelty-free. Application is straightforward, and the polish cures in about 60 seconds under their LED lamp. Colour payoff is generally good across their range.
Where Gelous falls a bit short is longevity. Most users report around 10 to 14 days of wear, which is decent for an at-home brand but doesn't quite match professional-grade options. The shade range, while growing, is also more limited than what you'd find from OPAL or OPI.
Best for: Beginners and casual at-home users who want a simple, affordable gel system.
Price range: Budget to mid-range
Opallac — Australia's At-Home Gel Pioneer
Not to be confused with OPAL Professional (a separate brand entirely), Opallac claims the title of Australia's number one best-selling at-home gel polish. They've built a strong consumer following with colourful branding, frequent shade releases, and an emphasis on making gel nails approachable.
The product line includes everything from starter kits to individual colours, thermal (colour-changing) polishes, and glitter finishes. Their formula is 10-free, and they offer a growing HEMA-free range as well.
Opallac works best as a consumer-focused brand — it's designed for people doing their nails at home rather than busy salon environments where speed and durability under heavy client workloads matter most.
Best for: At-home gel enthusiasts who love variety and fun, trend-driven shades.
Price range: Mid-range
Gelish — Professional Workhorse
Gelish (by Hand & Nail Harmony) is another brand you'll find in a lot of Australian salons. It was one of the first true soak-off gel polishes to hit the professional market, and it's maintained a loyal following among nail techs.
The formula applies smoothly, cures reliably, and offers solid wear time in the 14 to 21 day range. Gelish also has a well-developed professional education program, which makes it a good option for nail technicians building their skills.
The colour range is extensive, with regular seasonal collections. One thing to note is that Gelish can feel slightly thicker than some other brands, which some techs prefer for control during application and others find a bit heavy.
Best for: Professional nail techs who want a reliable, well-supported salon brand.
Price range: Professional mid-range to premium
Picture Polish — Indie Australian Charm
For nail art lovers and colour collectors, Picture Polish is a beloved indie Australian brand. Based in Melbourne, they're known for their stunning, unique shades — many of which are created in collaboration with nail artists and influencers from around the world.
Picture Polish focuses primarily on regular (non-gel) nail lacquer, but they do offer select gel polish options. Their formulas are vegan and cruelty-free, and the brand has a devoted community following.
If you're after unusual, creative shades you won't find anywhere else, Picture Polish is worth exploring. Just know that their gel range is more limited, and they're primarily a colour brand rather than a full professional system.
Best for: Nail art enthusiasts and colour collectors who want unique, creative shades.
Price range: Mid-range
How to Choose the Right Gel Polish Brand for You
With so many options, it helps to narrow things down based on what matters most to you.
If you're a nail professional looking for a reliable, comprehensive system with clean ingredients and Australian heritage, OPAL Professional ticks a lot of boxes. Having access to gel polish, BIAB, builder gel, and accessories from one brand simplifies your workflow and keeps your results consistent.
If you're just getting started with gel nails at home, a brand like Gelous or Opallac offers beginner-friendly kits that take the guesswork out of the process. You can always level up to a professional brand once you've nailed the basics (pun intended).
If shade variety is everything to you, OPI's catalogue is hard to beat on sheer numbers. But OPAL's Australian-inspired colour range offers something you genuinely won't find from international brands — shades that feel connected to the landscapes and spirit of this country.
If clean beauty is a priority, look for brands that are transparent about their ingredients. OPAL Professional's vegan, cruelty-free formulas are a strong choice, and their customer protection policies give you peace of mind when buying online.
Quick Tips for Making Your Gel Polish Last
No matter which brand you choose, these fundamentals make the biggest difference in how long your gel manicure lasts.
Proper nail prep is everything. Lightly buff the nail surface, push back your cuticles, and use a dehydrator or cleanser before applying your base coat. Skipping this step is the number one reason gel polish lifts early.
Apply thin coats and cure each layer fully. Two thin coats will always outperform one thick coat. Thick layers don't cure properly all the way through, which leads to peeling and bubbling.
Always cap the free edge. Running your brush along the tip of the nail seals the edge and dramatically reduces chipping.
Invest in a good UV/LED lamp. Budget lamps with inconsistent wattage are a common culprit behind poor curing results. A quality lamp makes every brand perform better.
And if you need help with technique or product questions, the OPAL Beauty FAQs page covers common questions about application, curing times, and nail care.
The Bottom Line
The Australian gel polish market has never been better. Whether you want a global salon brand, an indie colour house, or a premium Australian label that understands the local market, there's something for every nail lover and every budget.
If we had to pick one recommendation for someone who wants professional results, clean ingredients, and a brand that genuinely represents Australian quality — OPAL Professional is worth a serious look. With a range that spans gel polish, BIAB, dipping powder, and everything in between, it's a complete nail system built right here in Australia.
Ready to find your shade? Explore the full OPAL collection here.
Have questions about gel polish or need help choosing the right products? Get in touch with the OPAL team — we love talking nails.
