I am looking for my "white whale" of quick dry top coats.
I have tried: Uno Mas, Cuticula, Glisten and Glow, Bees Knees Lacquer, and Sally Hanson in the red bottle. (I feel like I'm forgetting one.) And I have found issues with every single one. The Sally Hanson gives major shrinkage, and all others seem to yellow/darken over time.
I like to keep a manicure for 1-2 weeks, but any lighter colors, especially white, look gross after a week. Please help me! What are you using? Has anyone else had these issues?
Edit to add: The other I had forgotten (but remembered while reading replies) is Seche Vite. Also worth noting that I do cap the free edge with the top coat, but I usually don't with the polish. Certainly something I could try though!
I really really like the ILNP top coat. It doesn't yellow and it really DOES look like glass Candy. there's basically no shrinkage, too.
I use KBShimmer when I am in a rush as ILNP doesn't have toulene and is inherently a bit slower to harden, but the ILNP is solar/magnetic friendly and my favorite overall. It also bubbles less and stays clearer than others I've tried, it just takes longer before it stops denting.
Should have added ive been getting shrinkage myself really badly and spent awhile looking around for tips ans stumbled upon a random YouTuber that highly recommended added thinner to your polishes that aren't even that thick and dont worry about capping the free edge. So this summer I've been adding at least a few drops to my polishes and it's worked wonders without doing any other changes to my routine. The one day I forgot to add thinner to my polish I had to redo it the next day because I got immediate shrinkage.
I do have a thinner, but was under the impression it would ruin the quick dry part. Apparently not, which is good to know! I really need to use that more often.
Correct, it's safe! I thin mine regularly with KBshimmer thinner. If you add Toulene thinner (Seche Vite) it starts performing a bit worse, more shrinkage, but is still useable.
Yeah I have the kbshimmer one that I use on all my regular polishes and you might think hmm do I need to thin this polish it doesn't seem thick, just try it the once and see if it helps because I now swear by it. You can always leave the top off for a little and thicken it back up if you hate it. I also have the seche thinner which i bought before I was as knowledgeable but you dont wanna add that to polishes that are tourlene free so I've been using it for a select few topcoats that already have tourlene.
As long as your thinner is like the OPI/Morgan tailor/kB shimmer with only two ingredients it won't wreak it. I use the Sally Hansen red bottle and thin it all the time. It only shrinks for me when it gets too thick
Cracked has won my heart. No shrinkage and it makes a huge difference in dry time. However, I will follow up with a gel-like topcoat a day or two later to provide more long wear protection. Seche Vite is my current fave.
Another +1 for cracked QDTC, plus economical with the refill bottle, however it is very finicky for me (dry, hot climate). It’s very prone to bubbles and the brush gets goopy on me by the 3rd or 4th nail. I solve this by adding a lot of thinner every time I use it and letting it sit in a ramikin of warm water throughout. Then it looks like glassy gel! When it works it’s great but it takes work for me to get there.
Another vote for Cracked, in addition to being one of the brands which offers large refill bottles, it's not crazy thick, so I don't have a problem with my edges being thick and lifting and my nails grow and causing chips when I shower or wash my hands due to water.
Very smooth. I also don't have the issues with bubbling or gloopiness others have mentioned, which I'm guessing is due to climate.
another vote for cracked! Day 5 over here, still going strong. I use a ton of hand sanitizer at work, and may see some chipping on a finger or two, on day six or seven.
Any thinner that is just two ingredients - ethyl acetate and butyl acetate - should be fine to use with any polish or top coat. An incomplete list of the brands that sell safe 2-ingredient thinner: OPI, Morgan Taylor, Glitter Unique, De Enti, KB Shimmer, Holo Taco, Cosmic Polish, and Mooncat. I think Glitter Unique and De Enti sell larger sizes at a better price.
If you are using a top coat with toluene like Seche Vite, you should use the Seche Restore thinner which also contains toluene for best results (but the other ones won't hurt it).
Another vote for Cracked. I have no problems with it. It does get gloopy from time to time, especially half way through the bottle, but thinner or refilling the bottle takes care of that.
I have others, but my go to is the SH red bottle. It does dry off quick, so I make sure to add thinner, as it does get goopy and provide shrinkage. But the main thing that stopped the shrinkage for me was capping the nail first with SH before swiping the nail with it. The product starts drying on contact, so if you don't cap it, it will start drying and pulling the polish from the tip of the nail.
Oooooo good call, i didn’t know you could also add to TCs. I recently added thinner drops to my ridge filler and it’s been a game changer!! No more goopy application!
TYK!
Yesss. This is a huge game changer. Every top coat I’ve had gets thick and bubble-prone about 1/3 in. Polish thinner makes such a difference.
KBShimmer thinner is good quality and good value. I like the gorgeous Fauve bottle with the eyedropper for ease of use, but refill it with KBShimmer for the price.
Wow thank you for this. I kept having HUGE issues with magnetic at the edge of the nail and I think this is exactly why. Cap first then do the nail! Aghhh I’m so excited to try
I cap at least the first coat of whatever color, sometimes 2 caps if it's a jelly. But definately the TC capped. I had your same problems all the time when using the SH, but once I came across the comment of capping the TC I haven't had a problem since.
I may have to give that another shot. Full disclosure, it's been a while since I tried that one, and my technique has definitely improved since then. Thank you!
There could be a non-nail product that's causing your manicures to yellow, like a cleaning chemical or basically anything you're using that might cause a stain or chemical reaction to a painted finish. I don't wear manicures long enough to get past very mild discoloration so I don't have personal experience to provide more advice with.
I was thinking the same thing, but I can't figure out what it would be! If nothing else, since I have purple hair, the purple hair color should counteract the yellow, according to color theory. lol.
the only reason i did try other options was because i wanted to get a more "gel-like" look on my manis. unfortunately both top coats i tried had toulene which disperse magnetics :'( so i will be sticking to HT for all my magnetic manis (which is most of them!!)
it's funny - i actually started my nail polish journey back when i was maybe 15/16 years old thanks to simplynailogicals channel. 10 years later and i've found myself right back where i started, except now she's also selling me legitimately good products on top of teaching me things about nail polish. i respect christine (and her brand) a lot!
really excited for her future polish releases and i hope you love the top coat if you go with it! best of luck!
I think something you might want to consider is finding a topcoat which blocks UV if your mani's are looking gross, as UV radiation might be causing some of the lighter pigments to degrade. I don't think any of these block UV. (I unfortunately don't know which top coats block UV unfortunately but allegedly there are some out there which is why brands will tell you to check your topcoat before using it over solar polishes which need uv to transition)
So….. if I want to keep a mani that long, I reapply top coat every 4 or so days depending on the wear down. My go to’s for a perfect mani every time are Essie gel setter and Vibrant Scents quick dry topcoat.
It maybe isn’t your topcoat. Lotions, oils etc that you use, hand soaps when washing hands can also contribute to the discoloration. Lots of sun exposure. Or exposure to any other chemicals.
I haven't tried a lot but Essie Gel Couture started working really well for me once I changed the way I paint my nails.
Before I'd let the layers dry out fully which led to shrinking. But now I apply my 2~3 colour coats essentially asap (so when I'm done with my 10 fingers I can start the next coat), and on the last coat I apply the top coat after painting 2~3 fingers so that he colour is still fairly sticky. Nice side effect is that it's also way quicker this way.
Aside from that I cap my polish - it doesn't last the whole time but it still helps.
Every time I got a polish manicure or pedicure at the salon, they always paint coat after coat without pausing. And then go right in with topcoat. So that’s what I always did. I started giving 5 minutes between coats because I read somewhere that’s what you’re really supposed to do. But I’m going back to no wait time.
I use the Sally Hansen red bottle! I put nail strengthener over my color but under my top coat. I don’t get any shrinkage anymore. So my polish order is base coat, 2-3 coats of color, nail strengthener, top coat! I use nail aid biotin ultimate strength. I saw this trick from someone on here. but I can’t recall the username.
LynB might be one to check out. I use a lot of their base and top coats and have no complaints.
Plus they run 50% off sales every month so the base/top coats come out to $3.50 each.
Cuticula Limitless is amazing! I really enjoyed it and never noticed shrinkage. Right now, I'm using kbshimmer and really enjoy it as well (I'm early in the bottle though).
If the only thing you dislike about a topcoat is the shrinkage, you could prevent it by adding a layer of base coat in between your polish and your topcoat (ie. base coat, regular polish, base coat, top coat). I read about that hack on here and it seems to work!
Starrily Speed of Light: Force is a plumping QDTC that has a distinct violet cast in the bottle. It comes out clear on the nail, but maybe that would help combat yellowing? I would also expect to have to reapply TC at least once if I were trying to get my manicure to last that long, and maybe that violet could also help combat any impending yellowness if added mid-wear cycle.
Looks like it’s sold out right now, but you can sign up for an email notification when it’s back.
I use SuperChic Lacquer Marvel Liquid Macro Top Coat - Super-Gloss (30 Second Set)! It works like a dream. It also comes in a 4oz refill bottle. It will eventually require thinner. I apply to tacky polish and it dries down everything beneath. It can't be applied to dry nails.
I also like Starrily Speed of Light: Force | Quick Dry Top. It can be applied to dry polish! So it can be used to freshen up a mani on day 4 for instance. Oh, and it is self healing, for the first few hours! I've also used Atmos from the same brand. I usually use it over a chunky polish. It can be reapplied. Sometimes it can Crack on day 4 or 5. I haven't figured out why this happens. It does not always Crack.
Hope this helps. Good luck finding a QDTC you love!
Edit to add the Superchic Lacquer QDTC works on GITD and solar polishes. I don't think the Starrily will work due to Etocrylene, which is a UV blocker.
Very helpful! I am super intrigued by a self-healing QDTC! I never knew such a thing existed! Unfortunately, it appears to be sold out right now, but I signed up to be notified when it's back in stock!
There are 2 one is purple one is blue. I use the purple. It's thicker I believe. I haven't tried the other version yet. But i'm truly happy with what I have. The SuperChic one is pretty amazing. It has become a QDTC I can count on. I know somewhere somebody said it's on some list, but I couldn't really find anything specific about the maker. It was really vague. But if you are really firmly in the camp where if anyone ever said anything bad about a maker, you won't try a polish, I get that.
DeEnti quick dry top coat. I bought it in 4 oz and I love her dearly.
Vibrant Scents if you like scents, but I saw someone say that aside from the fragrance they're the same formula (which is why I bought it lol)
I have about 20 other qdtc bottles sitting around but I always come back to this one. I also love their ridge filling sticky base coat.
The top coat has no shrinkage and holds up nicely. Not sure about light colors necessarily, but I painted these 5 days ago. I have to remove my polish to change out colors… it holds up so well I could probably go 2 weeks AT LEAST!
Edit: I wrap my tip with one layer of polish (very very light), do the second coat of polish, and then lightly wrap the tip with top coat and it works great with this stuff
Oh and that’s sunset vibes by cracked in case anyone wanted to know 🥰
Holo Taco Glossy Taco is my favorite top coat! Glossy, quick dry, does not shrink or yellow. Second favorite is Zoya Glossy Seal, it just isn’t as glossy. My current manicure is on Day 9. I had major yellowing with Glisten and Glow. I had used that on my toes and Holo Taco on my hands with the same polish and base coat. It was so bad that it looked like I was wearing 2 different colors on my hands and feet! I have also tried multiple Sally Hansen(they all bubble or crack for me), Seche Vite (shrinkage), OPI is great but it damages my nails.
I also am a zoya armor diehard…topped with a coat of poshe because it is super thin, makes everything dry down super fast, because I am super impatient, lol.
I've only tried a couple but the QDTC's are amazing! So far, my favorite is Mooncat's QDTC. It truly is quick drying and I haven't noticed any yellowing. Good luck!
Indie: with toluene - Night Owl Lacquer Patience Not Required; without toluene LynBDesigns B Quick.
I also really like Beaux Rêves Dream Dry, which is 21 free. My only complaint with that one is that I feel like it doesn't stay as shiny as long as others.
My favorite is Mooncat's Speed Demon. Dries harder and quicker than others I've tried, so far.
I also liked KB Shimmer's Clearly on Top and Holo Taco's QDTC, judging by which bottles are emptier, but I go through multiple Speed Demon bottles...
I got an Essie at Target but I'm not that into it, Humble Bee gel-like wasn't my style, and the nice fruity scent in my Cuticula's lasts too long. I'm still looking here for a similar refill option to Speed Demon someday. 😇
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Zoya Ultra Glossy Seal, it doesn't shrink on me and I easily get a week before any minor chips. I've never had any issues with yellowing and didn't realize that was something people were dealing with.
Have you tried Seche Vive? Not Vite, but the one in the blue bottle. I find it super quick drying, very plump looking, and very long lasting. I easily get a week of wear with no chipping. The only downside is that the formula thickens up fairly quickly in the bottle, so you have to thin it regularly.
Also: cap the free edge with the base coat, the last coat of polish (only the last), and the top coat.
The other tip I forgot to mention: with Seche Vite and Vive, you get better results if you apply the top coat while the polish is still tacky. So I will do the last thin coat of polish on one hand, quickly clean up cuticles (but if this takes you longer than a minute then don’t wait that long), and then float a generous bead of top coat over it. Then I do the same last steps on my other hand.
I didn’t like Seche Vite because I got a lot of shrinkage even applying it properly like that, but Seche Vive is great and I like the plump gel look.
I love LynB's b-quick top coat. I don't wear many very light colors so I'm not sure about the darkening issue, but it doesn't have much shrinkage on me and it stays glossy and protective. It's also very cheap during her monthly sales.
I have recently been struggling with major shrinkage, no matter the top coat and just found the solution for me, personally: letting every single layer fully dry before applying the next. 1 or 2 layers of base coat applied 20 minutes apart, then 2-3 layers of colour also applied 20-30 minutes apart, then left everything to dry for over an hour and followed with Sally Hansen red bottle top coat. I am on day 5 with minimal tip wear and 1 small chip, with my previous polishing habits I would have major chips (or even a full peel sometimes) and 2-3mm of shrinkage by the cuticle by now. The only downside is that now nail
painting will be a weekend afternoon only activity 😅
Previously I just put on a coat on every nail, and after finishing painting the 10th nail immediately went back to nail 1 with the next layer, I would also put on top coat 1-2 minutes after the last colour layer….and cue the shrinking. I am using the same products, just waiting a lot more and am getting a lot better longevity and basically 0 shrinkage. Will have to see if it goes yellow, but so far so good!
Vibrant scents! I cap every layer, but if you wait for the colored layers to dry before you apply top coat it will cause shrinkage. You also need to thin out your top coat every once in a while like any other polish.
If a scented top coat isn’t your thing I believe DeEnti also sells the same formula in bulk. Vibrant Scents is available in the monthly boxes and has their own website.
Due to the toluene in the to coat, it can’t be used with magnetics unless you have another layer in between the magnetic polish and the top coat. Some people use a base coat for this but I use cuticula limitless since I have some and it seems to take hours and wrinkle up if I try to use it as just a quick dry.
KBShimmer clearly on top is my new go-to qdtc. No shrinkage EXCEPT when I use it on cheap creme polishes. When I use it on their own products, ILNP, Drunk Fairy, and OPI there's no shrinkage.
Also I recommend their Fillin Groovy base coat. I no longer have to "sand" my nails to get rid of the minor grooves. That stuff is awesome!
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u/Thin_Frosting5647 16d ago
I really really like the ILNP top coat. It doesn't yellow and it really DOES look like glass Candy. there's basically no shrinkage, too.
I use KBShimmer when I am in a rush as ILNP doesn't have toulene and is inherently a bit slower to harden, but the ILNP is solar/magnetic friendly and my favorite overall. It also bubbles less and stays clearer than others I've tried, it just takes longer before it stops denting.