Best top coat on Reddit
173 reviews from r/RedditLaqueristas, r/ILNP, r/Dashingdiva and 12 more subreddits
173 reviews from
and
By Brand
/By Product
#1
Essie
4.7
(17)
"My top 2 are Essie Good to Go and Sally Hansen Insta Dri."
"The gel couture topcoat is amazing, and you should deffo try it (if you want)"
"The matching gel couture topcoat is worth a try. The shine is exceptional."
"I swear by Essie Good To Go. It's around $8 or $9 on Amazon."
"I like Essie’s gel top coat, very shiny and little to no shrinkage for me."
"Essies looks like gel topcoat is my fav! Truly makes my polish look like a gel mani."
"I love Essie Speed Setter!"
"The essie with pink label is fantastic."
"My fav combo is the Essie ridge-filling base coat with seche vite!"
"Essie Here to Stay + Speed Setter has been an impeccable combo for me."
#2
Glisten & Glow
4.7
(12)
"Glisten and Glow and Vibrant Scents are basically the same formula."
"Glisten & Glow QDTC is my go to topcoat."
"I use Cuticula Mic Drop base and Glisten & Glow quick dry top coat and love them both."
"Glisten & glow QDTC, Essie gel couture, Sally Hansen insta-dri (in the red bottle)."
"I use Glisten & Glow’s top coat, and my manis can last several weeks."
"I only use Glisten & Glow topcoat."
"Glisten and Glow Glitter Grabber, and KBShimmer Smooth Moves, are made for this."
"I love Glisten & Glow’s Glitter Grabber for this!"
"Like seche, but less shrinkage: Glisten and Glow."
"I use multiple top coats on rotation: Glisten & Glow, Holo Taco, Cuticula, Vibrant Scents Fast & Hard and I don't see a difference between any of them."
#3
Seche Vite
4.5
(12)
"Top Coat is Seche Vite Fast Dry 99% of the time. It goes on super smooth."
"I only use seche vite. I like how glassy the finish is and how it keeps the polish from chipping for about 2 weeks."
"Seche Vite is my go-to top coat."
"I use OPI natural base coat or ORLY bonder base coat with Seche Vite."
"Mine are OPI Nail Envy and Seche Vite."
"I kind of rotate top coats between Seche Vite, Lights Lacquer Totally Gelly, and OPI Plumping."
"I use Seche Vite for topcoat, but can’t recommend a base coat, because I haven’t found one that I like yet."
"I’m a Seche Vite fan, but it’s got its finicky aspects."
"My go to top coat is seche vite (blue bottle). There is some shrinkage but as long as I cap the free edge it’s not bad."
"I switched to their Vive topcoat, prefer that one best due to it having a thicker gel like consistency."
#4
KBShimmer
4.7
(10)
"KBShimmer’s Clearly on Top is also an MVP for repeated hand sanitizer exposure."
"All three of my Holy Grail basics come from KBShimmer."
"I use KBShimmer’s top coat and just do two coats."
"KB Shimmer Clearly on Top top coat."
"KB Shimmer's top coat is awesome. My bird can attack my nails and they still don't chip."
"I like KBShimmer’s Clearly On Top."
"2 coats of KBshimmer clearly on top has transformed my nail game."
"KBshimmer Clearly on Top has the same ingredient list as HT Super Glossy."
"Several indies have very good, fairly cheap top coats. BKL and KBShimmer come to mind and both are around $6.50."
"I’ve had better luck with kbshimmer Clearly on Top and Essie Good to Go topcoats."
#5
Cuticula
4.6
(10)
"Cuticula Limitless. Never chips, never shrinks."
"Top coat Cuticula limitless scented quick dry top coat then Essie’s gel couture or good to go."
"I’d recommend trying Vibrant Scents Fast & Hard and Cuticula Limitless!"
"My go-to qdtc has been Cuticula Limitless."
"I like the Cuticula base and qd top coats if I’m going same brand."
"[Quenched by Cuticula] was made to smooth highly textured polish."
"For top coat I usually use Cuticula Limitless."
"For top coat I usually use Cuticula Limitless."
"I've had luck with cuticula limitless."
"I've had luck with cuticula limitless."
#6
Sally Hansen
4.3
(8)
"Both readily available and not too expensive."
"Try Sally Hansen miracle gel polish and top coat. I wear steel toe boots for 12 hours a day and polish lasts for weeks with no chipping."
"Easily accessible: Sally Hansen Insta-dri (red bottle)."
"I've been happy with the Sally Hansen Insta dri top coat (red bottle)."
"Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri Top Coat (in the red bottle) is my favorite."
"Sally hansen makes a really good quick drying top coat!"
"ILNP Glass Candy and Sally Hansen Miracle Gel top coat."
"Sally Hansen Insta Dri in the red bottle. Pretty much every store carries that."
#7
Essie Gel Setter
4.8
(6)
"Essie Gel Setter. I’m in US but it’s on Essie Canada’s website."
"Essie gel setter is my go to bc I also like the puffy clear glossy effect."
"I use Essie Gel Setter (not a gel polish!) and put my finger back in the magnet."
"I use Orly Bonder for a base coat and then Essie Gel Setter for the top coat."
"Personally I’d recommend Essie Gel Setter or Speed Setter."
"Essie gel setter works quite well for me! dries quickly and feels hard."
#8
Orly
4.4
(5)
"I'm an Orly Bonder base coat girl. I swear by it."
"The secret to long mannies lies in topping it off with orly’s shinning armor."
"I like Orly's base and top coats."
"Orly bonder, any quick dry top coat, and the normal nail prep."
"I'm using the Orly bonder (I know some people have issues with it so YMMV) and the Essie gel effect top coat."
#9
Mooncat
4.4
(5)
"I like Mooncat's top coat. It dries super fast and is glossy af."
"I’m really liking mooncat speed demon right now."
"Mooncat's Speed Demon is mine, after a lot of trial and error."
"Usually Mooncat top coat."
"Mooncat- Speed Demon top coat."
#10
Essie Gel Couture
4.5
(4)
"Essie Gel Couture top coat is my ride or die."
"I use the white Essie bottle (top coat #2) gel couture. I it doesn’t need UV light."
"For me the Essie Gel Couture topcoat works really well."
"I wear flakies a lot and have never had issues with Essie Gel Couture!"
#11
Seche
4.5
(4)
"I really like seche vive, sally hansen miracle gel, and Mooncat base coat."
"For top coat I swear by Seche Vive (not Vite). I love how thick and glassy it looks."
"I’ve had decent luck putting seche vive (the blue bottle) on top of stamping."
"Seche vite."
#12
OPI
4.5
(4)
"I love OPI’s Natural Nail Base and either Seche Vive or Essie Good To Go for my drugstore products"
"Best top coat is OPI."
"They work great."
"I use OPI! I can get my DD nails to last two weeks."
#13
DND
5.0
(3)
"I like the DND ones or the kokoist ultra glossy top coat"
"DND!"
"I use DND base and top. My nails take a lot of abuse at work and no chips or peeling."
#14
Glisten & Glow Top Coat
4.7
(3)
"Get the Glisten & Glow top coat. 10/10 shine and manicures last forever."
"I saw Glisten and Glow top coat and base coat recommended repeatedly."
"I’ve used G&G for years. It’s my go to."
#15
Vibrant Scents
4.7
(3)
"Both great for drying quick, hard and shiny."
"I’d recommend trying Vibrant Scents Fast & Hard and Cuticula Limitless!"
"My favorite base and top coats are Vibrant Scents."
#16
KB Shimmer
4.7
(3)
"Like others have said, Kb sells a glitter grabber top coat and then you use their clearly on top and it makes it smooth."
"Have you tried adding a glitter grabber, then topcoat? KB shimmer makes one-Smooth Moves"
"I thought the glitter grabber was a base coat to keep the polish on better! So it goes base, polish, glitter grabber, top coat? And KB shimmer makes an awesome one."
#17
Sweet & Sour Lacquer
5.0
(2)
"My personal fave top coat is Gloss Sauce from Sweet & Sour Lacquer!"
"Sweet & Sour Lacquer’s Gloss Sauce holds up really well for me."
#18
CND Vinylux
5.0
(2)
"CND Vinylux long wear top coat. This combo can make my regular polish manis last up to 2 weeks!"
"I use the CND Vinylux top coat over all my polishes and love it!"
#19
Light Elegance
5.0
(2)
"I used light elegance super shiny and it worked great."
"Light Elegance Super Shiny is my favorite."
#20
Kbshimmer
5.0
(2)
"I have ordered the KBShimmer Smooth Moves!!"
"I like Kbshimmer’s Smooth Moves and then a layer of top coat over that."
#21
DRK Nails
5.0
(2)
"DRK Nails makes a special top coat to use with magnetic polishes."
"I recommend Apipila and my fave, DRK Nails Seal Glaze."
#22
Loba
5.0
(2)
"Seal with Loba EasyPrime, followed by 2 coats of Loba 2K duo."
"Loba makes a great product."
#23
KBShimmer Clearly on Top
4.5
(2)
"KBShimmer Clearly on Top, Vibrant Scents Fast & Hard and Cuticula Limitless all fit those requirements."
"KBShimmer’s Clearly on Top is my holy grail."
#24
INM
4.5
(2)
"I am ride or die for INM Out the Door top coat. It's glossy, fast drying, and cheap."
"For top coat, INM Out the Door, Olive Ave Polish Quick Dry Top Coat, and the Poshe Super Fast Drying Top Coat."
#25
Seche Vive
4.5
(2)
"Two coats of Seche Vive works wonders for me!"
"Have you tried seche vive (the blue bottle)? i’ve found it’s similar to vite."
#26
Apipila
4.5
(2)
"I use the Apipila water based top coat and love it."
"I have the Apipila Smudge Free top coat and thought the wear time was great."
#27
Holo Taco
4.5
(2)
"My current stack is holo taco long wearing with Essie gel couture."
"I’ve been using holo taco’s long lasting base and glossy taco for a couple months now and have had great results with them."
#28
Gelish Top It Off
4.0
(2)
"Gelish Top it off is great."
"Try brands like Gelish Top It Off or CND Shellac Top Coat."
#29
Cuticula Top Coat
4.0
(2)
"Cuticula’s is great!"
"Cuticula does have UV protection, so solar nails won’t change if you use it."
#30
ILNP
4.0
(2)
"ILNP Glass Candy and Sally Hansen Miracle Gel top coat."
"ILNP hard candy for top coat."
#31
LA Colors
4.0
(2)
"I know it’s cheap but for me it’s always been my go to."
"I use LA Colors Colorlast top coat. It's $2 at Walmart."
#32
Vibrant Scents QDTC
3.5
(2)
"G&G and VS both dry incredibly fast and hard and give a nice glossy finish for me."
"I usually do a coat of Vibrant Scents QDTC and then a layer of Seche Vite."
#33
Matte Topcoat
3.0
(2)
"A layer of matte top coat under my glossy top coat seems to work well on most glitters."
"Personally, matte topcoats tend to peel or pop off (with the polish) on my nails in less than two days."
#34
Beetles
3.0
(2)
"I’ve heard Beetles is good."
"I did use Beetles for a Lily and Fox set I tried.. didn’t even last 3 days."
#35
Venalisa
5.0
(1)
"Venalisa!"
#36
HK Girl
5.0
(1)
"Top coat I loveeee HK girl."
#37
Mr Hobby
5.0
(1)
"I would recommend Mr hobby super clear or the super clear uv cut."
#38
Lights Lacquer
5.0
(1)
"I use Orly base coat and Lights Lacquer Totally Gelly top coat. It's the only top coat I can get a weeks worth of a manicure from."
#39
Jin.B
5.0
(1)
"My favorite top coat of all time I’ve found is the Korean brand Jin.B."
#40
Izemi
5.0
(1)
"This stuff stays shiny for weeks! It's the best topcoat I've tried in 7+ years of gel nails."
#41
DRK
5.0
(1)
"Look into DRK's magnetic top coat. You apply your 2 - 3 coats of magnetic polish without magnetizing and then apply this product."
#42
Cirque Colors
5.0
(1)
"I just got Cirque Colors Looking Glass topcoat and it is also so good!"
#43
Essence
5.0
(1)
"I recommend Essence's Colour Grip base coat and Extreme Gel Gloss top coat."
#44
Diamond Cosmetics
5.0
(1)
"Diamond Cosmetics Super Dry. It's a dollar tree product, but tbh it's my normal go-to top coat."
#45
Sassy Sauce
5.0
(1)
"Sassy Sauce Plump & Juicy Top Coat. After trying dozens of top coats, this one’s the winner."
#46
Vibrant Vinyls
4.0
(1)
"I've good luck with Vibrant Vinyls, Orly Bonder, Mooncat, and Cuticula."
#47
Sweet and Sour Lacquer Gloss Sauce
4.0
(1)
"My top coat is sweet and sour lacquer gloss sauce."
#48
Gel Topcoat
4.0
(1)
"Maybe try using a gel base coat first then apply gel top coat?"
#49
Orly Rubberized Base Coat
4.0
(1)
"I use orlys rubberized base coat and mine last pretty well."
#50
Zoya
4.0
(1)
"I get a good week out of OPI Natural Nails base coat + 2 coats of Zoya Ultra Glossy Seal before I start seeing chips."
#51
Sally
4.0
(1)
"I use the same Sally top coat too."
#52
Starrily
4.0
(1)
"What works best for me is Starrily Guardian."
#53
ORLY
4.0
(1)
"ORLY clear coat, i got it from winners."
#54
China Glaze
4.0
(1)
"I bought China Glaze before I was using Holo Taco."
#55
Quo
4.0
(1)
"Quo is my backup when I run out of HT."
#56
General Finishes
4.0
(1)
"I've had good success with General Finishes water based top coat in various sheens"
#57
Night Owl Lacquer
4.0
(1)
"I've had good luck with Night Owl Lacquer's top coat!"
#58
MoYou London
4.0
(1)
"I use MoYou London's top coat, it's a smudge free one."
#59
Maniology
4.0
(1)
"Maniology no smudge top coat generally works for me!"
#60
Londontown
4.0
(1)
"I really like Londontown’s Gel Like top coat."
#61
Reject Top Gels
3.0
(1)
"Most top gels aren't very durable but are otherwise great - so I use them for swatches."
#62
Bonding Base Coat
2.0
(1)
"I would recommend against a bonding base coat because when it chips it will take the top layer of your nail off."
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