I’m still no nail blogger, despite the occasional posts I’ve put up on the nail polish I like. You will notice that it is overwhelmingly dominated by one or maybe 2 brands and that’s how I intend to keep it. Nail polish isn’t my thing the way lipsticks or blushes are. I could own 20 peach blushes or 15 red lipsticks and tell you how they all differ and identify the subtle difference in each shade. I could own 3 green nail polishes and think “I think I’m tired of green polish” In fact, I’ve just fallen off the nail polish bandwagon again 😀
But all that ranting aside, you maybe wondering why after I declared openly that the one area I failed in being a beauty blogger is nail polish (and hair!), I started talking about nail polish. Well, the only reason I started painting my nails again is because a good buddy of mine pushed me in the direction of Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat. I purchased it at her insistence and when I used it, I knew I’d finally be able to use nail polish, because the Seche Vite top coat is amazing! It dries in what feels like 2 seconds (ok realistically, about a minute) and I’m free to do whatever I want thereafter! Free as a bird!
Granted, the Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat doesn’t exactly dry the nail polish in full, but it leaves it dry to the touch, so you can actually function as a normal human being without having to have your hands sticking out of you as you wave your freshly painted nails under the fan.
I usually apply a layer of Seche Vite over the last layer of colour and it helps to not only seal the colour and protect from chips and wear, but also helps to even out the nail colour. This last point is especially helpful if you are anything like me and a right klutz at painting your nails. Sometimes, the colour is a bit streaky, so I apply a layer of Seche Vite top coat over the polish while its still a little wet and it helps smoothen the colour.
I’ve read of complaints that Seche Vite can cause the colour to “shrink” away from the nail tip so some people experience wear faster. I’ve never had that. With this top coat on, I can take my nail colours for about a week without wear showing significantly. The shine does start to wear off after a few days, but in the main, I have little problems with this top coat. I also remove colours after about 2-3 days because I get bored so longevity doesn’t bother me.
The primary boon is of course the quick drying aspect. In about a minute, if you just touch the surface, the top coat would be dry and you can go on your merry way. I paint my nails before bed most of the time, so this is very very important for me. If you press down hard on it you will of course expect to see an imprint because its not quite dry all the way through, just on the surface.
Another problem I’ve read about is the Seche Vite top coat thickening up quite quickly. There is a product to restore it called Seche Vite Restore that you can add to the bottle to restore the consistency. But I’ve had my bottle for a few months now, and I haven’t experienced this thickening problem yet (touch wood!). I maybe in the minority, or I just may be oblivious (I suspect the latter) but so long as I don’t have a problem with the product I’ll hold out on getting the Restore.
Have you a favourite nail polish top coat? Do you use Seche Vite Fast Drying Top Coat and do you like it as much as I do? I swear, if not for this Seche Vite top coat, I’d never paint my nails. Ever! So if you have the same problem I do i.e too impatient to wait for painted nails to dry, Seche Vite top coat is your answer 🙂
Paris B
Seche Vite Fast Drying Top Coat was purchased online from Nail Fiesta at RM33/14ml
life saver indeed! can’t believe that i never talked abt this top coat before. LOL
Haha it most certainly makes it easier for me to apply polish, because I’m so impatient 😛
My nails look horrible at the moment! I have a top coat from Skin Food, but I hardly do my nails nowadays 😛 This fast drying top coat sounds like a good idea. . .
I just cut my nails. After about 3 weeks of having polish on, the tips of my nails were weak and peeling and flaking. Yucks!
I do my nails more frequently now that I’ve discovered the wonders of Seche Vite. But since I still have to use up my Face Shop and OPI top coats, I’m using those brands on my toes (where I’m not too fussed about perfect, smudge-free application). 😛
I can’t even remember what I was using before this. I think I tossed it because it was just too slow drying for me. So glad to have been introduced to this!
I’ve been hearing this but haven’t tried it! I’m going to Nail Fiesta right now to have another look =)
I’d heard about it but nev paid attention till I was pushed into trying this out of desperation. If nail stuff aren’t your thing as well, this does help take away some of the pain of waiting and watching paint dry. Literally 😛
Oh this is my must-have! I use it immediately after nail polish application for the quick dry. Then during the week, just top off with another top coat and the shine lasts and lasts and no chip. I love Seche Vite!
That’s a good tip to reapply again to revive the shine. I’ll be sure to try that!
I’ve heard of Seche Vite before, but I haven’t really been drawn by this top coat.
I want to invest in a good base and top coat though. Still looking, but I’ll check out this top coat some more.
Starting to paint my nails more often, haha.
Nail polish is catching on worldwide maybe because it’s affordable and fun 🙂 I’m in the market for a good base too. Haven’t found one yet though
Best. Top coat. EVER. I’ve never enjoyed painting my nails before this. They’re always chipping after a few minutes (yes, minutes!) of application. Seche Vite is a manicure’s heaven-sent.
You said it! I wonder why I needed so many words 😀
I used to use Sally Hansen Double Duty for both base and top coat, but now only use it for base coat after getting a bottle of Seche Vite – the stuff’s dynamite!! 😀
Teehee I remember your rec for the Sally Hansen. Guess I’ll just stick to Seche Vite for top coat then eh? 😉
seche vite is the the bomb! nothing else beats it not even opi rapidry 😛 all my other top coats goes to my toes, seche vite only for finger nails hahah
Haha so Seche Vite gets pride of place! I can’t remember the one I used before but I remember it just took too long to dry
I started out using Seche, but it’s not 3-free, so I’ve switched over to using Poshe. Not as good a result (less shiny), but dries almost as fast. I’ve also started using Essence’s Drip Dry drops!
Haven’t heard of those but the composition of nail polish dont really bother me. Might be because I don’t use them that often 🙂 will consider your recs if I come across them 🙂
Glad you’re now on board the SV wagon. 🙂 Btw, I noticed that shrinkage mostly happens when SV has thickened up. HTH!
Some nail polishes do suffer shrinkage from SV. Do check out All Lacquered Up’s top coats reviews to see which nail polishes don’t perform well with this.
Guess I’ll pay a little attention once mine starts to thicken. But I have read some reviews that complain of shrinkage although they don’t mention that it’s because it’s thickened. I’m glad I didn’t experience it though 🙂
I did purchase this a while ago. It did a pretty good job of drying faster, but Im more suprised about the strong scent that it has 🙁 cause nobody mention it before in their reviews. Also I dont think it gives a shiny finish looks for their nails either, which most top coat do
Hmm… I went to sniff mine again and I didn’t notice the scent mostly because I associate it with the smell of polish 🙂 I don’t have much experience with top coats so the finish was fine for me. What top coats give you the nice shiny finish you like?
Me using daiso as cheap
I was using Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat for a while but I really hated how the polish gets thickened so quickly. After finishing the bottle, I went back to Essie Good To Go top coat. It’s another fast drying top coat, it’s great and doesn’t thicken like Seche Vite.
I’ll have to check out Essie too if I can 🙂 it’s hard when we don’t get a lot of nail brands easily available locally 🙁
best top coat ever! have yet to come across something better:D but yeah it thickens after awhile :/
Mine seems fine so far but I’m dreading the day I open it and find the texture is changed 🙁
Glad to see this post! There are so many Seche Vite that I didn’t know which one to buy when I saw it in Sephora! Now that I see the picture… hehe, I know which one to pick the next time I see it.
Lol!! Glad to help! I hope you manage to pick this up and give it a go. I didn’t know it’s at Sephora Singapore!
I’ve always been curious to try SV, but I heard so many people say it thickens up quickly which has put me off a bit. I’m glad you’re not experiencing that problem. Maybe I should give it a go too as such a fast-drying top coat would be a life-saver indeed.
I think the common lament is quite true but mine perhaps lasts longer than it should and I wonder if it’s because I don’t use it as often lol!
I think I ordered a bottle of this with my other polish (read: glitter!!) and I can’t wait to try it out! Currently using OPI’s Natural Nail Base and Top Coat combo and so far, it works in helping keep my polish on longer and nicer. Nice that it helps keep my nails from turning yellow yoo 🙂
I’m in the market for a good base coat and this sounds like a good one to try, thanks for the rec! I hope you like the SV when you get it 😉
I use this stuff as well and it’s brilliant, also makes my nail polish last for so much longer before it chips – so good!
Yay for another SV fan 😀 I’m not too experienced with nail polishes or top coats, but I just love how long my polishes last and how fast it dries, importantly! 🙂
I bought a mini bottle of Seche Vite but have yet to open it. I am currently using Poshe top coat, works really well too! I bought Poshe first cos online reviews say it is not as thick as Seche Vite but I have yet to prove it myself.
Ah now that you have both, you can compare them as they go ! 🙂