Nail Care, 8-Free Vegan, Gel Setter Top Coat, gel-like finish nail polish, 0.46 fl oz

As a big fan of Essie products, I purchased Essie's Gel Setter top coat in 2015; when I initially tried it, I didn't love it, and didn't think it was any better than others (Essie's Good to Go top coat has always been a favorite). I've kept it with my nail polish supplies, however, and have tried it periodically. Fast forward to late September 2017, when two minor changes to my nail polish routine have COMPLETELY changed my mind about this top coat, which is rapidly becoming my new favorite! With this new routine, I find that I can regularly get a full 7-10 days out of my manicure with no (or nearly no) chipping; this is especially true if I reapply the top coat 4-5 days after my initial manicure. It really does do a great job of mimicking a shiny salon gel manicure, without the damage and removal hassle that can come with gel polishes. So what's my routine? 1. After my cuticles are pushed back/trimmed (I love the CND CuticleAway Gel for this) and my nails are filed/buffed, I wash my hands thoroughly with soap and water, scrubbing with a nail brush. 2. After drying my hands, I use acetone or alcohol to clean my nails, ensuring that there's no soap or lotion residue on the nail surface. 3. I apply one quick coat of OPI's Bond Aid to my clean natural nails; this dries almost instantly, and is a huge help with polish adhesion. 4. I apply one coat of Essie's Grow Stronger Base Coat to my nails, and let dry for about a minute. This is the first of the two changes I made recently, and changing to this base coat has made a world of difference in terms of preventing chips. 5. I apply two coats of regular Essie polish (in whatever color suits my mood - generally, it's Mademoiselle if I'm going light, or Wicked or Carry On if I want a darker color). I wait about 30 seconds between coats. 6. I finish my manicure with one coat of Essie Gel-Setter Top Coat. 7. I then let my nails air dry - NOT UNDER A DRYER - for about 15 minutes. This is the second change I made to my routine. If my nails are not dry by this time, I then use a standard nail dryer fan (with UV lamp) for regular polish (not a gel dryer) to finish drying my nails. This gives the polish layers some time to cure, and ensures that bubbles don't form. I've attached a picture of my most recent regular manicure (I am wearing Essie's Mademoiselle) using the routine described above, taken after four days of wear. I have not reapplied the top coat. It's maintained its super shiny finish, and so far, I have no chips or lifting - and I've been using my keyboard constantly, and have done dishes and used antibacterial wipes and other cleaning products on various surfaces (with no gloves). Hope this is helpful! I paid FULL price for this product, and have not been given any discounts or incentives in exchange for leaving my review.

I was thrown back in to home-manicures due to the pandemic. I had been getting either acrylic tips, gel polish, or powder dip color for 15 years. I don't even recall why I started because I was always able to grow my own. At any rate, after soaking off my last powder dip in mid-March, I spent few weeks with clear coats just getting my nails to grow healthy again. Once I started painting them on my own and recalled what days of pushing papers and typing can do to your color. So I grabbed a bottle of this Essie top coat for a try. It's great. It gives a thick, hard, shiny salon-like finish to even the cheapest drugstore polish. It's long-lasting to the point that I actually see it grow out like a gel manicure before it actually wears off. And it dries super quickly to boot. I venture to say, I wouldn't use any other topcoat at this point. However, my one gripe is the bottle gets thick super quick. I bought a bottle in April, had to discard in early July with at least a third of the bottle still left because it got so thick that it was drying in strings as I dipped in and out of the bottle and no longer spread nicely when applying (it dried with ridges). Now, early October, I am ready to discard the bottle I bought in July already, again about a third of the bottle left, for the same reason. Now, I do paint my nails pretty much weekly, but the bottle is always closed tightly and stored away from heat. I could add a little acetone, and I may try that this time, but I fear it will lose some of it's merits by thinning it. We'll see. I know Essie is not the MOST pricey polish, but it also costs enough that it shouldn't dry out and waste a good portion of each bottle in doing so. I will still continue to use, but just be aware it thickens up pretty quickly.

I apply two coats of this. It is durable. My nail wraps hold up nicely.

I waited to do this review until I used this for 3 weeks. 3 times! And each time it lasted from 6 days to a whole week!!! Also let me start telling you this. I LOVE Essie nail polishes. But just because of the colors. They are so so pretty!!!! But it just doesn't last for me. I work with children and wash my hands constantly. I hate that usually Essie polishes last one or 2 days on my. So even tho I can't resist and buy new colors every season I barely wear them. The top coat also isn't one of my favorites so I always use a different brand. So I was excited to try this. First try and I was impressed. I am not quite sure why people are saying it's too thick! Mine isn't. It just has the normal consistency of a regular nail polish.easy to apply! One coat is all you need. It gives a petty shine too! Also! One thing I noticed. My nails are paper thin. They break so easily you have no idea. They also bend some times. That's how thin they are. I can bend some of them a little before they break. This gel has given them a bit more strength, at least when I'm wearing it. I mean... It isn't a treatment that will make your nail stronger. But when it is on my nail they do feel a bit harder an usual and they haven't broken in 3 weeks. You have to understand that's like... A miracle to me! You can se the gel with other brands as well and I'm super excited with that! I use those little French manicure stickers (easiest way of getting the perfect French) and I can use the gel with us as well! I am a fan! And I would recommend for those that got a little jar with a too thick product to exchange it f a new one. I find it weird because seriously! Mine isn't thick at all! You may have gotten a bad one or someone didn't close the top right enough or soenthing and was opened at the store. Who knows. All I know is that this is great! I'm going on say 4 of the third time l used it!!! And it still looks great!!!!

I would leave 10 stars if I could. THE best shine and wear. Dries in a snap. Just make sure your polish is well dry before applying. PERFECT nails.

Me enviaron un producto viejo o usado. La consistencia no es como el qeu normalmente compro en tiendas, es demasiado espeso por lo que no se puede aplicar una capa muy delgadita y esto provoca que quede demasiado gruesa la capa y se desprenda a los 3-4 días con el esmalte.

I use this top coat frequently and am always impressed. It goes on easily and keeps nails looking fresh, shiny for days. I appreciate that it dries fairly quickly as well. Its effect reminds me seche vite but without the harsh smell and it doesn’t dry out as quickly in the bottle.

good

A good top coat is hard to find, and this one is pretty darn good. It will keep my nails nice for weeks if i'm not at work, but i'm a baker, and after about 2 shifts it's seen better days, which is completely understandable. If you work with your hands and do a lot with them, don't expect this to hold for days on end. I love how fast it dries. By the time i get the second hand done, the first one is already dry, kind of blew my mind that i could go back to activities so soon after applying any kind of polish. Better than any other one i have used so far, so I will continue to buy until i discover something better.