Gel Top Coat.

Dior –

Gel Top Coat

I’ve been looking for a really good topcoat for a long time. I tend to buy a different brand after I run out because I don’t always find the current one is doing a good enough job.  I was previously using Essie’s ‘Good to Go’ topcoat, however for me, it just didn’t work too well. I found it tended to chip easily, and in some cases even lift from my nail polish which is just annoying.

I do love a good gel manicure, however I find the removal of it is just incredibly long winded, and it takes forever, which when I’m in a rush just isn’t possible. However, when trawling the Internet for a new one to try a lot of people where raving about this Dior Gel Topcoat. As someone who loves Dior and hasn’t yet been let down by them, I thought it was time to give it a go, maybe like some area of makeup, paying a little more for a good quality nail polish topcoat is the key for a chip free, shiny, long wearing manicure…maybe.

So lets look at the product a little more. Dior explain the polish as ‘a visionary topcoat provides the perfect ultra-shine finish of a professional gel manicure. Smoothed and incredibly curved, nails are slicked with unprecedented and exceptionally long-lasting shine.’ Doesn’t it just sound incredible! 

Dior's Gel Top Coat is thicker than most other topcoat's I've tried, which took some getting used to. It does dry to a nice hard finish and doesn't shrink around the edges (like Seche Vite does for me). I do recommend you allowing your two coats of colour to dry about 2-5 minutes before applying the Gel Coat. I usually let nails dry for 10-15 minutes after the topcoat and this dried perfectly within this time. The finish of Dior's Gel Top coat is just unbelievable, its the glossiest I've ever seen. It has a lush, cushion looking finish with a high shine, it truly looks like a gel manicure it’s that plumed and glossy.

In regards to how long it lasts, this is where it truly depends on what polish you are using underneath. I have tried it on 4 different polish brands, and it last between 4-6 days on each of them, however the tip and chip wear depended on the polish I used underneath. The photo to the right is after 5 days, I'm wearing Dior Gel Top Coat, on top of Ciate 'Sass Pot', there is only minor tip wear on one or two of the nails, but its very minor. 
On top of a Dior and Ciate polish it lasted phenomenally, it lasted a full 5/6 days with hardly any tip wear, however on top of a Chanel polish (which I have to say...don't really last that long for me before they start to chip) it lasted 4 days with some tip wear and slight chipping starting to happen. However, after playing around, I’ve found if you cover the tips (the very edge) of your nails first and then do the rest of your nails, it helps your polish last SO much longer, and the tip and chip wear is so much less. Another top tip for making it last longer is re-applying your top coat every couple of days. Not only does this help keep them super shiny, but also helps stop the polish from chipping.

Overall, I think its a really great top coat! It is a bit more expensive then your normal top coat, at £19 its not cheap, however, I do believe its truly worth it. The shine is incredibly, the quality is amazing and lasting quality of it is just phenomenal.

Have you tried this topcoat?
What is your favourite topcoat?