This top coat is my secret to a fast-drying and glossy manicure every time
When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more I love painting my nails, but I don't love waiting an hour while they dry. After ruining one too many manicures by rushing, I looked for quick-drying solutions.
Redeem now
When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
I love painting my nails, but I don't love waiting an hour while they dry. After ruining one too many manicures by rushing, I looked for quick-drying solutions.
My biggest qualm with many quick-drying nail polishes is that you don't get the shine of a top coat. Thankfully, I discovered the Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat, which is the best of both worlds. It gives a glossy finish to any polish and dries within minutes.
Application
There's a bit of knack to make sure the polish doesn't settle on one part of the nail before you finish covering the whole surface. The polish isn't super thick, but the brush is relatively small and one coat does settle quickly on the nail. To avoid building up uneven layers, I don't wipe too much excess off the brush and try to cover the whole nail bed in two to three swipes.
Using this top coat may take a little practice, but it's worth it — especially since it smooths out any bumps in your nail polish. Lily Alig
Another great quality of the Seche Vite is that it smoothes out any surface imperfections. If I have an inconsistent layer of pigmented polish, this top coat evens it out.
However, if you mess up the top coat itself, don't try to smooth it with more top coat. Trust me: cut your losses and re-paint the nail again, or else you'll end up with globby layers of top coat.
On average, with this top coat, it takes three or four days until my nail polish chips. It isn't the longest-lasting manicure, but not the shortest either. For the best chip-resistant top coat, check out our full guide to the best nail polish top coats.
The bottom line
My finished manicure with the Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat. Lily Alig
I bought this bottle over the summer and it hasn't thickened or changed texture. In six months, I've used about a third of the bottle, so it will last me for well over a year. This is the second time I've purchased the Seche Vite Top Coat, and when I run out, I'll be buying a third.
Pros: Quick drying time, brilliant shine, smoothes imperfections
Cons: Average chip resistance, small brush
Shop at AmazonLily Alig Editor, Home and Kitchen Lily Alig is an editor on the Insider Reviews team, covering the home and kitchen verticals. She helps run the kitchen section, working with in-house and freelance writers to build out coverage of small appliances, kitchen tools, and gourmet food.Since joining Insider as a fellow in August 2020, Lily spent a year and a half as a full-time reporter before becoming an editor. As a writer, she spoke with independent spice houses and professional chefs, as well as tested products by making 50 waffles in one day and searing 7 steaks in a week. In her role as editor, Lily tracks stories from pitch to publish, maintains the kitchen publishing calendar, and edits every story for copy and content.Lily is an avid home cook and baker, so she knows what consumers are looking for in kitchenware products. After work, you can find her watching sports, reading fantasy novels, and finding new recipes to try.Reach out to Lily at lalig@businessinsider.com. Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here.Learn more about how we test kitchen products. Read more Read less
Redeem now 
Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Nail Coat Shop at Amazon External link Arrow An arrow icon, indicating this redirects the user."