The 15 Best Top Coats for a Flawless Manicure at Home

The right top coat is key to a long-lasting manicure

While a trip to the nail salon is the ultimate way to kick back and relax, getting there on a regular basis can be both difficult and pricey. Learning how to do your own manicure saves you time and money.

If you’re determined to perfect the art of the DIY manicure, you may already have a collection of the best nail polishes in your favorite colors or have picked up this $8 product to give you salon level manicures at home. Whether you prefer non-toxic polishes or gel nail polishes, there’s one essential component you’ll need if you want to make your manicure last longer as well as get a salon quality shine, and that’s a good top coat.

What’s so special about a top coat? Besides giving your nails a rich luster, a top coat seals in nail polish and prevents it from chipping or rubbing off, says Syreeta Aaron of LeChat Nails. The last thing you want is to spend all that time giving yourself the perfect manicure, only to have your polish chip off quickly.

What to look for when buying top coat nail polish

There are hundreds of options when it comes to top coat nail polish. First, you’ll have to decide whether to use a regular nail polish, lacquer, which is a slightly thicker, more durable version of traditional nail polish, or gel. According to Aaron, top coats which are labeled as instant dry or quick dry are ideal for regular polish and lacquer.

Since both formulas take longer to dry, and even longer if your coats are too thick, a quick-drying top coat helps set the polish faster. You also have to decide which look you’re going for, says Aaron. Do you want an ultra glossy manicure or are you going for a trendy matte look? Speaking of looks, here are some subtle things your nail polish color reveals about you.

How we chose the best top coat nail polish

With so many different top coats all making the same types of promises, finding ones worthy of your nails is no easy feat. We tested over a dozen different top coats to see which ones lived up to the hype and which ones fell short. We also went through tons of five-star reviews and best-selling products to find the best top coats for every style and budget. So trust us when we say you can’t go wrong with any of these options!

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