Nail top, what is? Appointment on top for nails. Topcoats pros and cons, brands and most popular brands. How to use the nail top correctly?
A nail top for nails is a finish that is applied to a fully clothed manicure to give it strength. With rare exceptions, it can be transparent or matte, but lack of color does not prevent the top, in addition to the protective action, can also perform decorations that give the nail design a perfect look.
Why do you need a nail polish remover?
No matter how beautiful and expensive a manicure is, its value is low if the varnish starts to peel off and becomes covered with cracks after a few days and the decorative elements fly away. Fortunately, modern women have at their disposal not only a variety of nail polishes and bases but also such a wonderful item as an overcoat for nails. It was thanks to him that it became possible to extend the “shelf life” of manicures up to the moment when grown cuticles or prominent nail holes do not allow postponing a visit to the beauty salon.
The top coat of the varnish performs a number of important functions:
- Evens out the color;
- Smooth minor imperfections of the foundation;
- Creates an even glare, drowsiness, sparkling effect, sand or wet nails;
- Protects gel polish from early abrasion, cracks, and chips;
- Fixes decorative elements;
- Prevents clouds or yellowing of the colored layer under the influence of household detergents and chlorinated water;
- The presence of UV filters protects nails from the harmful effects of sunlight;
- Top nail polish with a drying effect significantly saves time in going for a manicure.
By and large, you can be without a top coat. But if you are thinking of leaving it to save money, then you will definitely go wrong, because a thin layer of the transparent gel allows you to fix your manicure less often, which means it lowers the cost of foundations, colored varnishes, and other fun small things that are necessary for nail design. If you compare the price of a top coat for nails with the cost of other products, “wear” as it will rise, you will end up with a plus.
The main types of shirts for nails
There is no doubt that it is impossible to create a high-quality and long-lasting manicure without finishing. Still, it’s not enough to cast an absurd gaze into the shop window and take the bottle you like at random. To successfully buy a top coat for nails, you need a solid understanding of what kind of actions a future host expects from him. Even the cost, in this case, is, though not insignificant, not a decisive criterion.
Types of nail polish spikes:
- With a sticky layer … The top coat with a diffused layer firstly allows you to attach decorative elements securely and secondly it provides a more soft manicure. The latter conditions make the purchase of “sticky” nail tips especially suitable for girls with a soft and flexible nail plate, as the insufficiently elastic gel will soon be covered with cracks.
- No sticky layer … But for strong nails, a top without a glue layer will be more than appropriate. It will last a little less, but you will have the opportunity to use rubber and sliders that are not suitable for “sticky” tops, you will be able to create beautiful highlights and as a bonus, you will save a lot of drying time and money on dispersal removal.
- Comprehensive … The top foundations for nails in the category “2 in 1” have a significant advantage over other skins of the same type: they allow you to use the same product both as a base and as a finishing layer. Must experiment with the best appetite, choose the appropriate pair for the top, or accept that the manicure in the sock will be a little less lasting.
- With rubber … Tops containing rubber fibers are known for their flexibility, durability, and self-balance. They perfectly fill a small depression and groove, giving elasticity but at the same time not depriving it of its luster. Admittedly, the cost of a rubber top for nails will be higher, but this price is completely justified.
- Liquid and thick … Beginners should choose a medium thickness finish, easily spread over the surface of the nail. A liquid top flows too often over the cuticles and a thick top lays too thick, so it is better to look for a middle ground.
- Matte top for nails … A smooth gloss is far from always appropriate; in some cases, a restrained surface that is deliberately glare-free looks much more favorable and emphasizes the depth of the color. Before using such products, it is necessary to mix well, as the composition of the top matte coating for nails contains special small particles to create the desired “fog” effect.
- Velvet, corduroy, cashmere. Strictly speaking, these coatings also belong to the category of mesh. However, in addition to getting rid of glare and creating protection for nails, top corduroy (velvet, velour, cashmere or satin) provides a pleasant feeling of the rough surface and the manicure itself makes you look more expensive and nobler.
- With gloss … For external transparency, these finishes hide the mysterious depths of space, captivating the northern lights and the cold sheen of the metal, start to sparkle and play with highlights whenever they are in the light. Various such tops can be considered as a complex “cat’s eye”, created with a magnetic texture and gel with a wet skin effect, and rather primitive but attractive top with glitter – for short or medium-sized nails this is a pretty good work option, although for long nail plates are better to find something more complex.
- Fragrant shirts … Lovers of fruity, floral, and sweet scents now have the opportunity to get a bottle of the fragrant top coat of nail polish and feel surrounded by a fragrant aura all day long. However, there is one complication here: it is important that the smell of the top does not conflict with the aroma of your perfume.
- With vitamins. Logically, it is difficult to imagine that it makes sense to apply a top that is enriched with drugs on nails, as vitamins and minerals will be separated from the nail plate with 2-3 layers of primer and colored varnish. But if desired, such ways can be found in the beauty market.
- A thermometer … To create a truly unusual nail design, a top chameleon that responds to changing temperatures is best. As soon as you walk without gloves in late autumn, rinse your hands in cold water or hold a cup of hot tea in your palms, your smart skin will glow or darken before your eyes. And on long nails, due to the temperature difference, it can create a magnificent overflow!
Of course, in the end, each girl must independently decide which top for nails best suits her tastes and tasks. But in order not to get bored, wear the same type of manicure week after week, you should add some finishes for different purposes to the company to the current gel sanding and use them according to your mood.
The best shirts for nails
Women buy hundreds of bottles of manicure products every day and regularly leave their opinions on nail tips in online stores and on specialized sites. Based on their opinion, you can narrow your search to the best brands and make your choice much easier.
5 best nails for nails:
- CND Shellac Top Coated (USA) … Medium viscous gel does not disperse during use, heals within 2 minutes, and forms a lasting layer with a pronounced sheen, resistant to chips, abrasion, and other damage. The bottle is equipped with a wide brush with a rounded tip for easy use with one stroke.
- Nano Professional Topcoat Nanlac Finish (Germany) … Classic topcoat for nails with high gloss and UV filters that prevent manicures from disappearing in the sun. Suitable for leveling nail plates, resistant to mechanical damage.
- Vogue Nails top-coated, matte top Velvet (Russia) … Opaque, viscous topcoat. After polymerization, it acquires a magnificent milky hue and a velvety texture that does not rub within 2-3 weeks of use. On the downside: despite its noticeable viscosity, it often needs to be used in 2 layers.
- Kodi Rubber Top Gel (Ukraine) … Top gel coating for nails with rubber fibers in the composition. It has an optimal thickness and distribution layer for trouble-free use, gives a noticeable gloss, and protects nails from flakes and demarcation.
- Adricoco Top Gel Polish Velvet (Hong Kong) … Matte gel with velvet effect protects manicures against mechanical damage and fire for up to 4 weeks of wear. It has an elastic structure and is economical to use. Ideal for creating light, airy manicure options with delicate tones. The cost can be added to the number of obvious advantages of the tool:
Note! The products of the German brand Patricia, the Dutch Uniq, and the American FOX deserve a lot of positive reviews about the epidermis for nails.
How to apply top on nails?
The use of a finish requires adherence to a certain technique, which ensures the smoothness of the skin without streaks and bubbles and the preservation of manicure for a long time. It is not difficult to master, although, for beginners who have a vague idea of gel polish and polymerization, it is better to visit the manicure master at least 1-2 times and carefully observe his work.
How to use a top for nails:
- First, the nail plate must be properly prepared: file it in the appropriate shape and length, sand it, and trim the cuticles. Then the nails are covered with primer, end seal, and colored gel polish. Each layer is polymerized in a lamp.
- A bubble with a top is heated in the palms and its contents are mixed together. This should be done vigorously, but without fanaticism, to prevent air bubbles from appearing.
- The brush is dipped in and applied in an even thin layer on the sticky layer of the colored skin, especially carefully working the area near the cuticles.
- The top is used to seal the edge of the nail to prevent the manicure from flaking.
- The top coat is dried in a lamp for the time specified in the instructions. Important: when the top is applied to the nails in several layers, each of them is polymerized separately.
- If the gel has a dispersion layer, it is removed with a special device.
Note! After finishing the treatment, it is advisable to treat the cuticles with nourishing and emollient oil that prevents burrs from appearing.
Real reviews on top for nails
A good finish used in accordance with the advice of experts usually only evokes positive emotions. Negative reviews about the coating for varnish occur in two cases: when buying an unusable cheap product or violating the conditions for its use. In any case, before you buy a top for nails, it does not hurt to learn more about it to understand what to expect from the purchase.
Anastasia, 26 years old
CND Shellac Top Coat is an incredibly durable layer with a flawless gloss. It is leveled during the drying process, worn for a long time, and removed without registration. But at the same time it spreads a bit without success, despite a decent density, it is quickly consumed and costs little for me. As they say, good, but it is a nuance… However, it suits me.
Mary, 33 years old
Vogue Nails Matte Corduroy Top is a budget semi-liquid consistency texture with a comfortable brush and is almost odorless. Very pleasant to the touch: if you are kinesthetic like me, a real treat! However, this is where the benefits end: on two nails, the matte top gave a gloss (!) And not happy with the durability. After 2 weeks it started to loosen.
Irina, 28 years old
I use Kodi Rubber Top Gel for almost a month without chips! That’s great! When applying you need to be more agile, as it is liquid than I am used to and can leak on the cuticles and sometimes it bakes a bit in the lamp, but there are no other complaints. The smell is there, of course, but not strong. For one year, the top has not been exhausted, has not thickened, and has not gone into bubbles. Definitely a worthy item.