It has come to my attention that I have erred egregiously. Somehow, in spite of Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat being my main top coat squeeze for a decade, I have never written about it specifically.
Here’s the skinny.
Simply put, Seche Vite is my holy grail top coat. It has been forever, even back in my nail art and paint my nails every-other-day years. I don’t often paint my nails with classic polish formulas (preferring gel for manicures instead), but I use this for pedicures and the rare regular polish manicure.
This inexpensive top coat, which you can get at drugstores, Sally Beauty, Target, Wal-Mart, Ulta, and Amazon smells god-awful but dries in a flash. When cared-for and used properly, this product is a beast.
Usage
Unlike most top coats, you do not (and should not) wait for your last coat of color to dry before application. Instead, you pick up a thick, opulent bead of product on your brush – way more than you are probably used to using. “But Jenn,” you might be thinking, “that sounds crazy and is entirely contrary to all of the rules of using nail lacquer that I have ever known.”
Yep, I know. Trust.
Place the bead near but not at your cuticle. Then, floating the bristles above the bead of product, pull it forward with the brush. Three strokes usually covers the nail adequately. Ideally, the brush bristles will never contact the surface of your nail.
Troubleshooting Seche Vite
Some people end up hating Seche Vite because of some common, easily treatable issues. The formula is a little volatile – after a handful of uses, it can start to thicken up. Once the viscosity starts to change, the product doesn’t perform as well; it is more difficult to apply and you may notice a strange shrinking effect at the free edge. Likewise, it doesn’t tend to be as durable.
This is easily remedied, however, by using their Seche Restore product. It is inexpensive and worthwhile. Personally, I like to get these kits that come with refill product too – its far more cost-effective than buying new bottles. In my experience, I have found that the combination of using Seche Restore and topping off with fresh product yields the best lifespan and results.
The Bottom Line
This under-$10 topcoat is a must-have in any home manicurist’s kit. It dries fast, as promised, prevents smudging and chipping, and delivers outstanding shine. Run, don’t walk.