Top coat talk.

I feel like it has been a while since I featured a top coat here on the blog. Today's top coat is from a brand I'm very fond of: essence cosmetics. I'm no stranger to their products; in fact, I love them, especially their liners, lipsticks, and of course, nail polishes. I've used some of their base and top coats before so why break tradition, right? Here's another one to add to the pile.

The Quick Dry Top Coat is pretty straightforward: it is deemed as an extremely fast drying top coat that protects your nail polish from chipping. It doesn't offer a gel like effect like the Plumping Top Coat but the "speed dry" promise is enough for me. I mean, after being spoiled by Seche Vite, I just want all my top coats to be as fast drying, you know? The formula of the Quick Dry is one I really like. It's not as thick & gloopy as the Plumping Top Coat but not as thin & runny as Catrice's Quick Dry & High Shine Top Coat. The brush it comes with isn't a horror to work with either. It's thin and quite narrow but the bristles aren't too stiff and they don't splay out too easily.

After using it a few times, I have to say that I like this more than the drugstore top coats I've tried before. The speed dry claim is true. This top coat dries fairly fast which is great if you're in a hurry. But what I like most about it is that you can feel the layer of top coat on your nails, just like Seche Vite. Other top coats I have, especially the thin & runny ones, tend to get absorbed by the polish underneath it, making the top coat layer really thin which offers a weak protection. Speaking of which, the Quick Dry does a good job on minimizing chipping for as long as 2-3 days. I like using it as a refresher a couple of days after initial application and it's great for prolonging the polish underneath.

Overall, the Quick Dry is no glass case like the Seche Vite but it's definitely one that is worth picking up if you're on a budget because it dries fairly quick, it doesn't have a tricky formula, and for a drugstore product, does a lovely job in protecting and prolonging polish. Definitely a good one from essence!