What's a top coat for?

A beautiful manicure protects you! And it is precisely the role of top coat, final stage of manicure, sometimes wrongly neglected. Invisible shield against anything that causes cracks and scales, this top coat is much more than just protection. Brilliant, matt or glittery, the finish varnish also enhances each of your manicures and extends your favorite varnish colours. We're telling you everything about this must-have!

What exactly is the top coat?

The top coat is a transparent finish varnish which applies in the last layer, over the color varnish. Its formula is designed to wrap and seal the manicure or the nail art. It smoothes the surface and makes it more resistant, while enhancing the colour with a specific effect.

As the name indicates, it applies in last layer in a routine varnishing, after the base coat coat and the 2 layers of color. When the colour is dry, the top coat is placed in a thin layer and dried in the open air or under UV/LED lamp according to the chosen protocol.

👉 Good to know : you are strongly advised to use a varnish of finish belonging to the same brand and product range that your nail polish. Their formulae are designed to work in synergy and guarantee a optimal performance in terms of wear and shine.

Why is top coat indispensable?

When you're in a hurry and the nail polish is dry and already shiny, you're easily tempted to stop there... Error! By skipping the top coat, you're depriving yourself of your manicure life insurance. Here are 5 good reasons to never forget:

• It protects your nail polish against scratches and early scalaring and act as a bumper for your nails.
• It extends the nail polish hold. A well-applied finish layer is several days of extra manicure.
• It brings shine to the color varnishes. The shade is more in nuances and depth.
• He fixes the nail arts. Patterns, gradients, effect powders, gems or stickers... it seals all your creations so that they remain intact as long as possible.
• It creates effects for a custom finish. Shiny and curved gel effect, velvety matte finish, glittery or iridescent effect, it's up to you to choose the finish that will customize your manicure!

On a glazed color or powder, the top coat ensures protection of your manicure.
(@bara.hoyle)

What difference between base coat and top coat?

You sometimes have difficulty distinguishing them, yet the objectives are quite different.

The base is the first step of any varnishing, the initial layer that applies before the color varnish, directly on the natural nail. Its role is to create a uniform surface area on which the color layer will be easier to lay and will have a better hold. The base-coat also plays the role of protective layer to prevent pigments from entering the keratin layers. Finally, the base coat can also become a care when formulated to nourish and strengthen the nail under the color.

The top coat, he's acting Surface. It forms a protective layer which preserves the colour of external aggressions and improves resistance nail polish. The result is an intense colour, exceptional shine and a perfect manicure that holds in time, limiting the risk of scratches or scales. With as a bonus, a variety of possible renderings: glossy gel effect, matt finish, glitter, pearly, cat eye...

Two different products, with two complementary missions and not interchangeable at all, let us say it!

Can we use a top coat alone?

Technically, yes. Applied on bare nails, it plays its protective role and brings the glossy touch that characterizes it. But be careful, he is not not designed to be in direct contact with the natural nail.

If you want to protect your natural nails while strengthening and/or embellishing them, choose the following products:

• The Fortifying Base : a hardening varnish to strengthen soft and fine nails and improve their resistance to breakage.
• Base S.O.S. : a treatment base for repairing very damaged, brittle or split nails by stimulating their cell regeneration.
• Active™ care varnishes that combine beauty and nail care on a daily basis, with 6 make-up effects of choice.

Which top coat to choose according to your manicure?

At Manucurist , each range of varnish has its own special complete routine. Polish Green™ or semi-permanent LED varnish Green Flash™That's the question! By responding, you will be able to know what top coat to use. We've put all this in a picture to get a clearer picture:

No more	Green Flash™ Semi-permanent LED varnishes	Green Flash™ Semi-permanent LED varnishes	Green™ Classic nail polish
Mirror shine	Top Coat Green Flash™ (held 12 days)	Top Coat Xtrem Flash™ (held 21 days)	Top Coat Green™ (held 7 days)
Gold or silver straw	Top Coat Pailleté Green Flash™ (held 12 days)	Top Coat Pailleté Green Flash™ (held 12 days)	Top Coat Pailleté Green™ (held 7 days)
Mat	to come in 2027	to come in 2027	Top Coat Mat Green™ (held 7 days)

• Top Coat Green™, it is the finishing varnish of the system Green™. It offers a glossy gel effect and impeccable hold up to 7 days. Simple, efficient, essential.
• Top Coat Green Flash™, it, is made to work with the semi-permanent varnish Green Flash™ and must be dried under LED lamp. It creates a natural light curved, intense shine and ensures up to 12 days. Anyway, a professional home finish, just that.
• Top Coat Xtrem Flash™, this is the other option of routine Green Flash™ for one long-lasting and ultra-resistant manicure. With the unique formula Xtrem Flash™ , semi-permanent varnish holds up to 21 days Without losing its shine. It's drying. under LED lamp and withdrawal is done in only 10 minutes, without sanding or acetone, unlike traditional UV gel varnishes.
• Gold & Silver Glow Top Coats are the variations of the iconic Top Coat Green™ and Green Flash™ in glittery, gold or silver versions. Infused with ultra-fine micro-paillettes, they add a golden or silver iridescent touch to your nail polishes, without compromising on the hold or effect Shiny.
• Top Coat Mat creates on any nail polish Green™ A sophisticated velvet finish. to be found in version Green Flash™ 2027, stay tuned!

You will understand, the top coat, with the base coat and the color varnish, is part of the trio essential for any varnishing. The role of this finish varnish is as functional as it is aesthetic. It protects the color and extends its life on the one hand, while sublimating it with a glossy touch, a matte finish or glitter, according to your desire of the moment. It would be a shame to deprive you of such an ally!