Seche Vive Gel Top Coat is by far one of my new favorite things. I love getting gel manicures. I’m hard on my nails, with all the typing I do, so they’re perfect for me. Regular manicures usually chip within a day, maybe two if I’m lucky.
However, gel manicures are really hard on my nails. I found that after a few times of going and getting the nails soaked off, when the new polish was applied and my fingers were put under the UV light, I would feel a very uncomfortable burning sensation. Not terrible, but definitely not good.
So I decided to forego any more gel manis and do my own nails with regular polish. Getting your nails done is expensive, and with the way I go through regular manicures there’s no point. Plus, I like doing my own nails; it allows me time to catch up on my Netflix or OnDemand queue and take some time for myself!
Fast forward a bit, and gel manicure home kits start appearing all over the place. But they still use the UV light device and I couldn’t bring myself to face that weird stinging pain again (seriously, it’s almost indescribable. Almost like nerve pain? I don’t know.).
Finally, the nail polish companies started putting out these gel top coats that don’t require UV light. Score! I could barely contain my excitement. Not only do they not require the light, but you can use these gel top coats over regular polish. Double score!
First Impressions
So I actually stumbled on this particular product by mistake. I was at Ross (which is like Marshall’s or TJ Maxx, for those not out west) and I decided to pop in to Sally Beauty Supply next door. At the time, I was using the new Essie Gel Top Coat (also a good product), and I needed a new bottle. When I couldn’t find any Essie products, I asked the salesgirl for a suggestion, and she showed me the Seche Vive Gel Top Coat. The bottle is pretty, and the best part was the price – about half of what I was paying for Essie.
Experience
When I settled down to try the Seche Vive Top Coat, I was pleasantly surprised at the consistency. While a lot of the new gel top coats have a thick consistency, Seche Vive’s is more akin to regular top coats. The company suggests putting on a “heavy coat over dry nail polish,” so I really globbed (is that a word?) it on. It dried almost immediately, which is just a blessing for anyone who has ever experienced giving themselves a four hour manicure while waiting for polish to harden.
Seche Vive has a nice, glossy finish, just like a regular gel manicure. While my mani with this top coat does not last as long as a salon gel mani, it definitely lasts much longer than a manicure with a regular top coat.
Cost and Where to Buy
The price of the Seche Vive Gel Top Coat is, I think, one of the best things about this product. I think I got it for around $4 at Sally Beauty Supply. Beauty Plus Salon currently has it for $2.99 (!), and Amazon has it for $5.81. Compared to some of the other good gel top coats out there, Seche Vive definitely has one of the best prices.
Summing Up
I would give the Seche Vive Gel Top Coat a 9 out of 10. I have definitely added it into my regular rotation of beauty products. Because it doesn’t last quite as long as a regular gel manicure, I can’t give it a 10 out of 10. But it’s damn close.
Want me to try another top coat? Message me here!
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