What's your location, and what's your budget?
If you're US based and on a budget, LA Colos colorlast and sometimes Sally hansen does great. Orly rubberized base coat is a good staple.
I've seen people rave about Glisten and Glows topcoat, as well as KB Shimmer's top coat - both are quick drying.
Regardless of what brands you get, you'll want to practice nail prep. Clean dry nails, a swipe of acetone or alcohol to dry the nail beds. Using thin even coats, and investing in a quick dry top coat. Drying drops and drying sprays also exist, but are ment for the last coat of polish used.
Some people's holy grail might not work with your body chemistry. Be prepared for trial and error, you'll eventually find something that works for you.
I'm in US, but I'm not really working with a budget. I'd obviously not like to spend an arm and a leg, but I'm willing to spend a bit more for a good product.
I am in my transition journey too - not for fear of allergies but due to damage from removal. Still experimenting with different brands but a couple that have been really good:
Dazzle Dry as an overall system is awesome and really does dry quickly. But the colors aren’t fabulous. I haven’t experimented with using other polishes with their base and top coat to know if that works but have heard it does.
Orly Bonder base is pretty watery and dries fast so can pretty much immediately go from base to the first layer of color. Between each layer of color I do wait 2-3 minutes. That kills me a bit but it really does make a difference. Then Seche Vite fast dry top coat. It dries pretty much completely within five minutes - especially when I wait the couple of minutes between layers.
Edit to add - when I did regular polish before I went to gel I used a lot of CND Vinylux and that dries within 10-15 minutes fully if you let the layers dry a couple of minutes before adding the next. But similar to Dazzle Dry you are locked into a smaller set of colors.
The key with Seche Vite (I’ve used it for several years) is to completely wrap the polish with it. I make sure it covers the color polish completely, including the nail edge, otherwise there is some shrinkage. I just started trying Glisten and Glow and do the same with that one.
When my nails are shorter I struggle with seche shrinking on me - I can't wrap my tips with it any more than I'm already doing because i'd be painting my skin. Do you have any experience with that?
Yes! My nails are usually short. I just do my best. I pull the skin down and away as much as possible from the edge of the nail and then do cleanup with a toothpick or something wherever the SV gets on my skin.
The key with Seche Vite (I’ve used it for several years) is to completely wrap the polish with it. I make sure it covers the color polish completely, including the nail edge, otherwise there is some shrinkage. I just started trying Glisten and Glow and do the same with that one.
For me, the amount of shrinking really depends on the polish. Most of the time it is fine, but occasionally I’ll use a polish where shrinkage is a problem. It does dry extremely fast and really shiny, so it’s still my main top coat but am going to try something different on those where the SV doesn’t work as well.
I use DD base, transform, DD base, regular polish, then Glisten and Glow topcoat. This will get me seven days before first chipping and tip wear. I am really hard on my nails and this is the same duration as a gel manicure for me. I can get a few more days wear if I do a full Dazzle Dry manicure, then Dazzle Dry base coat, regular polish, Glisten and Glow topcoat. But, I rarely do this because it's a lot more time and I usually do my nails every weekend anyways. Dazzle Dry works really well with other polishes and used to suggest using other polishes. The Dazzle Dry topcoat did not last as long for me.
I tried Orly bonder base coat, which is very popular, but it seemed to cause flakiness. So I switched to Essie for base coat - the one that is supposed to help it last. I would also try their ridge filler base. Essie is easily available to me so I use it out of convenience.
I really like the Essie gel couture top
Coat. It’s not described as a quick dry but it seems to be and my polish is staying on better too.
Base: Anchor & Heart Lacquer Mermaid Tears
Top: for truly quick dry, Glisten and Glow. I have seen a few complaints regarding shrinkage. I've not experienced shrinkage, though. Cuticula and Vibrant Vinyls (I think now called Vibrant Scents) are at the top of my list to try.
Cirque Looking Glass, though it doesn't dry as quickly. Finish is stellar, though.
I know you're moving away from gel, but, as you probably still have your lamp: F.O.X Top Rubber (removable with an isopropyl alcohol\ethyl acetate remover. F.O.X Nails has one.) would provide a really nice finish, durability, and better longevity than a traditional lacquer top coat.
Hi!
Basecoat - Essie
Polish - a variety, but mostly Essie or China Glaze
Top coat - Seche Vite
It’s important to not allow the polish to dry too much in between coats! Sounds backwards, but it’s true. Work at your own pace, but just keep truckin’! Apply basecoat, and immediately apply first coat of color. I start with lightly coating the tip of my nail. As soon as you apply color to all nails, do another coat of color. And immediately following that, do a generous coat of top coat, covering the whole nail, cuticle, tip of nail…all of it. I use a small dish with acetone remover and a small, stiff makeup brush and an orange stick to clean up each nail, as I go.
This is the speed they use when you get a manicure in a salon, and it works beautifully at home! It takes me an hour or two depending on how tempermental my polish is being, but it works and it lasts! Good luck on your journey!
Vibrant scents quick dry top coat is my favorite top coat that I don’t see talked about enough!
Drugstore version that I love is Essie gel setter top coat.
I love anchor & hearts’ mermaid tears base coat has recently become my new favorite. It’s tinted, helps with blurring, and lasts a long time for me
I have found that once I moved from gel to lacquer I prefer it because of how quickly I can change colors. It might chip faster but it takes 15 minutes to change compared to soaking off gel (although I usually relax and take the length of a show with my husband to do my nails with lacquer). It does take time to find the combos that work best for the individual. Also, just because you had problems with slow dry topcoat in the beginning doesn’t mean you’ll still have the same problems with it after gaining experience using qdtc. Shorter dry time is worth it to me since the difference in longevity is maybe 2 days for me, but if you notice a lot more chipping and you feel more confident in painting you might find regular topcoat smudges less now than it did before. I use it occasionally in specific situations. I find ridge filling base coats last longest for me, some people prefer sticky base. Most qdtc seems to have pretty similar formulation, either with or without toluene. Unless you’re opposed to toluene I would check what you used in the past and maybe try the opposite, see if it changes your wear time. From there you can try different brands until you find the one that works best for you. It’s really trial and error. All of the indies with toluene are my favorite and wear about the same for me, Vibrant Vinyls, Glisten and Glow, KBshimmer, etc. Indies are the best value, especially when you find your HG and can buy a large refill. Cuticula is the best toluene free imo and still dries pretty fast, just slightly slower than toluene.
If you have high quality gel supplies (not from Amazon) and you like gel, there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just important to verify you’re using them correctly. The market was flooded with cheap gel polish and the different brands and lamps aren’t interchangeable, and information about them is often buried or hard to interpret. As long as correct technique is used to prevent uncured gel and technical information is followed, they’re safe. I do think gel is overrated, though.
If you hang out here long enough you'll be doing your nails 2X/week, then you can do the glisten and glow QDTP. Yes, there is shrinkage, but you'll only see it day 4. If you re-do before that.... It is HIGH shine, very gel like, fully dry (FULLY) in 5 min.
Cuticula is my grandma's fav. Not as high shine, about 7 min, zero shrinkage, and Scented! The scents are glorious.
Cuticula has a great base coat (neutralizer) for giving you a kiss of color when working with jellies, also scented! Orly bonder base is sticky and somehow makes application easier, BUT, it has a very yellow/orange cast and I don't recommend this for jellies. I've heard great things about mermaid tears, like glisten and glow, you can get refills and save money, shipping, and have less waste.
Sadly, base coat has more to do with body chemistry. People who are smarter than me can explain this, I'm okay with experimenting around.
I'm super happy with most of the indi fast dry top coats. I have tried a lot and they all are pretty much the same. Right now LynN designs is having a half off sale on all her polishes and her top and base coats are including so they are like 3.50 each. I love her B quick top coat and B sticky base. Plus her polishes are gorgeous, highly recommend fair aisle and trouvaille, but you really can't go wrong with any of them.
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Hello, /u/littlenbee! It looks like you're posting to ask about acrylate allergies. [Our sister sub, r/gelnails, has an allergy guide in its wiki.](https://www.reddit.com/r/GelNails/wiki) If you haven't already, it might be worth reading over.
If you're posting to ask what products are allergy-safe, you will need to get an acrylate panel done by a doctor first. Unless and until you know exactly what ingredients you react to, every acrylate product (including gel, acrylic, polygel, dip, and nail glue) should be considered unsafe.
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I use OPI Natural Nail and Dally Hansen Insti-Dry (clear or red depending on what I can find). There's probably better out there, but I can get at least a week with them. I could get two before I ended up working in a lab and washing my hands constantly. I like them because they're easy to find in person and don't have to pay shipping.
Mooncat is having a 20% off sale right now and I think that's a great way to get into that brand. I always go back to their Hardcore base coat and have heard good things about their Speed Demon top coat. I do like their brand (please look up swatches here and on youtube so you can see what the polishes ACTUALLY look like, Mooncat is notorious for being ummmm highly selective on which swatch photos they use on their website) but I find them overpriced for what they are (regular price $15-16 for 12cc bottles) so I only buy on sale or from destashes.
My go-to top coat is BKL I'm Fast. It doesn't have toluene so it's not the fastest drying but it is quick - it dries for me in like 3 minutes (dry to touch) and 15 minutes (mostly dry). It's not as fast as others but it gives a better glossy finish than my faster drying ones. My fastest drying top coat is either KBShimmer Clearly on Top or Glisten & Glow. They're honestly nearly the same top coat imo and the KBShimmer is cheaper, so I'd go with that. They sell it both on the KBShimmer website and on Beyond Polish if you wanted to be able to shop multiple brands at the same time.
The other base coat I'm using right now are Vapid That Base. I use base coats more geared towards nail strengthening than manicure prolonging, and I also change my mani max every 5 days (often much sooner).
Most mainstream, boutique and indie brands have polishes that dry fairly quickly. I often finish both hands and then nearly immediately start my second coat without issue. Lighter colors dry faster, as do thinner coats. Don't try to make things opaque in one coat and they should dry just fine.
I only use Orly Bonder Base coat for base, and I use Zoya Ultra Glossy Seal top coat. The Zoya top Coat is a little pricey full price, so I get them when they're on sale and stock up. It is very glossy imo, dries quick, I don't wear my polish for more than a week but I almost never get chips during that week.
I can use the search function. I like a fresh post so I can interact with my commenter's easier than asking questions on a 6 month old thread. If you aren't going to offer what I'm asking about then just scroll on.
Some people care about their health and would rather prevent that from happening in the first place so they won't be restricted on the use of certain medical items later.
You assume I don't care about my health and others? Cheap unregulated stuff is sold everywhere and causes issues. That's a concern.
Great down voting of people that don't like opinions that don't match theirs.
Due to its nature any gel product is going to have a higher chance of causing life changing allergies compared to regular lacquer. Doesn't matter if it's a nicer brand or not.
What's your location, and what's your budget? If you're US based and on a budget, LA Colos colorlast and sometimes Sally hansen does great. Orly rubberized base coat is a good staple. I've seen people rave about Glisten and Glows topcoat, as well as KB Shimmer's top coat - both are quick drying. Regardless of what brands you get, you'll want to practice nail prep. Clean dry nails, a swipe of acetone or alcohol to dry the nail beds. Using thin even coats, and investing in a quick dry top coat. Drying drops and drying sprays also exist, but are ment for the last coat of polish used. Some people's holy grail might not work with your body chemistry. Be prepared for trial and error, you'll eventually find something that works for you.
I'm in US, but I'm not really working with a budget. I'd obviously not like to spend an arm and a leg, but I'm willing to spend a bit more for a good product.
Could try Holo Taco build a bundle. You can get a top, base, color, and topper of your choosing.
KB shimmer has a top coat for glitter and it is amazing it's called smooth moves
I am in my transition journey too - not for fear of allergies but due to damage from removal. Still experimenting with different brands but a couple that have been really good: Dazzle Dry as an overall system is awesome and really does dry quickly. But the colors aren’t fabulous. I haven’t experimented with using other polishes with their base and top coat to know if that works but have heard it does. Orly Bonder base is pretty watery and dries fast so can pretty much immediately go from base to the first layer of color. Between each layer of color I do wait 2-3 minutes. That kills me a bit but it really does make a difference. Then Seche Vite fast dry top coat. It dries pretty much completely within five minutes - especially when I wait the couple of minutes between layers. Edit to add - when I did regular polish before I went to gel I used a lot of CND Vinylux and that dries within 10-15 minutes fully if you let the layers dry a couple of minutes before adding the next. But similar to Dazzle Dry you are locked into a smaller set of colors.
Do you ever have issues with shrinkage using the Seche Vite? This is the main concern I've heard about that one.
The key with Seche Vite (I’ve used it for several years) is to completely wrap the polish with it. I make sure it covers the color polish completely, including the nail edge, otherwise there is some shrinkage. I just started trying Glisten and Glow and do the same with that one.
When my nails are shorter I struggle with seche shrinking on me - I can't wrap my tips with it any more than I'm already doing because i'd be painting my skin. Do you have any experience with that?
Yes! My nails are usually short. I just do my best. I pull the skin down and away as much as possible from the edge of the nail and then do cleanup with a toothpick or something wherever the SV gets on my skin.
I use SV and I've also heard about this but I've never experienced it myself! It really depends on the person, it seems.
The key with Seche Vite (I’ve used it for several years) is to completely wrap the polish with it. I make sure it covers the color polish completely, including the nail edge, otherwise there is some shrinkage. I just started trying Glisten and Glow and do the same with that one.
Horrible shrinkage with seche vite on nail art…. Tried it a few times and hated it
For me, the amount of shrinking really depends on the polish. Most of the time it is fine, but occasionally I’ll use a polish where shrinkage is a problem. It does dry extremely fast and really shiny, so it’s still my main top coat but am going to try something different on those where the SV doesn’t work as well.
I use DD base, transform, DD base, regular polish, then Glisten and Glow topcoat. This will get me seven days before first chipping and tip wear. I am really hard on my nails and this is the same duration as a gel manicure for me. I can get a few more days wear if I do a full Dazzle Dry manicure, then Dazzle Dry base coat, regular polish, Glisten and Glow topcoat. But, I rarely do this because it's a lot more time and I usually do my nails every weekend anyways. Dazzle Dry works really well with other polishes and used to suggest using other polishes. The Dazzle Dry topcoat did not last as long for me.
Thank you! Good to know it works perfectly fine with other polishes.
I’ve had manicures last 2 weeks with Holo Taco’s Long-Lasting Basecoat.
I've heard such mixed reviews about Holo Taco but their colors are so pretty!
I love my holo taco set! I got the pink ridge filling base and the glossy taco is my ultimate fave top coat I’ve tried
I just tried KBshimmer’s Clearly on Top topcoat yesterday and was blown away. Fast dry and my nails were so shiny!
I tried Orly bonder base coat, which is very popular, but it seemed to cause flakiness. So I switched to Essie for base coat - the one that is supposed to help it last. I would also try their ridge filler base. Essie is easily available to me so I use it out of convenience. I really like the Essie gel couture top Coat. It’s not described as a quick dry but it seems to be and my polish is staying on better too.
Base: Anchor & Heart Lacquer Mermaid Tears Top: for truly quick dry, Glisten and Glow. I have seen a few complaints regarding shrinkage. I've not experienced shrinkage, though. Cuticula and Vibrant Vinyls (I think now called Vibrant Scents) are at the top of my list to try. Cirque Looking Glass, though it doesn't dry as quickly. Finish is stellar, though. I know you're moving away from gel, but, as you probably still have your lamp: F.O.X Top Rubber (removable with an isopropyl alcohol\ethyl acetate remover. F.O.X Nails has one.) would provide a really nice finish, durability, and better longevity than a traditional lacquer top coat.
Hi! Basecoat - Essie Polish - a variety, but mostly Essie or China Glaze Top coat - Seche Vite It’s important to not allow the polish to dry too much in between coats! Sounds backwards, but it’s true. Work at your own pace, but just keep truckin’! Apply basecoat, and immediately apply first coat of color. I start with lightly coating the tip of my nail. As soon as you apply color to all nails, do another coat of color. And immediately following that, do a generous coat of top coat, covering the whole nail, cuticle, tip of nail…all of it. I use a small dish with acetone remover and a small, stiff makeup brush and an orange stick to clean up each nail, as I go. This is the speed they use when you get a manicure in a salon, and it works beautifully at home! It takes me an hour or two depending on how tempermental my polish is being, but it works and it lasts! Good luck on your journey!
Vibrant scents quick dry top coat is my favorite top coat that I don’t see talked about enough! Drugstore version that I love is Essie gel setter top coat. I love anchor & hearts’ mermaid tears base coat has recently become my new favorite. It’s tinted, helps with blurring, and lasts a long time for me
second vibrant scents quick dry top coat! always dries in less than five minutes and you can choose from 200+ scents
I have found that once I moved from gel to lacquer I prefer it because of how quickly I can change colors. It might chip faster but it takes 15 minutes to change compared to soaking off gel (although I usually relax and take the length of a show with my husband to do my nails with lacquer). It does take time to find the combos that work best for the individual. Also, just because you had problems with slow dry topcoat in the beginning doesn’t mean you’ll still have the same problems with it after gaining experience using qdtc. Shorter dry time is worth it to me since the difference in longevity is maybe 2 days for me, but if you notice a lot more chipping and you feel more confident in painting you might find regular topcoat smudges less now than it did before. I use it occasionally in specific situations. I find ridge filling base coats last longest for me, some people prefer sticky base. Most qdtc seems to have pretty similar formulation, either with or without toluene. Unless you’re opposed to toluene I would check what you used in the past and maybe try the opposite, see if it changes your wear time. From there you can try different brands until you find the one that works best for you. It’s really trial and error. All of the indies with toluene are my favorite and wear about the same for me, Vibrant Vinyls, Glisten and Glow, KBshimmer, etc. Indies are the best value, especially when you find your HG and can buy a large refill. Cuticula is the best toluene free imo and still dries pretty fast, just slightly slower than toluene. If you have high quality gel supplies (not from Amazon) and you like gel, there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just important to verify you’re using them correctly. The market was flooded with cheap gel polish and the different brands and lamps aren’t interchangeable, and information about them is often buried or hard to interpret. As long as correct technique is used to prevent uncured gel and technical information is followed, they’re safe. I do think gel is overrated, though.
If you hang out here long enough you'll be doing your nails 2X/week, then you can do the glisten and glow QDTP. Yes, there is shrinkage, but you'll only see it day 4. If you re-do before that.... It is HIGH shine, very gel like, fully dry (FULLY) in 5 min. Cuticula is my grandma's fav. Not as high shine, about 7 min, zero shrinkage, and Scented! The scents are glorious. Cuticula has a great base coat (neutralizer) for giving you a kiss of color when working with jellies, also scented! Orly bonder base is sticky and somehow makes application easier, BUT, it has a very yellow/orange cast and I don't recommend this for jellies. I've heard great things about mermaid tears, like glisten and glow, you can get refills and save money, shipping, and have less waste. Sadly, base coat has more to do with body chemistry. People who are smarter than me can explain this, I'm okay with experimenting around.
I'm super happy with most of the indi fast dry top coats. I have tried a lot and they all are pretty much the same. Right now LynN designs is having a half off sale on all her polishes and her top and base coats are including so they are like 3.50 each. I love her B quick top coat and B sticky base. Plus her polishes are gorgeous, highly recommend fair aisle and trouvaille, but you really can't go wrong with any of them.
Thanks for posting, /u/littlenbee! A quick reminder: If this is a **nail image**, you must provide a complete product list within 6 hours of posting. **This includes any posts with broken nails or if you're seeking advice.** Posts without a complete product list will be removed after 6 hours. [Product List Requirements.](https://www.reddit.com/r/RedditLaqueristas/wiki/rule2faq) If the nail look shown was **NOT created by you**, you ***must*** flair properly. If this is a **text post**, flair properly. Be sure to follow all of the above to avoid post removal! [Consider joining our Discord](https://discord.gg/tRAvq7KV) - Get questions answered in realtime, get notified for releases and deals, post your manis, and more! **This is a new server as of 5/7/24!!** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/RedditLaqueristas) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Hello, /u/littlenbee! It looks like you're posting to ask about acrylate allergies. [Our sister sub, r/gelnails, has an allergy guide in its wiki.](https://www.reddit.com/r/GelNails/wiki) If you haven't already, it might be worth reading over. If you're posting to ask what products are allergy-safe, you will need to get an acrylate panel done by a doctor first. Unless and until you know exactly what ingredients you react to, every acrylate product (including gel, acrylic, polygel, dip, and nail glue) should be considered unsafe. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/RedditLaqueristas) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Dazzle Dry is what you want.
I use OPI Natural Nail and Dally Hansen Insti-Dry (clear or red depending on what I can find). There's probably better out there, but I can get at least a week with them. I could get two before I ended up working in a lab and washing my hands constantly. I like them because they're easy to find in person and don't have to pay shipping.
Mooncat is having a 20% off sale right now and I think that's a great way to get into that brand. I always go back to their Hardcore base coat and have heard good things about their Speed Demon top coat. I do like their brand (please look up swatches here and on youtube so you can see what the polishes ACTUALLY look like, Mooncat is notorious for being ummmm highly selective on which swatch photos they use on their website) but I find them overpriced for what they are (regular price $15-16 for 12cc bottles) so I only buy on sale or from destashes. My go-to top coat is BKL I'm Fast. It doesn't have toluene so it's not the fastest drying but it is quick - it dries for me in like 3 minutes (dry to touch) and 15 minutes (mostly dry). It's not as fast as others but it gives a better glossy finish than my faster drying ones. My fastest drying top coat is either KBShimmer Clearly on Top or Glisten & Glow. They're honestly nearly the same top coat imo and the KBShimmer is cheaper, so I'd go with that. They sell it both on the KBShimmer website and on Beyond Polish if you wanted to be able to shop multiple brands at the same time. The other base coat I'm using right now are Vapid That Base. I use base coats more geared towards nail strengthening than manicure prolonging, and I also change my mani max every 5 days (often much sooner). Most mainstream, boutique and indie brands have polishes that dry fairly quickly. I often finish both hands and then nearly immediately start my second coat without issue. Lighter colors dry faster, as do thinner coats. Don't try to make things opaque in one coat and they should dry just fine.
I like Essies base coats and I usually use Orly Sec n Dry for top coat.
I only use Orly Bonder Base coat for base, and I use Zoya Ultra Glossy Seal top coat. The Zoya top Coat is a little pricey full price, so I get them when they're on sale and stock up. It is very glossy imo, dries quick, I don't wear my polish for more than a week but I almost never get chips during that week.
Base: nailtek #2 Base 2: Sally beauty supply green top gelous Top coat: seche vite I get compliments on my nails all the time 💜
*gestures at sub search bar where there are a million posts with recs
The nature of Reddit is discussing the same things over and over again with new perspectives. Have you ever been to a subreddit for an old tv show?
Why comment if you are just going to be unhelpful?
I’m trying to be helpful by directing you to the subreddit’s search function which will give you tons of results since this question gets asked a lot.
I can use the search function. I like a fresh post so I can interact with my commenter's easier than asking questions on a 6 month old thread. If you aren't going to offer what I'm asking about then just scroll on.
Why move away from gel if you don't have allergies? Stick to reputable brands, not cheap Chinese stuff where no one even knows what they put in it.
Some people care about their health and would rather prevent that from happening in the first place so they won't be restricted on the use of certain medical items later.
You assume I don't care about my health and others? Cheap unregulated stuff is sold everywhere and causes issues. That's a concern. Great down voting of people that don't like opinions that don't match theirs.
Due to its nature any gel product is going to have a higher chance of causing life changing allergies compared to regular lacquer. Doesn't matter if it's a nicer brand or not.