The 4 Best Top Coats For Dip Nails

You’ve just created a beautiful dip manicure, and now it's time to seal and protect it with a top coat — but which do you choose? To find the best top coats for a dip manicure, Elite Daily reached out to Syreeta Aaron, an educator at LeChat Nails. She tells Elite Daily that it’s best to use the top coat that goes with your dip powder system, as they are designed to work together to create a strong and durable finish. They’re available in both glossy and matte finishes to create your desired look and come in a variety of price points to suit your budget.

The Expert

Syreeta Aaron is an Alabama-based educator for LeChat Nails who has been teaching since 2017. She was a professional nail technician for 17 years.

What To Consider When Choosing Top Coats For Dip Nails

When it comes to the best top coats for your dip manicure, Aaron explains that you’ll typically get the best results with the top coat that goes with your dip powder system — sometimes called the base, glaze, or sealant. These top coats are extremely durable (sometimes lasting up to four weeks) and are specifically made to work with the activator and powder coatings of your dip system. However, if you prefer a dip powder top coat from another brand, reviewers confirm that they can usually be used interchangeably.

Next, comes the fun part: choosing the type of finish you’d like your top coat to have. Dip powder top coats come in matte, gloss, or high-shine formulations, so you can have fun switching it up and creating different looks.

If you’re looking for an ultra-shiny manicure, some people use a gel top coat. While these aren’t specifically designed for dip nails and require a UV light to cure, Aaron confirms that they often result in a shinier mani. However, before applying a gel top coat, Aaron recommends lightly roughening the manicured nail's surface with a fine-grit file to give the gel something to grip.

Can I Use A Regular Top Coat Over My Dip Manicure?

Aaron explains that while this is certainly an option, regular top coats are not as durable as dip powder and gel top coats, so they may not provide the level of protection necessary for a long-lasting manicure.

With all this information in mind, scroll on for the best top coats for dip nails on Amazon to create a long-lasting and beautiful dip powder manicure.

1. The Overall Best Top Coat Set

This Kiara Sky Liquid Dip Essentials Kit has received rave reviews from shoppers who write that the quality of their products is unmatched. One reviewer wrote, “My nails have never felt more secure and solid than they do right now.” The kit includes four full-size products, including a bonding liquid that goes on first to improve nail bed adhesion, a base coat, a seal/protect liquid (that’s like an activator), and a glossy top coat. They’re all formulated without harsh chemicals and have added vitamins and calcium to promote nail health. You can purchase the shiny top coat separately if you’d prefer, and choose from a variety of Kiara Sky Dip Powders for best results.

One Reviewer Wrote: “Worth the extra money! I’ve tried other brands and they do not compare. Other brands chip and come off within days or the top coat is subpar. Kiara is easy to use, stays on a full 2 weeks, and the top coat looks great!”

2. The Best Matte Top Coat Set

If you’re looking for a top coat with a matte finish, consider this dip powder liquids kit from AZUREBEAUTY. The brand has thousands of fans on Amazon thanks to its low-odor and paraben-free formula that’s infused with nourishing calcium and aloe vera. This kit includes a matte top coat, an activator, and a base coat that doubles as a shiny top coat to use with your favorite AZUREBEAUTY dip powders — so it’s really a two-in-one set. For best results, the brand recommends adding a coat of the activator on top of your top coat for the perfect velvet matte finish.

One Reviewer Wrote: “This product is awesome. [...] been using mirror powder on half to hombre and then a matte top coat. SWOON.”

3. The Best Budget Top Coat Set

This set has earned over 3,700 five-star reviews and offers an inexpensive activator and top coat combo that’s a hit among dip nail enthusiasts. The top coat provides a durable, glossy finish for up to three weeks. The set comes with an activator, a top coat that doubles as a base coat, and two extra brushes.

One Reviewer Wrote: “I have tried many dip liquid sets and this one is by far the best! I love the consistency of the base coat and the top coat. The top coat is really shiny and goes on so smooth. Also not as harmful smelling as some others I have tried. My nails turned out way better with this kit than the other ones I have tried. Highly recommend!”

4. A 4-Piece Set That’s Less Than $15

Great for use with any dip powder, the Morovan liquid set includes a base coat, activator, top coat, brush saver, nail file, and six extra brushes in case some get clumpy. Each product in the kit is free from common nail product toxins and provides a shiny, durable finish for up to three weeks. They’re low-odor, and if you’d like to refresh your color collection, there are options in the listing that include colorful dip powders and accessories.

One Reviewer Wrote: “This set is great for doing dip powder nails. The base helps the powder stick and the activator hardens it up. Follow with two coats of the top coat and my nails last for weeks.”

Also Worth Considering: A Long-Lasting Gel Top Coat

This popular gel top coat from Modelones is sulfate- and paraben-free and doesn’t contain any formaldehyde. The resin and silica formulation provides a durable finish that lasts up to 28 days. Some gel top coats require wiping with an alcohol pad after drying, but this formula dries hard without the need for wiping. Because it’s a gel top coat, Aaron recommends gently filing your nail before applying, and the top coat requires a UV light to cure. The image above is for the high-shine version, but the brand also has a matte option.

One Reviewer Wrote: “It has the very best longevity and shininess! Keep in mind this is a gel topcoat, must have lamp to cure. I do my own dip powder nails for years now and have a lot of experience trying different topcoats and this one is by far the best one!”

Expert:

Syreeta Aaron, nail technician and LeChat Nails educator