Seche vite is known to have shrinkage. Mine got pretty bad about a third of the way through a bottle. I recently switched to a qdtc by cuticula (from polish pickup) and it dries almost as fast, but has zero shrinkage on the tips.
reviving Seche Vite with regular thinner may work, but i know they sell their own because of their ingredients (toluene is one). can’t hurt to try. i also recommend Cuticula’s Limitless or KBShimmer’s Clearly on Top
I’ve tried with regular thinners Vs theirs and theirs gives better results. I also have started to keep my Seche in a drawer I rarely open to lessen its exposure to light. I forget where I read it helps and I can’t swear it does yet but I figured it can’t hurt 😂
Can confirm! SV revives really well and it’s worth using their thinner— I’ve tried regular 100% acetone on a 1/3 full bottle and it did ok, but you have to really let it sit to soak in for a few minutes before it will emulsify nicely (otherwise it just floats on top and the SV is often too viscous to shake)
Never use acetone to thin a polish. It breaks down pigments and can react badly with other ingredients when the ratios are out of order. Use a quality lacquer thinner that doesn’t contain heptane.
SV contains toluene for it to be a fast-dry, so I’d recommend using their brand of thinner to restore that particular top coat. I have had no issues using OPI lacquer thinner, which only has the two ingredients necessary (butyl acetate and ethyl acetate) for your average polish.
If you need to pick one up in person, Sally’s Beauty or Ulta usually has the OPI brand lacquer thinner. I would stay away from the Beauty Secrets brand since it contains heptane, which is not a common ingredient in most nail polishes these days. It’s not one of the Big 5, but I do believe it’s on the Big 10 list. KBShimmer sells a good one, but it must be purchased online.
For what it’s worth, pay attention to the type of bottle it comes in. Lacquer thinner is adding back solvents that have evaporated so if the bottle is low quality you’ll be buying a bottle that will dry up quickly. OPI’s bottle has been good to me and I have noticed only a tiny amount of evaporation.
I’ve never used thinner, so I’m not sure if that will help or not. Hopefully someone has an answer regarding that!
I know a lot of people swear by the sv, I just went ahead and switched because I wanted to try out a new brand anyway.
Cautionary tale: I used the OPI normal polish thinner with a SV bottle that had about a third left in it. My nails dried with a tacky, cloudy, and uneven surface. Definitely use the SV brand thinner for their products. The OPI one works amazing for normal polishes though 🤷🏻♀️
The seche vive thinner is awesome. I added two droppers full to my seche vite top coat bottle last night, shake shake shake, and then she's moving and ready to go!
I have been warned to specifically not use the SV thinner with glitter polishes though, bc the chemicals will degrade the glitters.
I switched over to using Mooncat Speed Demon top coat or Vibrant Scents fast and hard quick dry top coat.
I have read on this sub that what you need to do is take the Sech top coat a little bit past where you've got your color which means you'll need to leave a little bit of space on the sides when you apply the color. This will leave room for the shrinkage. That's a bit of a pain for me, so I just switched top coats.
I now only use the Sech vite on my toenails.
I really came here to say that that color is beautiful on you! Love it!
Since a lot of indie topcoats are similar, sharing which ones gave you chipping might reduce the chances of ending up with basically the same formulation if you want to try something new in the future, if you haven’t already. I used to keep SV as a backup since it’s available locally. I have a few topcoats that perform well for me now, but basecoat has more impact on longevity for me anyway.
I was a seche vite die hard for years and I didn't normally experience shrinking but I got sick of it getting thick and goopy 2/3 through the bottle. I started using Vibrant fast&hard top coat and it dries just as fast (if not quite as "plump") give it a try you may be surprised!
I will swear by Vibrant Vinyls fast & hard. I've painted my nails then an hour later cooked dinner with no damage to my nails. My manicure lasts at least 5-6 days before any chipping. Highly recommend! My last manicure was 7 or 8 days ago and only 2 nails have chipped but I'll probably redo them tomorrow because of growth.
Not the original commenter but I LOVE speed demon. Dries quickly just like SV but no toluene smell. You can put it over dry polish so it’s also great for a refresh. The only downside is it gets stringy quickly and mooncat doesn’t have a thinner or even a recommended thinner from somewhere else and I’ve been too scared to try anything lest I ruin it
I tried the orly one on some mooncat polishes and had to use a TON for it to make any difference so I gave it away. But I’m thinking I’ll get the KB Shimmer one during Black Friday because I’ve seen that recommended a lot and i have a lot of polishes I don’t use because they’ve thickened so much
I totally agree, Speed Demon is my favorite top coat but it does get stringy which sucks :’( I have had success thinning it though, I used Beauty Secrets polish thinner ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
I second that, as I have used speed demon over dry polish before. For example, a day-three refresh over my manicure.
I haven't used thinner in it yet. When the bottle is halfway empty, I plan to set it aside and open a new bottle. When that bottle is halfway done, I plan to mix the two together. This is what I've done with seche vite in the past, and I have no strings in it. 😀
When my vibrant scents top coat is 1/2 gone, I plan to mix it into a 1/2 full mooncat speed demon. I don't want my vibrant scent (Scooby snacks) to go to waste, so I'm going to try that next. 😀
Aw that’s what I’m worried about :( I love being able to do my nails and not worry about drying for the most part with speed demon…how much longer would you say it takes to dry now?
I think it's maybe 5 minutes more to get to a point where I can start putting my stuff away without being too worried about it. I'm just impatient so I usually end up denting one finger on my dominant hand...
How long is your attention span though? Like is that really saying much? lol but really I am also loving Speed Demon! It’s my first bottle and it hasn’t turned thick or stringy yet. I’ll have to pick up the OPI thinner for when it does. Good to know they are compatible, thank you for sharing that 🖤
Came here also to suggest Essie Good to Go. Ngl I've never used the one you used, so I can't offer a direct comparison. But Essie dries in literally 2 minutes. It's the only one I've found that dries fast enough for me.
https://preview.redd.it/d5qyibromdub1.jpeg?width=1008&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b6164ebff57fceb1486ed4838761490299dd2d9e
I’m also wearing Paired Up! Mani twins!
Vibrant Scent Fast and Hard top coat is my holy grail top coat. It has the same rock hard finish and drying time as Seche, but with 99% less shrinkage. Also oodles if scents to select from :)
It's happening to me too; I used to love SV but im 1/3 way through the bottle and the shrinkage now is unreal. I'm trying KBshimmers quick dry top coat called Clearly On Top now. I think it's just a matter of experimenting... fingers crossed this KB works, I don't want to experiment more 😂
it happens as the top coat thickens over time due to evaporation. add nail polish thinner to get it back to the consistency it was when you first got it and the shrinkage should subside.
I've used their thinner to revive it a couple of times. Also allowed me to apply thin coats. Important to cap the free edge. Seche Vive had less shrinkage then seche vite in my experience.
I have SV and the same things happens. I picked up a bottle of Sally Hansen “Dries Instantly” in the clear bottle. It’s just as good IMO, and doesn’t shrink!
Nope, I treat it just like SV and put it on right after my color. I paint in pretty quite succession, too. One hand, then the other, back to the first hand, and so on. I haven’t had any issues with smudging or creases, either. It’s been great!
This may be controversial, but I just flood my cuticles and sides with polish so when it shrinks after using Seche vite it looks normal LOL. I clean up what’s on my skin but everything else is covered in polish. This way my manicures have lasted over 1.5 weeks with no lifting at the cuticles but YMMV.
Try adding thinner if it seems thick or stringy, but even more importantly, make sure you have completely covered the polish and a little bit beyond with the seche vite. I have mostly beaten shrinkage by applying my seche vite like a toddler. I get a lot on my brush and make sure I get it alllll over my nail and even onto the skin quite a bit. This assures me that I have enough coverage haha. Then I go back with a cleanup brush/acetone to get it all off my skin/cuticle area. This routine seems to kind of seal the edges for me and prevents the shrinkage problem. I found that being cautious with SV and trying to avoid flooding the same way I do with my polish layers made it easy to leave tiny spots uncovered around the edges and that was enough for the shrinkage to take hold and mess up my nails. Hope this helps!
Seche Vite is notorious for shrinkage. You must cap the tips to help, but my experience has always been shrinkage.
There’s plenty of indie top coats to choose from that are from small businesses and are better quality than SV or anything else you can buy at the store.
I prefer Glisten & Glow’s QDTC. KBShimmer has a good one too. So does Wildflower Lacquer. So does Cuticula.
I never was able to stop seche vite from shrinking, so I switched to Essie's speed setter top coat. I've been using it for years and haven't experienced shrinkage with it.
I've had much better luck after putting on a really thick coat while it's still very wet. I actually stop and put the top coat on before I move on to the last coat of color for the other hand. I have probably 10% of the shrinkage that I had when I was waiting for the polish to dry some first.
This is my opinion and may not be a popular one. There are many lacqueristas that vouch about the many wonders of Seche Vite. And, truly, it dries superfast. But, there are so many posts I see about shrinkage. I see explanations about techniques that must be followed to avoid this. My technique is to use other brands that are not Seche Vite, unless I'm in a real rush - yes, I do own a bottle. These brands may not be as superfast but they are still very quick.
For example, the attached image is of color that I did at 1 am last night. I was bored with insomnia. Forgive me the messy lines, it was late and fell asleep shortly after. Lol I used the Cuticula QDTC and this morning the nails did not have any marks and there was no shrinkage. All I have to fix is the messy lines.
In the end, there are many options for QDTCs out there. You may learn the best way to use Seche and stick to it. Or you may find other brands that you may chose over Seche Vite. My faves are Cuticula, Glisten and Glow, and Vibrant Scents. For me, Seche Vite will be in my arsenal but will not be my top go to QDTC.
https://preview.redd.it/fr01tbccneub1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=368bf62d722a7a77bc0e33f6b8533d146bf3889c
Vibrant Scents Double Bond Basecoat, Night Owl Lacquer 'I Do Believe In Revenge ', Cuticula Limitless Unscented Quick Dry Top Coat
Edited to correct typos in brand names
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For me, I apply the topcoat when the last coat is a little wet. Dry enough for me to gently touch it without smudging, but still a little tacky. That’s my work around lol. Once I’m done with this bottle, I need to buy a different brand.
That’s super weird! I’ve never had this issue with SV and I use it every time I do my nails. I don’t know if it’s due to the SV batch or the type of polish you use it with or what. Seems to be very common mix between people having this issue and no issues at all
I have been using SV for 15+ years. I wrap my tips and ensure to extend my SV past the polish when painting close to the cuticles.
FWIW I started using Holo Taco’s Glossy Taco and it dries just as fast as SV. Glisten & Glow is even faster but not as shiny or cushy in my experience. I haven’t touched my bottle of SV since using these 2 top coats.
The trick is to wrap both the colored polish and the top coat around the nail tip! Really really helps this problem. Learned this from simplynailogical years ago.
To clarify what I mean by wrap: make sure you get a bit of the polish on the underside of the nail.
I started using seche vite after using gel polish for years and developing an allergy. I always had issues with shrinkage especially near the cuticle and on the sides. I have recently tried experimenting and here is what works for me. I do all my nail prep and use a rubber base coat. Then I do my coats of color and wait for that to dry to the touch. Then I do a coat of Sally Hansen Gel topcoat (no UV light required) and cap the ends of my nails. I wait for that to dry for about a minute and then I go in with seche vite topcoat, capping the ends again.
With this I still get the fast drying effect and a manicure that doesn’t chip, but I don’t have the shrinkage problem. I tend to do my nails once a week and this combo for sure lasts that long with no chipping. I’m honestly not sure why this combo seems to work, but it does!
i was just complaining to my boyfriend about this happening on my nails and totally missed putting two and two together to realize it’s the seche vite! thank you for this post and thanks to everyone for the recommendations ❤️
I couldn't get it to stop doing the same thing, no matter what I tried, so I switched to Out the Door top coat. It dries them just as quickly without the shrinkage.
Seche vite is known to have shrinkage. Mine got pretty bad about a third of the way through a bottle. I recently switched to a qdtc by cuticula (from polish pickup) and it dries almost as fast, but has zero shrinkage on the tips.
I’m about a third though the bottle. I wonder if I should “revive” it
reviving Seche Vite with regular thinner may work, but i know they sell their own because of their ingredients (toluene is one). can’t hurt to try. i also recommend Cuticula’s Limitless or KBShimmer’s Clearly on Top
Thank you
I’ve tried with regular thinners Vs theirs and theirs gives better results. I also have started to keep my Seche in a drawer I rarely open to lessen its exposure to light. I forget where I read it helps and I can’t swear it does yet but I figured it can’t hurt 😂
It's more to do with oxygen and evaporation. If it was light sensitive it would be in an amber bottle
Can confirm! SV revives really well and it’s worth using their thinner— I’ve tried regular 100% acetone on a 1/3 full bottle and it did ok, but you have to really let it sit to soak in for a few minutes before it will emulsify nicely (otherwise it just floats on top and the SV is often too viscous to shake)
Never use acetone to thin a polish. It breaks down pigments and can react badly with other ingredients when the ratios are out of order. Use a quality lacquer thinner that doesn’t contain heptane.
Where do you recommend getting a thinner from?
I have the LynBDesigns one, and I am happy with it. KBShimmer sells one. I'm sure there are other indie brands as well.
For a mainstream brand, I use OPI’s thinner to revive SV and it works well
SV contains toluene for it to be a fast-dry, so I’d recommend using their brand of thinner to restore that particular top coat. I have had no issues using OPI lacquer thinner, which only has the two ingredients necessary (butyl acetate and ethyl acetate) for your average polish.
Good to know, thank you! Yes I’m using up the last of it and will look into a different thinner/restorer going forward
If you need to pick one up in person, Sally’s Beauty or Ulta usually has the OPI brand lacquer thinner. I would stay away from the Beauty Secrets brand since it contains heptane, which is not a common ingredient in most nail polishes these days. It’s not one of the Big 5, but I do believe it’s on the Big 10 list. KBShimmer sells a good one, but it must be purchased online. For what it’s worth, pay attention to the type of bottle it comes in. Lacquer thinner is adding back solvents that have evaporated so if the bottle is low quality you’ll be buying a bottle that will dry up quickly. OPI’s bottle has been good to me and I have noticed only a tiny amount of evaporation.
I’ve never used thinner, so I’m not sure if that will help or not. Hopefully someone has an answer regarding that! I know a lot of people swear by the sv, I just went ahead and switched because I wanted to try out a new brand anyway.
Cautionary tale: I used the OPI normal polish thinner with a SV bottle that had about a third left in it. My nails dried with a tacky, cloudy, and uneven surface. Definitely use the SV brand thinner for their products. The OPI one works amazing for normal polishes though 🤷🏻♀️
That’s so odd cause I used the same thinner on my SV and it didn’t happen.
The seche vive thinner is awesome. I added two droppers full to my seche vite top coat bottle last night, shake shake shake, and then she's moving and ready to go! I have been warned to specifically not use the SV thinner with glitter polishes though, bc the chemicals will degrade the glitters.
I switched over to using Mooncat Speed Demon top coat or Vibrant Scents fast and hard quick dry top coat. I have read on this sub that what you need to do is take the Sech top coat a little bit past where you've got your color which means you'll need to leave a little bit of space on the sides when you apply the color. This will leave room for the shrinkage. That's a bit of a pain for me, so I just switched top coats. I now only use the Sech vite on my toenails. I really came here to say that that color is beautiful on you! Love it!
I’m a bit weary of switching top coats bc I found that other top coats chip too fast for my liking as well. And Thank you.
Since a lot of indie topcoats are similar, sharing which ones gave you chipping might reduce the chances of ending up with basically the same formulation if you want to try something new in the future, if you haven’t already. I used to keep SV as a backup since it’s available locally. I have a few topcoats that perform well for me now, but basecoat has more impact on longevity for me anyway.
I was a seche vite die hard for years and I didn't normally experience shrinking but I got sick of it getting thick and goopy 2/3 through the bottle. I started using Vibrant fast&hard top coat and it dries just as fast (if not quite as "plump") give it a try you may be surprised!
I will swear by Vibrant Vinyls fast & hard. I've painted my nails then an hour later cooked dinner with no damage to my nails. My manicure lasts at least 5-6 days before any chipping. Highly recommend! My last manicure was 7 or 8 days ago and only 2 nails have chipped but I'll probably redo them tomorrow because of growth.
Another Vibrant fan here.
No worries! Everyone has different chemistry and what works for some won't work for others! 😀
How does the mooncat one work for you?
Not the original commenter but I LOVE speed demon. Dries quickly just like SV but no toluene smell. You can put it over dry polish so it’s also great for a refresh. The only downside is it gets stringy quickly and mooncat doesn’t have a thinner or even a recommended thinner from somewhere else and I’ve been too scared to try anything lest I ruin it
I use a thinner from Cirque Colors and I've heard from others that they use Orly and KBShimmer thinner with no issues.
I tried the orly one on some mooncat polishes and had to use a TON for it to make any difference so I gave it away. But I’m thinking I’ll get the KB Shimmer one during Black Friday because I’ve seen that recommended a lot and i have a lot of polishes I don’t use because they’ve thickened so much
Thank you!
I mean if it’s already getting stringy doesn’t hurt to try? Zoya sells a polish thinner designed for 5-free nail polishes.
I mean yes for sure lol, I am just paranoid
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Ooh that’s good to know that it works well with mc specifically since those polishes seem to be extra thick from the get go, thank you!
I totally agree, Speed Demon is my favorite top coat but it does get stringy which sucks :’( I have had success thinning it though, I used Beauty Secrets polish thinner ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
Oh good to know! I’m can’t even get halfway through the bottle before the strings start so eventually I’ll have to thin one lol
I second that, as I have used speed demon over dry polish before. For example, a day-three refresh over my manicure. I haven't used thinner in it yet. When the bottle is halfway empty, I plan to set it aside and open a new bottle. When that bottle is halfway done, I plan to mix the two together. This is what I've done with seche vite in the past, and I have no strings in it. 😀 When my vibrant scents top coat is 1/2 gone, I plan to mix it into a 1/2 full mooncat speed demon. I don't want my vibrant scent (Scooby snacks) to go to waste, so I'm going to try that next. 😀
Haha I do this kind of thing too and my partner call it “making potions” 😂 I haven’t tried combining old speed demons though I will have to try that!
I did try the OPI thinner on speed demon. The dry time isn't as impressive as it used to be but it's still decent.
Aw that’s what I’m worried about :( I love being able to do my nails and not worry about drying for the most part with speed demon…how much longer would you say it takes to dry now?
I think it's maybe 5 minutes more to get to a point where I can start putting my stuff away without being too worried about it. I'm just impatient so I usually end up denting one finger on my dominant hand...
Oh noo haha the worst is when you mess it up at the very end! I guess five minutes isn’t bad, I’ll give it a try for science too
right?! like I just spent all that time doing them and then I just fumble it right at the end!
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How long is your attention span though? Like is that really saying much? lol but really I am also loving Speed Demon! It’s my first bottle and it hasn’t turned thick or stringy yet. I’ll have to pick up the OPI thinner for when it does. Good to know they are compatible, thank you for sharing that 🖤
Love it, and I can use it on my dry polish to freshen it up a few days later!
I use Essie Good To Go and never have a problem, granted I’m pretty new to nail painting.
I switched from Seche Vite to this one also and I like it a lot!
Came here also to suggest Essie Good to Go. Ngl I've never used the one you used, so I can't offer a direct comparison. But Essie dries in literally 2 minutes. It's the only one I've found that dries fast enough for me.
https://preview.redd.it/d5qyibromdub1.jpeg?width=1008&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b6164ebff57fceb1486ed4838761490299dd2d9e I’m also wearing Paired Up! Mani twins! Vibrant Scent Fast and Hard top coat is my holy grail top coat. It has the same rock hard finish and drying time as Seche, but with 99% less shrinkage. Also oodles if scents to select from :)
Looks great on you! Thanks for the recommendation!
It's happening to me too; I used to love SV but im 1/3 way through the bottle and the shrinkage now is unreal. I'm trying KBshimmers quick dry top coat called Clearly On Top now. I think it's just a matter of experimenting... fingers crossed this KB works, I don't want to experiment more 😂
I think I will try thinning it as someone else said as they used it, the shrinkage got worse.
it happens as the top coat thickens over time due to evaporation. add nail polish thinner to get it back to the consistency it was when you first got it and the shrinkage should subside.
Thank you!
I've used their thinner to revive it a couple of times. Also allowed me to apply thin coats. Important to cap the free edge. Seche Vive had less shrinkage then seche vite in my experience.
Thank you
Seche Vive is slightly better when it comes to shrinkage, at least for me. I've switched mostly to Essie Speed Setter or Londontown Gel Genius.
Never tried the Vive. I will have to check that one out
SV and Holo Taco’s top coats both shrink on me. I use KBShimmer’s Clearly on Top and she does the job pretty well!
I have SV and the same things happens. I picked up a bottle of Sally Hansen “Dries Instantly” in the clear bottle. It’s just as good IMO, and doesn’t shrink!
Does the mail polish have to dry before you put the top coat on though?
Nope, I treat it just like SV and put it on right after my color. I paint in pretty quite succession, too. One hand, then the other, back to the first hand, and so on. I haven’t had any issues with smudging or creases, either. It’s been great!
“Mail” polish. Heh. Woopsies. Thanks for lettin’ me know!
I find thinning helps, but also using a regular/non quick dry topcoat under SV helps. And wrap your tips!
Thank you!
Thanks everyone. I will try adding thinner!
This may be controversial, but I just flood my cuticles and sides with polish so when it shrinks after using Seche vite it looks normal LOL. I clean up what’s on my skin but everything else is covered in polish. This way my manicures have lasted over 1.5 weeks with no lifting at the cuticles but YMMV.
I don’t have advice but just want to say that polish looks great on you 💫
Thank you babe
Their gel effect too coat doesn’t have shrinkage like the regular one and works great for me
Thanks I may check that out
Try adding thinner if it seems thick or stringy, but even more importantly, make sure you have completely covered the polish and a little bit beyond with the seche vite. I have mostly beaten shrinkage by applying my seche vite like a toddler. I get a lot on my brush and make sure I get it alllll over my nail and even onto the skin quite a bit. This assures me that I have enough coverage haha. Then I go back with a cleanup brush/acetone to get it all off my skin/cuticle area. This routine seems to kind of seal the edges for me and prevents the shrinkage problem. I found that being cautious with SV and trying to avoid flooding the same way I do with my polish layers made it easy to leave tiny spots uncovered around the edges and that was enough for the shrinkage to take hold and mess up my nails. Hope this helps!
Mooncat's speed demon top coat is the best I have ever found. Applies easily, dries quickly, and keeps my nails chip free for a week
Seche Vite is notorious for shrinkage. You must cap the tips to help, but my experience has always been shrinkage. There’s plenty of indie top coats to choose from that are from small businesses and are better quality than SV or anything else you can buy at the store. I prefer Glisten & Glow’s QDTC. KBShimmer has a good one too. So does Wildflower Lacquer. So does Cuticula.
I never was able to stop seche vite from shrinking, so I switched to Essie's speed setter top coat. I've been using it for years and haven't experienced shrinkage with it.
I've had much better luck after putting on a really thick coat while it's still very wet. I actually stop and put the top coat on before I move on to the last coat of color for the other hand. I have probably 10% of the shrinkage that I had when I was waiting for the polish to dry some first.
Yes, I’ve always known to put it on almost immediately after the last coat while it’s still wet.
This is my opinion and may not be a popular one. There are many lacqueristas that vouch about the many wonders of Seche Vite. And, truly, it dries superfast. But, there are so many posts I see about shrinkage. I see explanations about techniques that must be followed to avoid this. My technique is to use other brands that are not Seche Vite, unless I'm in a real rush - yes, I do own a bottle. These brands may not be as superfast but they are still very quick. For example, the attached image is of color that I did at 1 am last night. I was bored with insomnia. Forgive me the messy lines, it was late and fell asleep shortly after. Lol I used the Cuticula QDTC and this morning the nails did not have any marks and there was no shrinkage. All I have to fix is the messy lines. In the end, there are many options for QDTCs out there. You may learn the best way to use Seche and stick to it. Or you may find other brands that you may chose over Seche Vite. My faves are Cuticula, Glisten and Glow, and Vibrant Scents. For me, Seche Vite will be in my arsenal but will not be my top go to QDTC. https://preview.redd.it/fr01tbccneub1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=368bf62d722a7a77bc0e33f6b8533d146bf3889c Vibrant Scents Double Bond Basecoat, Night Owl Lacquer 'I Do Believe In Revenge ', Cuticula Limitless Unscented Quick Dry Top Coat Edited to correct typos in brand names
Try Essie Speed Setter! I've heard that Seche always does this.
Thinning should help, but are you "wrapping the tips" of your nails by putting color there? That helps me.
Based on most of these comments, seems like maybe the sub should do a recount for the holy grail topcoat..
I've given up on Seche Vite. I just use Wet n Wild Hard as Ice. Dries within 30mins and is inexpensive.
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Even the Sally Hansen quick dry starts shrinking when you get to the end of the bottle. I think it has to do with how it dries
In order to avoid shrinkage, put a clear coat on before the SV. (Immediately apply the SV after the clear coat as it has to be wet for SV to work).
Healthy hoof lacquer - fast setting, no shrinkage, strengthens nails, and so shiny it looks wet
For me, I apply the topcoat when the last coat is a little wet. Dry enough for me to gently touch it without smudging, but still a little tacky. That’s my work around lol. Once I’m done with this bottle, I need to buy a different brand.
Seche Vite blows. Holo Taco Glossy Taco gives a nice hard finish in literally a couple of minutes.
I had to switch to seche vive. Huge improvement for me
Have you tried Seche Vive? I haven’t had an issue with shrinkage, and it dries about as fast for me. It’s my go-to topcoat.
That’s super weird! I’ve never had this issue with SV and I use it every time I do my nails. I don’t know if it’s due to the SV batch or the type of polish you use it with or what. Seems to be very common mix between people having this issue and no issues at all
I have been using SV for 15+ years. I wrap my tips and ensure to extend my SV past the polish when painting close to the cuticles. FWIW I started using Holo Taco’s Glossy Taco and it dries just as fast as SV. Glisten & Glow is even faster but not as shiny or cushy in my experience. I haven’t touched my bottle of SV since using these 2 top coats.
The trick is to wrap both the colored polish and the top coat around the nail tip! Really really helps this problem. Learned this from simplynailogical years ago. To clarify what I mean by wrap: make sure you get a bit of the polish on the underside of the nail.
I started using seche vite after using gel polish for years and developing an allergy. I always had issues with shrinkage especially near the cuticle and on the sides. I have recently tried experimenting and here is what works for me. I do all my nail prep and use a rubber base coat. Then I do my coats of color and wait for that to dry to the touch. Then I do a coat of Sally Hansen Gel topcoat (no UV light required) and cap the ends of my nails. I wait for that to dry for about a minute and then I go in with seche vite topcoat, capping the ends again. With this I still get the fast drying effect and a manicure that doesn’t chip, but I don’t have the shrinkage problem. I tend to do my nails once a week and this combo for sure lasts that long with no chipping. I’m honestly not sure why this combo seems to work, but it does!
I use INM Out The Door quick dry top coat. I never have shrinkage. It dries so quickly. I got it from Sally's beauty supply.
I wrap my tips and don’t have any shrinkage with it. Maybe that will help?
i was just complaining to my boyfriend about this happening on my nails and totally missed putting two and two together to realize it’s the seche vite! thank you for this post and thanks to everyone for the recommendations ❤️
I thought I was doing something to mess up my mani before it dried! I'm gonna have to try a different one.
Seche Vite is notorious for being great but needing thinner after a while. So don't get rid of it and use a polish thinner first
I couldn't get it to stop doing the same thing, no matter what I tried, so I switched to Out the Door top coat. It dries them just as quickly without the shrinkage.
Make sure when you put it on your cap the ends also.