Just less than 10 years ago there were only a few top coat options.
Pot or Bottle?
Wipe or non-wipe?
Today there are so many choices I never even imagined where possible.
In today’s topic I’ll be breaking down all of the top gels I own (approximately 20) into 5 easily identifiable characteristics.
Let’s dive in!
5 Categories of Gel Top Coats…
🌿Category #1 Wipe-required Top Gel
Sometimes outshines non-wipe top gels
👩‍🎨Uses:
- Light media encapsulation
- Good when you want to double top coat nails. Use this wipe-required first, then finish with a non-wipe top gel
- When you want to add non-wipe art over the top coat. Gel needs a matte or sticky inhibition layer to stick to. If you finished the nails with a non-wipe top already and wanted to add raised nail art on top with a non-wipe gel, it may not stick well. It would if the bottom layer was matte or had a tacky layer.
🌿Category #2 Non-Wipe Top Coat
Back in the day, non-wipe top coat options used to be only thin-viscosity and hard gel.
Now, thankfully, there is a range in viscosities, and there are highly durable soft gel options as well. These improvements in gel nail technology allow nail artists to finish enhancements with the appropriate strength and finish.
👩‍🎨Uses:
- Finish nails without having to spend extra time and products wiping off the inhibition layer.
- Very thin viscosity non-wipe top gels allow you to finish art nails with multiple layers, very thin.
🌿Category #3 Matte Top Gel
These types of top coats took years of research and development to get them to yield a really good matte finish, but it was finally achieved!
By the way, out with wipe-required matte top coats. Nail artists don’t want those because they can be finicky once it comes “reveal” time (i.e. the wiping off of the tacky residue), plus of course the expense of time and materials wiping off.
Matte top gels should only be offered in non-wipe options. I personally haven’t had any reason to use a wipe-required top gel after companies nailed the formula for a non-wipe version.
Matte top gels come typically only in thin viscosity so make sure that your overlay and nail art is as smooth as you want it or the thin matte top coat will enhance any imperfections.
👩‍🎨Uses:
- Have fun with single color or nail art manicures by finishing them off matte.
🌿Category #4 Specialty or Art Top Gels
This category of top coats is booming and will continue too as both nail artists and clients want more for less time of service.
Specialty or art top gel is a top gel that does some other kind of fun stuff to the nails other than just glossing them
👩‍🎨Uses:
- Add glitter to nails or other fun nail art effect with just one layer of top gel
🌿Category #5 Potted Top Gel
Potted anything is the high end version of a brands gel!
That is because gel in a pot means high oligomer, low monomer which generally means hypo-allergenic.
Oligomer in a gel is typically not only the most expensive raw material in your gel, but also the more viscous. This viscous gel, or bigger molecule resin, doesn’t penetrate the skin as easily as the thinnest and most sensitizing ingredient in a gel formula, i.e. monomer.
Many shy away from potted top gels, not only because of their price, but also because of their viscosity. Higher viscosity gels require more patience and skill to apply.
But do not cheat yourself or your clients out of this premium offering, as these gel can also add strength to your manicures.
👩‍🎨Uses:
- Add strength to any length nails
- Add perceived value, allowing for higher priced service
- Create fun raised art
đź’¬Conclusion:
Don’t let the amount of top coats and their different uses overwhelm you.
Start with a non-wipe glossy option with medium viscosity and add as you need to.
If you want to learn more about premium soft gels, I go into more detail about viscosities and overlaying appropriate lengths with them, inside my Master Gel Nails Course (https://paolaponcenails.com/mgn/) .
Our group class enrollment opens up in just a few weeks. During this event, you will have the opportunity to start and finish the course as a class. Submit an assignment for feedback, and receive a printed certificate. If you would like to stay in the know of our group class event, sign up to the waitlist here.
Paola Ponce is a licensed nail tech of 10+ years and a certified Japanese gel educator.
Learn more about her journey as a specialized gel nail artist and her gel nail application course inside her free masterclass here.
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