I love my Glisten & Glow HKGirl top coat, but I'm constantly on the hunt for a good drug store alternative. I've been seeing Essie's Gel Setter Top Coat pop up here and there so I grabbed a bottle to try out the last time I was at Target.
Nothing To Disclose
I must say, I'm fairly impressed with this little top coat. The formula is really nice so it goes on smooth and easy. It dries quickly though not as fast as my HKGirl, but to be fair it doesn't claim to be a fast drying top coat on any of the packaging.
The wear time seems to be solid too. I wore this dotticure for about 4 days and the only chipping or tip wear I noticed was on the fingers wearing All Access Pass. Prior to this manicure I wore All Access Pass for about a week and had some serious chipping (photos below) which leads me to believe it's the nail color, not the top coat.
The Nail Polish
Essie All Access PassColor Club Magic Attraction
Julie G Black Sheep & White Orchid
Essie Gel Setter Top Coat
Overall I think this is a good top coat. It dries relatively quickly to a shiny finish. I didn't have any bleeding or color pulling which is good news for nail art and it seems to last a fair amount of time without chipping or getting dull. Plus it's drug store, making it super easy to run out a grab a new bottle if you run out.
Is this going to be replacing my HKGirl? Probably not. You just can't beat the drying time and rock hard shine.
Is this going to have it's place in my top coat drawer? Absolutely! I love that it doesn't smear or pull colors and I know I will be reaching for it the next time I have a mani-date with friends.
I took a few photos of the devolution of All Access Pass when I wore it alone last week. I had some noticeable tip wear on day one and some pretty major chips by days two and three.
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| Day One |
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| Day Three...ugh |
I was worried it was the top coat, but it seems like it's the color more than any thing. Tsk tsk, Essie.