Nail Revolution: Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

We all know the feeling: sitting patiently, waiting for our nail polish to dry. And then, just when you think you’re ready to go, you touch something and it smudges. RAGE. But fear not, help is at hand…I give you Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat.

Seche Vite

What is it?

A fast-drying top coat specially formulated to penetrate through nail polish to the base coat, forming a single solid coating over the nail for a more durable finish.

What does it promise?

To cut drying time dramatically, and to leave nails resistant to chipping and peeling.

Does it deliver?

YES. I have been using this for years and I won’t use anything else. Seche Vite dries my nail polish almost immediately and it stays looking glossy and fresh for about a week. I sometimes experience chipping, but that is more to do with the general state of my nails than the effectiveness of the product. I cannot recommend this highly enough – using it means that I can paint my nails and leave the house a few minutes later without having to worry about smudges.

What’s not to like?

Ok, here it is: Seche Vite contains toluene. Toluene is a solvent found in common products such as paint, paint thinner, nail polish (to help it apply smoothly to the nail), nail glue, and adhesives among other things. In short, it’s toxic. However, the amount of toluene found in Seche Vite is teeny tiny, and obviously copious amounts of toluene or repeated exposure over a long period of time is harmful to our health, but I think the small amount found in nail polish is relatively safe. If you want to learn more about toluene, you can read about it here.

I also find that the formula starts to thicken quite quickly, so it gets very gloopy towards the end. I can usually only use about two-thirds of the bottle before I need to throw it away.

Where can I get it?

You can get Seche Vite from most high-end nail salons. I get mine from Dante Wellness Spa in Sea Point. It costs approximately R120.

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