Difference between top coat and finish gel

Aesthetic and beauty centers are becoming more and more the order of the day, you may have already found a trusted place to take care of your nails and leave your hands perfect. However, if what you prefer is to be able to do your own manicure at home, you will have been able to verify that we are faced with endless products and each one with a purpose. That is why you need to organize yourself and understand well what each product is for and how to apply it.

In this sense, one of the star elements is the top coat, this protective layer serves as a barrier to make your nails look perfect. However, for many there are great doubts in relation to the top coat itself and its gel finish modality.

What is the top coat?

The top coat is the upper layer that the nail has within the manicure process so that it is professional and perfect. Its usefulness, despite being quite diffuse for many beginners, is key for our nails to remain perfect and without imperfections for weeks. When you have done the complete manicure, you must apply a thin layer that, when it dries, will act as a protective layer and will seal with the enamel, obtaining a harder and more impact-resistant nail.

Another of the greatest advantages and benefits of including this product in your manicure is the fact that the top coat speeds up the drying process, in such a way that, if you apply the top coat after applying the last layer of nail polish, you will achieve that in a few minutes is completely dry.

What is the finish gel?

The finish gel is a product that is used specifically for the treatment of artificial nails and consists of a much more resistant gel to hold the part of the false nail and thus provide consistency and durability. This product is a specific type of top coat and can often be confused with the general purpose of one of them. However, its function is very limited for a certain type of artificial nail. Its appearance and texture are much glassier and denser, when it dries it generates a much harder film than the normal top coat with a glassy and uniform appearance.

We emphasize that its application and drying is similar to the standard top coat, since it is also dried using the lamp. However, the finish gel should only be used with nail prosthetics, as applying it to a natural nail can damage the skin. And if you also wonder how to paint your nails well, don’t miss this article and keep reading.

What is the difference between top coat and finish gel?

Are you wondering what is the difference between the top coat and the finish gel? Below we detail the characteristics of the finish gel:

Apparently, the finish gel is a type of top coat that has the function that all protectors have: to protect and create a protective layer for the nail. However, the use of the finish gel due to its composition is restricted to a certain group of processes for the elaboration of nails. We refer to all those that result in an artificial prosthesis, such as gel, acrylic or porcelain nails. For this type of process, the gel finish provides a much harder and more chemical layer that could damage the nails. Below we detail the characteristics of the top coat:

The top coat is used in natural, permanent or semi-permanent nail processes, where the base will be the tissue itself. This other type of product can be dried naturally or using a special drying lamp. We point out that its thin layer does not provide any kind of disadvantage, on the contrary, it strengthens the work of the manicure. If you want to know how to do a permanent manicure, don’t miss this article and find out.

How to apply top coat and finish gel

Although the top coat and the finish gel have a different use in terms of the process that is carried out on the nails, the application method is the same in both cases. Here we show you how you should apply the top coat and the finish gel:

• Clean: You should clean your hands well and moisten them with warm water to make it easier to handle and remove cuticles and dead skin around the nails.
• File: With the help of a file, you must provide the desired shape to the nail and exfoliate the entire first layer to prepare it for the treatment.
• Protect: At this point we must apply the base coat. Are you wondering what the base coat is for? Well, to protect the skin from the products that you will apply next and, in addition, to remove excess moisture from the nail so that the finish is more durable.
• Enamel: With the nail already prepared, you can proceed to apply the desired enamel in one or two layers, depending on the desired result.
• Seal: This is where the top coat comes into play. If, as we have mentioned, you are doing a natural nail process, you should apply a quality top coat to seal the nail and protect it. If, on the other hand, you are using an artificial nail technique, you should spread a thin layer of gel finish to provide shine and hardness and also make it last for weeks.

Remember that these processes require practice so that they look better and better and, if not, you can always count on professionals to advise you.