Best Top Coat Nail Polish of 2025

Charlotte Powell Avatar
Charlotte Powell
Last Updated: 29 Jan 2025

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Top Coat Nail Polish is a popular beauty product used to enhance the appearance and longevity of nail polish. This product is applied as a final layer on top of coloured nail polish to provide additional shine and protection against chipping and fading. Top Coat Nail Polish is available in a variety of formulas, including quick-drying and long-lasting options. It is a must-have for anyone who wants to achieve a professional-looking manicure from the comfort of their own home.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Barry M Super Size Quick Dry Topcoat Cover #TOP 1
Barry M Super Size Quick Dry Topcoat
ftb score rating icon 9.9
Essie Care Stay Longer Top Coat 13.5ml Cover #TOP 2
Essie Care Stay Longer Top Coat 13.5ml
ftb score rating icon 9.8
Rimmel Ultra Shine Top Coat Polish 12ml Cover #TOP 3
Rimmel Ultra Shine Top Coat Polish 12ml
ftb score rating icon 9.6

Top 10 Top Coat Nail Polish

Barry M Super Size Quick Dry Topcoat

Clear
15 ml (Pack of 1)
Barry M Super Size Quick Dry Topcoat Cover
Barry M Super Size Wet Set Quick Dry Topcoat Nail Polish, Clear, Size 15ml

The Barry M Quick Dry Topcoat is a superb 15ml nail polish that offers a quick drying formula, ensuring you can achieve a glossy finish without the wait. This is particularly useful for those busy days when you need your nails to look perfect in no time. Being vegan and cruelty-free, it aligns with ethical choices, allowing you to enjoy beautiful nails guilt-free. Additionally, it is proudly made in the UK, which adds to its appeal for those who prefer locally produced products.

What We Like
Quick drying formula
Glossy finish
Vegan and cruelty-free
Large 15ml size
Made in the UK
#TOP 2

Essie Care Stay Longer Top Coat 13.5ml

3600531663414
Stay Longer
13.5 ml (Pack of 1)
Essie Care Stay Longer Top Coat 13.5ml Cover
Essie Care Stay Longer Premium Longwear Top Coat - 13.5ml

The Essie Longwear Top Coat is designed to enhance your manicure with exceptional features. It provides outstanding chip protection, ensuring your nails stay looking fresh for longer. With its lasting shine, you can enjoy a brilliant finish that enhances your nail colour. This top coat locks in colour, preventing fading and keeping your nails vibrant. Additionally, its 8-free formula means it is free from harmful substances like formaldehyde, making it a safer choice for your nails.

What We Like
Excellent chip protection
Long-lasting shine
Locks in colour
8-free formula
#TOP 3

Rimmel Ultra Shine Top Coat Polish 12ml

34789762000
12 ml (Pack of 1)
Rimmel Ultra Shine Top Coat Polish 12ml Cover
Rimmel Finishing Touch Ultra Shine Top Coat Polish, 12ml

The Rimmel Top Coat Polish offers the ultimate solution for a long-lasting, chip-resistant manicure. With its extended wear of up to 10 days, you can enjoy an intense and glimmering finish without worrying about wear and tear. The high shine effect provides full protection, enhancing the beauty of your nails. Plus, the precision maxi brush ensures salon-quality results with every application, making it easy for you to achieve a professional look right at home.

What We Like
Long-lasting wear up to 10 days
High shine effect
Quick drying formula
Precision maxi brush
#TOP 4

Rimmel London Super Gel Top Coat Nail Polish

34776272001
Transparent
12 ml (Pack of 1)
Rimmel London Super Gel Top Coat Nail Polish Cover
Rimmel London Super Gel Top Coat Nail Polish, 12ml

The Rimmel Super Gel Top Coat offers a high gloss and chip-resistant finish, ensuring your nails look stunning and well-maintained. It protects your nail colour for up to two weeks, so you can enjoy long-lasting wear without frequent touch-ups. This top coat dries like regular nail lacquer, which means you can achieve a professional look at home. There's no need for lamps or salon visits, making it a convenient option for busy individuals. Plus, it’s easy to remove, ensuring no damage is done to your nails.

What We Like
High gloss finish
Chip resistant
Long-lasting colour protection
No lamps needed
Easy to remove

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Quick Dry Top Coat

30888247103
Clearly Quick
9.17 ml (Pack of 1)
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Quick Dry Top Coat Cover
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Quick Drying Nail Polish, Clearly Quick, Top Coat - 9.17 ml

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri offers a convenient solution for busy individuals looking to achieve a polished look. This nail polish features a quick-drying formula that sets in just 60 seconds, allowing you to finish your manicure in a flash. With its streak-free application, you can enjoy a smooth finish every time, thanks to the specially contoured brush. Additionally, the product combines both base and top coat, providing up to 33% longer wear and effective chip protection, ensuring your nails stay looking great for longer.

What We Like
Quick drying in 60 seconds
Streak-free application
Base and top coat combined
Longer hold with chip protection

Essie Speed Setter Quick Dry Top Coat

3600531511661
13.5 ml (Pack of 1)
Essie Speed Setter Quick Dry Top Coat Cover
Essie Nail Polish Nail Care Speed Setter Quick Dry Ultra Shine Fast Drying Nail Varnish Top Coat 13.5 ML, Essie Top Coat Speed Setter, 13.5 ML (Pack Of 1)

The Essie Speed Setter is your go-to solution for ultra-fast drying nail care. With its high-speed, high-shine formula, you can enjoy a premium performance that leaves your nails looking smooth and glossy. This top coat ensures that you can go from wet to set in under a minute, allowing you to get on with your day without waiting. The ultra-fast drying formula means you won't have to worry about smudging your freshly painted nails, making it perfect for busy individuals.

What We Like
Ultra fast drying time
High shine finish
Smooth application
Convenient for busy lifestyles
#TOP 7

CND Vinylux Top Coat for Quick Drying

CND
CNDV0001
clear
15 ml (Pack of 1)
CND Vinylux Top Coat for Quick Drying Cover
CND Vinylux Top Coat

The CND Vinylux Top Coat offers a fast and efficient nail service with its two-step application process, allowing you to achieve beautiful nails in no time. You will appreciate how it dries fully within minutes, saving you the hassle of long waiting times. With an impressive range of ninety-seven colours inspired by the runway, you can effortlessly express your style. This top coat also ensures chip-free colour, so you can enjoy a long-lasting manicure that looks fresh and vibrant for days.

What We Like
Quick drying time
Wide colour selection
Chip-free formula
Two-step application
#TOP 8

Rimmel London 60 Seconds Super Shine Nail Polish

34778209740
Clear
8 ml (Pack of 1)
Rimmel London 60 Seconds Super Shine Nail Polish Cover
Rimmel London 60 Seconds Super Shine, 8g

The Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish offers a sophisticated look with its 36-in-1 nail colour technology. You can enjoy high-impact colour that is finished with an ultra-shiny touch, making your nails look professionally done. It features a unique formula that dries in under 60 seconds, perfect for those busy days when you need to get ready quickly. Additionally, the polish includes a base and protective glossy top coat finish, ensuring your nails stay looking fabulous and well-groomed.

What We Like
Quick drying time
Long-lasting up to 10 days
Chip resistant
High-impact colour
Glossy finish
#TOP 9

Rimmel London Holographic Nail Polish Top Coat

3616305353511
White
Rimmel London Holographic Nail Polish Top Coat Cover
Rimmel London Holographic Nail Polish Top Coat

The Rimmel Holographic Top Coat is the perfect addition to your nail care routine. It transforms your nails from day to night, allowing you to effortlessly switch up your look. This top coat enhances your favourite Rimmel nail polish, providing a beautiful holographic finish that catches the light. Additionally, it locks in your manicure for days, ensuring your nails stay looking fresh and vibrant for longer. With this top coat, you can enjoy stunning nails with minimal effort.

What We Like
Transforms nails beautifully
Enhances existing nail polish
Long-lasting manicure
#TOP 10

Rimmel London Kind and Free Top Coat

3616302990696
150 top coat
8 ml (Pack of 1)
Rimmel London Kind and Free Top Coat Cover
Rimmel London Kind and Free Clean Nail Polish 8ml 150 Top Coat

The Rimmel Top Coat offers a super gentle formula that not only strengthens your nails but also protects them from daily aggressors. Its unique composition includes algae and 70 percent ingredients of natural origin, ensuring a clean application. You can enjoy beautiful, breathable colour for up to five days, making it ideal for those who value both aesthetics and nail health. This top coat provides you with the confidence that your nails look great while being cared for.

What We Like
Gentle formula for nails
Natural and bio-sourced ingredients
Breathable for nail health
Long-lasting colour
Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is a top coat of nail polish?

The Top Coat provides the seal for your gel manicure, and helps greatly in preventing chips and cracks to your newly manicured nails. Simply apply at the end of your gel manicure to all nails, capping the ends and avoiding your cuticles, and cure for 60 seconds under your Bluesky Nail Lamp (LED).

2. Is top coat the same as nail polish?

Top coat creates a more protective layer: it dries harder than standard nail polish and is less prone to chipping, making it better at maintaining shine and color.

3. What is a base and top coat?

Top Coats are designed to adhere firmly to your nail polish so that they can last for a longer period of time. Base coats on the other hand are made specifically to bond firmly with your nail plates and to create a surface for your nail polish to anchor onto. This means that a base coat would be easily washed away.

Editor's Notes

During our top coat nail polish research, we found 306 top coat nail polish products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 266,474 customer reviews through our big data system to write the top coat nail polish list. We found that most customers choose top coat nail polish with an average price of £5.66.

The top coat nail polish are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of top coat nail polish, including Barry M, essie, Rimmel, Sally Hansen, CND.

Written by
Charlotte Powell Avatar

Charlotte Powell is a dermatologist and a licensed cosmetologist from Westminster, London. However, she was first a cosmetologist from London Beauty Training School. According to Charlotte, she needed better insight into the human skin, hence the dermatology degree. Long before she acquired her degree, she wrote and edited articles, eBooks, and editorials for companies and websites. Charlotte combines her skill and knowledge in providing DIY Beauty tips amongst other fashion related topics.