How to Choose the Right Top Coat for Your Nail Brand

There Is No Single Best Top Coat

Every top coat is made for a different purpose.

Some create a very thin finish. Others are easier to control with the brush. Some are better for light colours, while others help dark colours stay true to their original shade.

Instead of asking which top coat is the best, ask which one is the best for your customers.

Many nail brands offer more than one top coat because every nail technician likes to work in a different way.

What Makes Top Coats Different?

Even though many top coats look similar, they do not all work the same way.

The two biggest differences are:

• Thickness

• Optical Brighteners (OB)

These two things change how the product feels during application and how the finished manicure looks.

Choose the Right Thickness

Some top coats are thinner and flow more easily.

They are a good choice if you want to work quickly and create a thin finish.

Other top coats are a little thicker.

They give more control during application and can be easier to work with, especially for some nail technicians.

Neither option is better.

It simply depends on how you like to work.

Should You Choose a Top Coat With Optical Brighteners?

Optical Brighteners (OB) help white, milky, pastel and neon colours look brighter and cleaner.

For black and some very dark colours, a top coat without Optical Brighteners is usually the better choice because it keeps the original colour.

This is why many nail brands offer both options. Nail technicians can choose the one that works best for each manicure.

Test Before You Decide

Before choosing a top coat for your brand, it is always a good idea to test different options.

The easiest way to do this is with the GMC 4 Top Coat Sample Kit, which includes:

• Low Top with OB

• Low Top without OB

• Medium Top with OB

• Medium Top without OB

This allows you to compare both viscosities and see the difference between top coats with and without Optical Brighteners.

If you are choosing only one top coat to launch your brand, a top coat without Optical Brighteners is usually the more universal option. It works well with both light and dark colours and keeps every shade true to its original colour.

A top coat with Optical Brighteners is a great addition if your customers often work with white, milky, pastel or neon shades, as it makes these colours look brighter and fresher.

Testing the products before placing your first order will help you choose the top coat that best fits your brand and your customers' needs.