Orly Sec N' Dry

Most Helpful Positive Review

Good alternative to SV

While this isn't as shiny/plush looking as Seche Vite, it is pretty much the same thing without the massive shrinkage issue, peeling, and glooping I used to experience using the former. I was a long time devotee of SV, but I kept running into issues with certain nail polishes not reacting well or ju...st general performance nightmares that I started looking for alternatives. I was initially very skeptical of this top coat because no one talks about it...at all. I love the wide, flat brush - it completely covers the nail so that you get right to the cuticle without dragging. It doesn't have that obnoxious paint thinner smell that SV has, and I haven't seen any reviews (so far) mentioning gloopiness from frequent use and I haven't experienced it myself. Also, it does not shrink your tips and does not cure your polish so much that you get a dessicated layer that subsequently flakes off in giant chunks immediately after a shower. I tested this on a chintzy vegan polish which flakes like nobody's business and was shocked to see that after washing my hair, moisturizing, washing my face, and brushing my teeth - a daily routine which usually results in the first signs of doom - I had very little no discernable tipwear (which would inevitably happen with Seche Vite), no fraying along the edges, no cracking near the cuticle, and I couldn't feel the polish lifting off my nail beds. I would give this product 5 stars if it was just a tiny bit shinier. It's okay, just average, and I kind of think the fact it's thin and satiny is what makes it so good. If you want super glossy nails you will need a glossy top coat. Overall, I'm happy though, and I've started using Seche Vive as my finishing touch instead of Vite as I think it's shinier and stronger anyway.