How to Achieve a Perfect Matte Finish with Matte Top Coat?

Prep Nails Properly with Matte Top Coat

 We need to discuss pressing matters beforehand before touching this top coat. Imagine that you are on a new page on a fresh sheet of paper. But that sheet being dusty or oily or with its edges being raw means the ink, or the polish, has no formal or practical way to stick. Matte tops are demanding and glossy shine manages to cover those bumps, but a matte top coat, in a way, takes a spotlight and shines on all your flaws. Thus the first rule of the matte club is ‘Surface Prep’. Before you do anything, the slate must be clean. The nails must even be clean with a little polish remover or some rubbing alcohol to make sure all of those oils that settled on the surface are neutralized and that the nails are bond ready. Again too many oils means the hands are home to a huge barrier that is hostile to your top coat and ready to give you some streaky pay back. 

When the nails are completely dry, grab a fine grit buffer. You are not trying to remove depth from the nail; the goal here is to lightly scuff the surface to remove the shine. Shiny nails create an uneven surface where the top coat can pool. Topping with a nail finishing pad creates a smooth surface, preventing the top coat from pooling in uneven surfaces. The last step the pros use is a lint-free pad with alcohol, and it sets them worlds apart from an amateur. The final wipe creates the smoothest surface by preventing debris left from buffing. Pros have a much better finish, as amateurs with only a top coat find that it can more accurately be described as a chalkboard, not the velvety similar curtain, when the finish is compared to a perfect finish.

Thin Layers Are Key for Matte Top Coat

 You've colored your nails and they're dry. Now you are ready for the game-changing matte top coat. Resist the natural instinct to apply a thick layer to achieve instant change. Thick layers do the exact opposite of what you want. When applying a thick coat, the top layer dries faster than the bottom, trapping the solvents, which in turn, creates microscopic air bubbles. The end result is a cloudy white appearance. We want a professional appearance to the nails. You will apply a thin coat and paint the nail in three quick strokes. This includes one swipe in the middle, and one on the left and one on the right. You want to stay on the edge of the nail. The wall will help to evenly distribute the coating for the appearance you want. If you continue to go back and apply more coat the top coat will be dragged beneath the lower layers and you will see underneath the colored coating.

If you notice a slight gloss on your nail, don't worry! A good matte top coat becomes completely dry, non-reflective in about 5 minutes. If the matte top coat is still glossy after 5 minutes, it is because it is still wet, not like the other top coats that take even longer to dry and maintain their wet look. Once dry, a second coat can always be added, especially if the first layer is patchy. However, be sure to put two thin coats. Two thin coats are not only better than one thick coat, but it avoids white streaks and increases the life of your top coat. Thin coats can flex with your nail, while a thick coat will crack and look unsightly.

To maintain a matte top coat for longer than forty-eight hours, be sure to cap the free edge. The mat top coat acts as a seal that protects the base and color coating, and your nails won't chip or peel. The tips of your nails are the coat that the nails themselves show - nails take a beating when you type and dig in your bag. Be sure to take the wand dipped in the matte top coat and sweep it horizontally across the tip of your nails.

With a matte top coat, you can’t just choose a random quick-dry glossy top coat for protection later, because this will interfere with the matte polish you just perfectly polished. The matte top coat needs to defend the manicure on its own, because by wrapping the tip, the coat creates a seal that prevents moisture from getting under the polish while you wash your hands. If moisture gets underneath, the polish will lift, and you are left with a broken, sad manicure. Taking the extra step to wrap the tip takes maybe five seconds, but can keep your matte top coat for many more days, and shows that you not only care, but can master polish bottles with the best of them.

Top Coat Choices: Avoiding a Matte Mishap

Yes, switching from high-gloss to matte is a science of sorts. The fact of the matter is, be prepared to change a habit or two. A mistake I come across is the use of a quick-dry glossy top coat under a matte top coat. You want your color to last and dry fast; I hear you. But here's the problem: a matte top coat works by gripping the slightly rough surface of dried polish or gel. A glossy quick-dry coat leaves a surface that is smooth and glassy deep, the matte top coat often beads, and worse, it's likely to come off in sheets. If you want color that lasts, a quick-dry glossy top coat, or some server color, dry the color coat and let it dry naturally.

Another annoyance is the glossy patches that appear a few hours later. This is due to the natural oils in your skin and around your nails that somehow leak onto the matte top coat before it thoroughly dries. Because matte top coats absorb oils, they ultimately lose their matte finish. To keep the matte look, try to avoid contact with your face and applying cuticle oil for 15 to 20 minutes while the matte coat dries. Two things went wrong in the application, and both are easily fixable. One, the bottle must be shaken for a full minute. The ingredients and oils separate and the matte coat ends up being a semi-gloss, oil-laden coat. Top coats with a matte oil separate even more. The other, the coat must be applied as a dried layer. For the sake of your nails, workout the coat to keep the particles in line for a streak free finish.

Once you've mastered a perfect all-over matte nail finish, there's a ton of opportunity for creative art design. For me, one of the best tricks is the contrasting finish. To do this, you paint your nails a dark glossy color like oxblood or navy. Then, take a striping brush, dip it into a matte top coat, and trace a fun geometric design, or, for a classic look, or a classic french tip. This design dries to reveal an intricate, tonal design that shows a different catch of light every time you move your fingers. It's overrall a sharp and clever design.

In the world of gels, it is common to use a wiped matte top coat as a base before putting a chrome powder over as chrome looks best over a matte top coat. For those glitter lovers, it is a common myth that glitter is slightly junior high; if using a dense glitter over a matte top coats, it can take on a glassy look instead of looking over the top. It's more of a chic look than a glittery one. Whether the look you go for is velvety or full, a matte top coat gives your design a unique look, allowing more than design one design on each manicure.

Conclusion:

If you want to achieve that velvety finish, with a matte top coat, you need to use technique, rather than luck. It starts with a bone-dry, oil-free base. You must apply thin layers for a modern matte finish. Long-lasting finishes also require tip capping and thorough bottle shaking for matte magic activation. Transform old glossy favorites into dual-finish masterpieces with a flawless matte finish. Here at Colormark, we elevate personal style by mastering the elegance of matte finish nails, the quiet luxe, and understated accessories.