I was expecting the best from this, like a miracle… This top coat, the Gel Coat by Dior, was supposed to make the manicure shine as bright as a diamond (like a diamond in the sky, oops, sorry!) and last for a whole week. I wanted so hard to believe in this product!
So, here is my review on it.
Gel Coat By Dior
But first, why is this Dior Gel Coat so special?
It claims to be a “gel effect” top- coat, so basically it will give a very glossy effect on the nails as if it was some semi-permanent nail polish or some acrylic gel.
Gel Coat Dior, the shiny effect
For the application, I was warned, yes, it is super thick (you must shake really well before applying) but that is precisely why it gives this “gellish” effect, slightly concave on the nail. And also, I was told that it would take more time to dry.
So I applied it as usual, after having put my 2 coats of nail varnish, without waiting. The brush is very nice, it has a square shape, so it really makes the application super easy.
I used different nail varnishes with this top-coat, but here on my photos, it is the Gelly Hi-Shine Barry M in the Papaya shade (these Barry M nail varnishes are really good, fantastic colours, good quality and cheap as chips).
And finally, it dried as usual… well, it didn’t take longer than a normal top coat ! Well, obviously, the Seche Vite is faster, which is also normal. Let’s say that after 15 minutes, the surface was completely dry, and I stopped to watch being careful with my nails after 45 minutes, so nothing out of the ordinary.
Regarding the shine, no doubt, it is there. And the positive thing is that it doesn’t fade with time.
By the way, regarding the time, or moreover the lasting power, this is an important point because I have to say, it was the Dior sales person’s key selling point. I was told about this top coat (obviously more expensive than others, because it is Dior):
” Your manicure will really last longer, you’ll see! “
And, well… Hell to the no!
It is even super weird, I tried it with different brands of nail varnishes (the worst was with OPI, a nightmare) to test the Dior top coat and I must say this top-coat shrinks more than I have ever seen.
Coat Dior Dior, the “shrinky” effect
Usually with me, some top coats shrink with the nail varnish, and here, no, it was the top coat alone that was shrinking: very very strange!
And this happened, even if I tried to apply a small amount of product on the tips of my nails before applying it on all the surface of my nails (this is actually a great tip if you have problem with a “shrinking” top-coat, like Seche-Vite, for example), well here, it didn’t change anything!
Obviously, the poor nail varnish below with less protection ends up with no chance when faced with the evil shower water or the naughty daily shocks and eventually chips pretty quickly… 2-3 days, this was the maximum.
It’s like any other regular top coat though. The bad part though is it’s ugly, because the sides of the nail can be seen and are less shiny. Great!
Gel Coat Dior, after 2 days
Frankly, at this price (around 100-125 AED), it hurts.
So I am struggling with my doubts: I’m wondering if the Gel Coat by Dior just only works well with the new Dior Gel Nail Lacquers (recently reformulated)?
Will I try it for the passion of testing and reviewing?
To be continued (clue: my banker doesn’t approve) (another clue: I never listen to him) (the suspense remains)…
And you, have you tried the Gel Coat by Dior? What are your thoughts?
Credits photos: Dior, bonnie-garner.com
Hey Bonnie,
I live in the USA and came across your blog from a Google search. For the last couple of months I have been debating with myself on whether or not I should buy Dior’s Gel Top Coat. I wear ONLY OPI nail polish and was afraid that this top coat might not work well over it. Well I finally purchased it, and my experience is the same as yours! The top coat dries pretty quickly, faster than OPI’s top coat in fact, and of course it is much shinier, glossier and even appeared to shape my nails a bit. However, after a few hours the nail polish appeared to have shriveled up around the tips of my nails.
I used it over OPI’s ‘Go With the Lava Flow’ from the Hawaii collection.
I am far from a nail polish expert, but I want to try applying a think layer of OPI’s top coat across the tips of my nails before applying the Dior to see if that helps. I’m going to do whatever I can to make this top coat work. Here in the US, the Dior costs $27! Do you know how many polishes I could buy with that? Ha ha.
Have you tried to use this top coat again, is so, what was your experience?
Hi Deja! :)
I was exactly like you, very disappointed by this top coat, especially considering the price!
I tried to apply it on the tips of my nails first, before applying it on my entire nails, but it doesn’t change anything. So I tried to insist and applied it on the tips after I had applied it on the nails, it was a little bit better but not perfect…
I didn’t try to pair it with another top coat but man, how much effort does it take to make it work?!
I’m so sorry, to be honest, this top coat is just sitting somewhere in one of my drawers, with my “not good but pricey so I can’t throw them away” beauty products…
If you find a solution to use it and make it work, I’m all ears!!! :)
i love the way The polish looks on day one, because I do not have my nails done,SO I thought is was worth the 27 dollars, way less that a weekly manicure, and since I like to change colors often a lot easier. The Gel Gloss looks best on dark colors, and puts an amazing gloss finish, you are right it did not take a long time to dry…so all and all I love the way it looks on my nails and on darker colors. Here is my issue after you have it so long it gets very thick in the bottle…I ALWAYS have about a 1/4 bottle left once this starts happening, now that bothers me If I am going to pay good money for polish it better be good to the last drop, but instead it’s a stringy gloppy mess.
Thanks for your comment! :)
Yes, I agree, it’s such a waste if you can’t use all product, especially at this price… :/