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There's nothing more irritating than painting your nails just to discover a chip immediately after. If you want to get more mileage out of your manicure, you have to slick on a top coat. Just make sure that you're picking one that's going to protect your polish from chipping and leave you with a fab mani that will last.
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat goes on smoothly and dries quickly so you don't have to worry about waiting forever for your polish to dry, which means you run less risk of smudging it. On top of that, it lasts for days without chipping, leaving your nails super-shiny and perfectly polished. It was voted Allure magazine's Best of Beauty in 2008.
Deborah Lippmann Addicted to Speed Top Coat
If you like your polish cute, try Deborah Lippmann Addicted to Speed Top Coat, which Allure magazine editors love. It comes in a stylish bottle but, of course, that's not why it's so great. It dries in five minutes, doesn't contain formaldehyde, DBP or toluene and leaves your nails looking great without chipping.
Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat
This one is another favorite of Allure magazine. It was voted Best of Beauty 2009 by the fashion and beauty glossy. It dries quickly and, according to Allure, is like "a coat of armor for your nails." That's some pretty strong stuff. Not to mention, it leaves your nails gorgeous and shiny and keeps them that way with no chips.
Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure
Sometimes the problem with chipping polish isn't the top coat or the polish. Swiping on a bunch of layers makes your nails more prone to chipping, but all of those layers really are necessary in creating a perfect manicure. That's why Sally Hansen invented the Complete Salon Manicure. It's a base coat, polish and top coat all in one. New York City manicurist Jin Soon Choi loves the polish so much, she told InStyle magazien that she even started using it in her spa.
