Nubar • Diamont Top Coat • Top/Base Coats

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*TOP REVIEWER* redeyelinerjunkie on 11/26/2012 6:40:00 PM more reviews by redeyelinerjunkie

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

This is an average topcoat -- and I mean the "good formula".



The consistency is very thick, even when brand-new, and that means two things: 1) you have to apply it with a heavy hand
and 2) it wells up at the edge of the nail, like any polish does when it's too thick

Also, it applies more like a regular nail polish than a smooth, self-leveling topcoat.



Application problems aside, the dry time isn't particularly impressive. Like most topcoats, it dries to the touch quickly but takes a few minutes to fully cure. It's not a bad topcoat, it's just not exceptional either.


I would recommend both Seche Vite AND Essie Good to Go over this.

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*TOP REVIEWER* pocky on 8/18/2012 11:26:00 AM more reviews by pocky

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Black    

I originally tried and then reviewed Diamont in late 2010. I heard that Diamont had been reformulated, which made complete sense because the Diamont I had was nothing close to the Diamont I had heard about. It was watery and did not ever dry. I finally threw out my Diamont after several disastrous manicures that never dried. I remember waking up with sheet marks all over my nails despite letting my manicure dry for 4 hours before I went to bed.


Fast forward to summer 2012 when I repurchased Diamont on hearing that it had been reformulated again. This time, Diamont was exactly what I thought it would be. If not for the bottle, I would have sworn it was Deborah Lippmann Addicted to Speed. It even smells like Addicted to Speed! Diamont is one of my favorite topcoats of all time now, although I don't use it exclusively. It dries super quick and shiny without any shrinkage. My only complaint is that it's a little too thick and I'm not always on the mood to work with such a thick topcoat.

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*TOP REVIEWER* wtfiholly on 7/25/2012 11:42:00 PM more reviews by wtfiholly

Age: 44-55   Skin: Very Dry   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

I have never, ever, bought a top coat that has ever done what it promised to do and this one has!!!
I have used it over my HG polish DL and it lasted me 5 days un-chipped. I got a new polish so I changed it. I used it over my Dior polish and it lasted just as long! It makes my polish shiney and bright! My natural nails look fantastic! It does not shrink even with dish washing, who would've thunk???
It's thick and I like that more than a thin top coat. it dries fast too! What a great combination!
I can only buy it online but that's ok, it's cheap even with the shipping. Nubar's polish remover is great too, so I'll get that if I need it too.
I am thrilled that this does not shrink so the tips of my nails stay covered and look good up until I take it off unless I do something to make my polish chip, then that's a different story.
It's worth the try on one's nails. I think it will give that other one a run for the money! LOL.

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AndryaAndroid on 4/18/2012 9:15:00 PM more reviews by AndryaAndroid

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Red, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I'm totally baffled that this could get negative reviews from anyone. Diamont is THE best topcoat I've ever used!
Seche Vite doesn't work for me; it did dry super quickly, but it gives me bad shrinkage and my manis just don't last with it.
So I gave Diamont a go and can't believe how crazy awesome it is. It's very shiny, but the amazing part is how FAST it makes my polish dry. The first nails I paint with it are dry to the touch by the time I'm done painting my last nails, and all of my nails are *completely* dry and set within about 15 minutes. Like, you could knock into something and they wouldn't dent dry. I always take the tip of my nail and press it slightly into the side of one of my nails to test how dry it is, and I'm always so impressed that no marks are left when I use the Diamont.
The other thing that totally rules about it is that my polish lasts SO long when I use it. No chips, up to the point that I get tired of the polish after several days and remove it.
For gritty glitters and such, I throw down a coat of Gelous followed by Diamont and it seriously gives me bulletproof manis.
My one and ONLY qualm with this is that I have to buy it online. I go through bottles of it *crazy* fast, so I hate to constantly be ordering and paying shipping, etc.. (An awesome NBer made me aware of the fact that they do sell giant refill bottles that are actually a huge value when you do the math, so one day I may order one of those.)
I've been trying different quick-dry top coats that I can purchase in person for ease - I'm currently trying Poshe and it doesn't give me shrinkage but does not dry nearly as fast as Diamont.
So Diamont is definitely my favorite, of all time, hands-down, I worship at its top coat throne.
If you're frustrated with Seche Vite or QDTCs in general, definitely get it!
I just really wish I didn't have to order online!

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tinaesq on 4/18/2012 8:48:00 PM more reviews by tinaesq

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Black    

after getting this freefrom my nubar order i tested it againts seche. this is far less headache and performs great. not quite as shiny but very smooth, not goopy, doesnt shrink any of my polishes (seche was an utter fail for shrinkage) and lasts far longer than my interest in my manicure color. (about a week before chipping at the cuticle)

no headaches in application, self leveling even after bumbping it on a water bottle, dries pretty quick, dry to touch in 5 minutes on two coats of polish, washed dishes with a rough sponge in 4 hours with no problems. no peeling no chipping until a week. my current manicure is 4 days old and my tips are still wrapped with color!

only drawback is that this isnt as accessible as other top coats.

after my frustrating attempts at trying to MAKE seche work for me, this was refreshingly easy to deal with. will definitely purchace again.

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*TOP REVIEWER* chanel277 on 11/14/2011 3:17:00 PM more reviews by chanel277

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This is an excellent top coat. I like it ever better than seche vite. Actually has all the seche vite"s advantages which are fast drying time and maximum glossy shine but without any of its huge disadvantages which are: super thick consistency and shrinking. This has quite thin consistency applies easily and effortless leaving a high shine finish and dries literally in seconds . I like it a lot but Im not going to repurchase just because i like CND"s speadey better

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nordavind on 11/7/2011 1:33:00 PM more reviews by nordavind

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

In my eternal search of the perfect top coat I was very excited to find a free mini bottle of this one in an order I made that included several Nubar polishes. I really love Nubar so I was very optimistic, but it didn’t live up to my expectations. Application was not as smooth as I thought it would be. Maybe the brush of the full size polish is better, but the one I have is too small and scratchy. It drags the polish underneath very easily, so it is important to pack the brush with product to avoid brush strokes. The finish is shiny but gets dull the next day (I experience the same problem with Seche Vite). It doesn't chip easily and there is no shrinkage at all.

I know this top coat is not specifically marketed as fast drying, but I was hoping for a good surprise since other reviewers raved about the short drying time. It performs better than basic top coats (like OPI TC for instance), but it is not that good. Yes, it is dry to the touch after 5 minutes, but the layers underneath stays wet for quite a long time. I dented both thumb nails half an hour after application when I tied the button of my pants, and at the end of the day my nails were covered with light scratches on the surface.

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polishnut on 11/5/2011 3:07:00 PM more reviews by polishnut

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Nubar's Diamont is a quick-dry top coat along the lines of Seche Vite and Poshe (in theory only!) This is suposed to dry your mani in a matter of minutes to a rock-hard finish. However, 1 hour later and this was still tacky. And to make matters worse, it bubbled on every nail. I have used this t/c for two different manis at different times of the year, in different weather (humid and not) and ended up with the same results both times. I've tried regular drugstore topcoats that dry quicker than this product and do not bubble. Therefore, this one gets two thumbs way down (if I could give this 0 lippies I would)and I will not be buying this again.

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sensen on 8/14/2011 12:51:00 PM more reviews by sensen

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I got the Nubar Diamont Topcoat as part of a set before I read any of the bad reviews. I'm not sure what the formulation of it was before, but in any case it is the best topcoat I have. I have so far tried it over Nubar, Zoya, and Sinful Colors polishes, and it dries really quickly and leaves a nice glossy shine. I'm not sure how much it extends the wear time of a polish, since most polishes last a long time on my nails even without top coat, but I love how quickly I can get back to doing things after using this: I put it on, wait about five minutes, and get on with my life.

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JabberwockJess on 7/27/2011 9:46:00 AM more reviews by JabberwockJess

Age: 25-29   Skin: Very Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

There has been a lot of talk going round about how this product is no good since they changed the formula - I just want to confirm that they HAVE changed it back and this is EASILY the best topcoat I have used. This is pretty much HG for me and I am already considering buying several backups even though I've only used it a few times! This tc dries incredibly fast - to-the-touch in less than a minute, and safe to do light work with your hands after five.

Also this tc is thick and glossy and leaves my mani looking incredibly shiny. It seems to be self-settling meaning it's great over glitters; I swatched I Lily Love You and two coats of Diamont left it smooth to the touch.

If you can get hold of the good formula (and it shouldn't be too hard now I hope) this topcoat is spectacular. I recommend feelunique.com for UK/EU buyers (not affiliated) as they will replace any bad formula bottles with good and they are wonderfully priced too.

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Chineseeyes on 5/14/2011 7:55:00 AM more reviews by Chineseeyes

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Medium Brown, Warm   Hair: Black, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

BEST TOP COAT EVER, DRIED WITHIN 10 MINS WOULD PURCHASE AGAIN ;-)

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*TOP REVIEWER* mudpie1964 on 3/13/2011 2:11:00 PM more reviews by mudpie1964

Age: 44-55   Skin: Very Dry, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Nubar's Diamont is supposed to be a quick-dry top coat that rivals Seche Vite and Poshe. However, this did not dry quickly (15 minutes and still tacky) and an hour later was still dentable. I also ended up with bubbling on most of my nails with this top coat and sheet marks. The only upside is that it does give a thick, glass-like finish and there was no shrinkage (which occurs often with SV and Poshe). In my opinion, this is no better than a standard topcoat in that it will dry just as slowly (if not slower - I've had Sally Hansen t/c's dry quicker) so I will not be buying this again.

EDIT: I don't know what happened to this topcoat but four hours after using it, it started to get dull. I will definitely NOT be using this again.

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*TOP REVIEWER* KileyMc on 11/30/2010 1:47:00 PM more reviews by KileyMc

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

Okay, well I guess I got the new formulation. Sigh. This NEVER dried on me. After 45 minutes it was still sticky and so I put on hurry up drops. No change. Then I gave up and put on Poshe and it finally dried. What a bummer.

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Lizziex3 on 10/25/2010 6:05:00 PM more reviews by Lizziex3

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

Ok I've tried this a bunch of times now and all I can say is that it works on some polishes but not on others. Sometimes it will dry super fast, be super shiny and help the polish last for a long time. Other times it never dries, is mooshy, not shiny, and doesn't last at all. On average compared to my staple TC, Poshe Super Fast, my mani's last longer. But it's just too inconsistent so I would definitely not repurchase this.

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DeltaCephei on 6/20/2010 1:44:00 PM more reviews by DeltaCephei

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Green    

My HG topcoat!! NO peeling after a shower and it makes my manicure stay put for days!

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RawCreoleGoddess on 5/2/2010 6:05:00 PM more reviews by RawCreoleGoddess

Age: 36-43   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

This topcoat does the job!

My manicures last really well with this top coat and I would definitely repurchase.

I like it better than Seche Vite.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Shamisen on 4/26/2010 10:55:00 PM more reviews by Shamisen

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

This stuff dries SO FAST and gives a really nice glossy finish. My only gripe is the nubar bottles are a lot wider at the bottom than the top, like china glaze bottles, so when you get down past halfway, it's harder to reach the product. I prefer the shape of the OPI bottles which keep the bulk of the product higher up in the bottle. However. The brush is very nice, it goes on nice and thick and is great for smoothing out glitter polishes.
It seems to help my manis last well as well. I am a happy customer.

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sara99 on 3/22/2010 3:25:00 PM more reviews by sara99

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Warm   Hair: Red, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

this is a frustrating product. when it's fresh it is unparalleled in its shine and quick drying time...but about halfway through the bottle it get super thick and goopy and unusable. adding thinner dosen't really solve the problem so basically you can only use half of the bottle and then you need a new one. that REALLY bothers me...i hate that the whole thing isn't as good as the beginning...but it is SO GOOD in the beginning that you sort of forget how bad it gets?? i'm not sure if that makes sense but it is the truth!

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patchoulissime on 3/2/2010 1:48:00 PM more reviews by patchoulissime

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Blue    

The first time I used this was a disaster. I had just finished painting my nails with two thin coats of nailpolish, letting each coat touch-dry before putting on the next layer. I waited for 30 minutes and started to put the top coat on... a BIG mistake. It totally ruined the manicure, dragging big patches of nailpolish with the brush.


Because I'm a big fan of Nubar I just thought I did something wrong (I dont know what can you do wrong when applying nailpolish/base/top coat, but I didn't want to blame it on the product and rather lived in denial) and decided to try it again later on.


That "later on" was today. I waited for ages my nailpolish to really really dry before applying the top coat, but obviously I was wrong - it hadn't C O M P L E T E L Y dried and ta-da, the same thing happened again. It dragged the polish on the tips so bad I had to remove the whole thing and start again.


The shine is of course a big factor when choosing a top coat, but to me maybe even bigger thing is the fact that it helps the nail polish dry, and I don't have to sit and wait for hours because I can't touch or do anything. If the top coat fails to do either one, it's not worth of using IMHO, since there are so many other top coats out there that actually work like they should.


I don't doubt this top coat gives your nails amazing shine, but who has the time to sit and wait, and wait, and wait (ok, you got the idea) before you can apply the top coat without it ruining your freshly painted nails? Not me.


Won't repurchase again.

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dreamwatch on 2/8/2010 3:23:00 PM more reviews by dreamwatch

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Red, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

My favourite top coat by far. Can't add much more to the reviews belowwil, but I will say that I always let my polish dry before using this, and have never once had it drag my polish. You do need a good amount of topcoat on the brush, and you need to be fast, but otherwise it's a breeze to work for. It's a shiny finish, but there are other top coats that give a more glass like finish, and if that's your priority this may not be the best topcoat for you. Otherwise it's a great product and a total HG for me.

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