New York Color • Grand Central Station clear nail polish • Polishes

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heyjoni on 5/6/2013 3:44:00 AM more reviews by heyjoni

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This is my go-to top coat. It's unfortunately not as shiny as Seche Vite, but I can't stand the awful smell of SV or how it shrinks most of my polish on the nail. And for the $2 price tag, I'll gladly take this NYC top coat and keep stocking up on it. Like SV, it tends to get thick approximately halfway through the bottle, so keep nail polish thinner on hand. It dries pretty quickly—though it's prone to denting right away if you're not careful for the next 20 minutes or so—over most polishes and seems to last pretty well with minimal chipping in most cases. I generally change polish frequently.

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TitaniaTesseract on 4/27/2013 3:28:00 PM more reviews by TitaniaTesseract

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

I was waiting on my first-ever Zoya shipment and had heard Seche Vite (my go-to topcoat) works horribly with that brand, so I hunted around the boards and heard raves about Grand Central Station. I was like, "No, it can't be the $1.99 clear drugstore polish, can it?" Sure enough, my Zoyas came in today and I topped it with this stuff, and the dry time was as good as or better than SV!

Pros: Dries super-fast; dirt-cheap; available in every drugstore; doesn't reek too bad; no shrinkage; no toluene if you care about that

Cons: Not as self-leveling as SV; *slightly* streakier to apply; scuffs easily; not as shiny. Still pretty shiny, though. But the shine dulls quickly from the 2nd day on.

In conclusion, I might keep using SV as my go-to, but I'll hold onto GCS for use over my Zoyas or anything else that doesn't work well with SV. It's a very solid second choice.

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Ridanu on 11/18/2012 8:48:00 PM more reviews by Ridanu

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Sensitive, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Although I like NYC colors, i HATE this topcoat. It makes my polishes PEEL off completely or in pieces. As others say, its not as shiny as SV, but I have to use it until I get a new tc. I've heard some people used this as a base coat so I tried that...never again. I had a simple 2 coats of SH Silver elements and a rose pattern stamped and it peeled off within 2 hours. Sometimes I don't even realize when it peels off. Only good if you have nothing else!!

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aliciaaa15 on 10/10/2012 12:04:00 PM more reviews by aliciaaa15

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Olive   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This is my new HG Top Coat. I've been using SV since I started with polish- probably around June. SV was great- glossy, pretty, had that lovely Toulene smell. But- I noticed shrinkage AND it started to get gloopy about with 75% left...

So I thinned it, kept using it. Then I decided I'd go out on a whim and get NYC GCS. It's only like $1.00 at Walmart, and so heck, why not?

This is awesome. It really prevents chipping, no shrinkage, and can't beat the price. Shiny (though admittedly not as shiny as SV) and for the price point, definitely more worth it than SV. I'd buy again in a heat beat. No more toulene for me!!

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*TOP REVIEWER* Joseybird on 10/5/2012 1:33:00 PM more reviews by Joseybird

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Grand Central Station is extremely "YMMV" (your mileage may vary). However, it's super-cheap and worth a shot, and for some people (like myself), GCS is an amazing quick-dry topcoat. It dries very quickly with no shrinkage, and it stays very shiny for 4 or so days (I haven't tested it for longer than that). Also, the polishes I've applied it over have only shown minimal tip-wear and chipped very slightly on the 3rd or 4rth day.

A great top coat at a great price. Definitely worth a try!

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*TOP REVIEWER* Lomelindi on 9/24/2012 4:56:00 PM more reviews by Lomelindi

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Black    

I'm not sure where all the bad reviews are coming from since this worked perfectly! I was using Seche Vite before and while I love it, I didn't like the price too much and I didn't like how fast it dried up (about half way through a bottle).


First off, it's not exactly like Seche Vite, which is much thicker. The formula for this top coat is thinner but not runny, and it dries impressively quickly. I think it might even dry faster than SV 'cause it's thinner. When I used GCS over a glitter coat, it smoothed out the bumps and ridges better than I expected, so I ended up with a strong, shiny top coat just like with SV. The only con I can find with this polish is that I don't think it is AS shiny / glass-like as SV, but for the super cheap price, I can't complain!


EDIT: This is a lot more prone to chipping that SV. I got about 3 days of wear out of it before I start losing a chip or two in my nail color, which isn't that surprising considering I work on a computer. Taking off a lippie for wear-time.

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*TOP REVIEWER* cloroxcowgirl on 8/28/2012 2:22:00 PM more reviews by cloroxcowgirl

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy   Eyes: Blue    

I can understand the hype around this top coat. It is excellent for as cheap as it is. My favorite top coat is Sally Hansen Insta Dri, but it costs a bit more money and always dries up half way through the bottle on me :/ So I only use that one on special occasions, GCS is now my everyday topcoat. It goes on smoothly and dries quickly. My manis last about 4 days (give or take a day). It isn't quite as shiny as the SH top coat, but still gives a nice shine to the nails. There is slight color transfer if I am not careful when applying it. And it does start to dry up toward the end of the bottle but I can live with that since it is so cheap. I have a bunch of bottles stashed away because I always want to have some on hand (no pun intended).

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*TOP REVIEWER* pocky on 8/15/2012 8:21:00 AM more reviews by pocky

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

The really great thing about this top coat is that it's really cheap. It's a decent quick dry top coat, but it's not amazing or anything close to holy grail. Everytime I have used this topcoat, my manicure chips horribly within a day. I've been doing some experimenting and I believe it's definitely the topcoat. I mistakenly used it over a black label OPI once, which was a big mistake. I guess this must be a 3 free polish, or at least it doesn't work with old chemical-laden polishes because it gave my manicure a dull, rubbery finish. My manicure was still dentable (and had several dents and scrapes as proof) 24 hours after I did my nails. It's just not possible to have 1 topcoat for all your polishes, and while this is not a holy grail, it's worth keeping around since it's so cheap and works when you're pressed for time.

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jennynguyenv on 8/14/2012 2:04:00 AM more reviews by jennynguyenv

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This is my absolute favorite top coat. It dries to the touch within less than 5 minutes, and is completely hard with maybe another 15 minutes. It gives my nail polish a nice gloss and perfects all my nail art. I'm now wearing a 5 day old manicure with this top coat and it is perfect with zero chips. The biggest complaint is that this top coat thickens quickly. That is true. However a couple drops (or more) of polish thinner revives it back to its original consistency and you just can't go wrong with the great $2 price. It is definitely worth a try.

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ABrushWthBeauty on 7/14/2012 9:20:00 PM more reviews by ABrushWthBeauty

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This is by far my favorite top coat and I have tried almost all of them. It dries my polish within a couple of minutes. Before trying this, I used Seche Vite and liked it but then I tried this one and felt it worked even quicker. I don't keep any one polish color on too long to be able to really comment on the longevity of avoiding chips, but what I was looking for was it to dry my polish quickly and it is the best at that. It does get a little thick, but not half as much as Seche Vite and I just add thinner and I'm set.

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artsypirate on 5/20/2012 1:39:00 AM more reviews by artsypirate

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Medium Brown, Warm   Hair: Brown, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Really liked this at first but I've had it 2 weeks and it's already thickening up. It gives a nice glossy shine but now that it's getting thick it makes my polishes peel. Literally PEEL off, not chip. So disappointed as I love this brands other nail polishes.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Candy123718 on 4/15/2012 3:43:00 PM more reviews by Candy123718

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Very Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I got this top coat a couple of days ago because I heard good things, and I love this! This top coat does not do anything weird to my manicure, or make it chip like crazy. It leaves a nice shine, and makes my manicure last. It also, surprisingly, diminishes the appearance of bubbles if I ever apply to much of whatever color nail polish I use, which is a bonus! Because of this top coat, I think I will do my nails more frequently. I would really buy this again.

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*TOP REVIEWER* sensiblenails on 3/16/2012 4:41:00 AM more reviews by sensiblenails

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Dark, Cool   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

Clearish nail polish that I use to brighten up the color of my colored nail polish and adds a lovely shine to them too. However it's really goopy so I would use it as a last resort quick dry and to gloss up mattes.

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heytherebeautiful on 3/8/2012 5:41:00 AM more reviews by heytherebeautiful

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Olive, Neutral   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I was apprehensive about buying this at first since NYC is owned by Coty, Inc. which is a major animal tester. I'm glad I don't like it and have no plans to re-buy it. At first I loved how well this polish worked as a quick-dry top coat, but before it was even halfway gone it got thick and gloopy. I put some nail polish thinner in it, but by the next day it was thick again. Also, be warned that the bottle is only 1/3 oz. not 1/2 oz.

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MadameTaylor on 2/26/2012 8:01:00 PM more reviews by MadameTaylor

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Red, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

This is WAY better than NYC's other topcoat, but it's not stellar. It goes on nicely, dries fast, and is shiny. I will warn that if you touch it before it's dry, it WILL smudge and you'll have to re-paint. It lasts beautifully for a day, maybe two. However, by the third day, I got tiny cracks on my thumb and pointer finger, but not the others. I don't know why it was just those two. Over a shimmery polish they're hardly noticeable, but I imagine they'd be visible otherwise. This might just be my nails, so if you're shopping around for cheap top coats I wouldn't pass this one up! It looks great on my toenails, and it's been there for nearly a week now.

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*TOP REVIEWER* jaqi16 on 11/18/2011 2:30:00 AM more reviews by jaqi16

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

Sorry to bring the ratings down, but I don't understand all the hype. In my opinion this is very overrated:

Pros:
Dries faster then other drugstore polish (not as fast as Seche Vite or Poshe)
Nice Brush (like OPI's)
Cheap, under $2

Cons:
Nails are not nearly as shiny as with other topcoats (Seche Vite, Poshe, OPI, Barelle)
Leaves nails feeling waxy/sticky, not smooth and glossy like other top coats
Nails are not well protected (this top coat is easily scratched even after dried/prone to chipping)
Sometimes I get tiny bubbles when I use this (even if used as a refresher)

Bottom Line: If you just want your polish to dry fast, and are looking for something cheap then this is for you. But, don't expect your polish to look as glossy or last as long as if you had used some of the other popular top coats.

I would not repurchase this. Although it might be good for someone who hasn't used any other quick dry top coats or just getting into nail polish.

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breakfastattiffanys11 on 11/11/2011 11:41:00 AM more reviews by breakfastattiffanys11

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Medium   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I was using Seche Vite for my quick- dry topcoat, but I was getting frustrated that about half way through the bottle the product would thicken to the point of being unusable. It was really annoying spending ten dollars on a topcoat, just to throw it out when I had only used half.

This is actually better than Seche Vite and most other quick-dry topcoats. This leaves my nails with more of a glossy, high-shine finish than Seche Vite and it doesn't give me those pesky little bubbles in my polish that often happens with other quick-dry products.

While this does dry quickly, I do not think it actually dries in one minute, more like 5-10 minutes. Usually my nails take 20-25 minutes to completely dry without a quick-dry, so this is definitely worth it for the price. I'm also on my second or third bottle now.

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*TOP REVIEWER* felgoj on 11/11/2011 11:18:00 AM more reviews by felgoj

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I'm in love w/this polish line by NYC. The packaging is fantastic - wide flat brush that applies smoothly & broadly but not too big for little nails, no cuticle flooding - & for only $2 - it's insane.


Since this polish line is quick-dry, I love the clear polish (named Grand Central Station) as a fast-dry top coat over any other nailpolish color. I can't overemphasize how great the brush is! Makes the final step of my manicure a happy breeze.


Definitely going to buy backups. (Chipping isn't an issue for me, since I've learned from experience that chipping depends on what basecoat I use, not on the brand of nailpolish or topcoat.)


EDIT 3/28/12 -
Dropped down my rating to 4 lippies because the product thickens in the bottle too quickly & also alters the shade of some of my nailpolish colors due to it having a slightly blue/purple tint to it, so I can't use it w/all polishes.

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*TOP REVIEWER* felgoj on 11/11/2011 11:15:00 AM more reviews by felgoj

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I'm in love w/this polish line by NYC. The packaging is fantastic - wide flat brush that applies smoothly & broadly but not too big for little nails, no cuticle flooding - & for only $2 - it's insane.


Since this polish line is quick-dry, I love the clear polish (named Grand Central Station) as a fast-dry top coat over any other nailpolish color. I can't overemphasize how great the brush is! Makes the final step of my manicure a happy breeze.


Definitely going to buy backups. (Chipping isn't an issue for me, since I've learned from experience that chipping depends on what basecoat I use, not on the brand of nailpolish or topcoat.)


EDIT 3/28/12 -
Dropped down my rating to 4 lippies because the product thickens in the bottle too quickly & also alters the shade of some of my nailpolish colors due to it having a slightly blue/purple tint to it, so I can't use it w/all polishes.

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xokell2 on 6/7/2011 10:19:00 AM more reviews by xokell2

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

I am seriously on my fifth bottle of this product. My absolute fav quick dry topcoat. Only thing is I change my manicure every one to 2 days so I can't comment on it's lasting power. For under 2 bucks, it can't be beat. I literally apply it over 3 coats of color and just crawl into bed and go to sleep, I wake up and my nails look awesome

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