Jin Soon Choi is a legend in the land of beauty. Her 5-free, vegan-nail-polish collection is as eye-catching on the runway as it is in real life. But, the fame of her lacquers stems from more than just their prettiness. Manicures from Jin Soon have a well-deserved reputation for lasting forever — or at least until your next appointment. The secret: It has a lot to do with her Top Gloss, a quick-dry topcoat.
So, what makes this product so fabulous? Though it dries quickly, Choi says that's just one piece of the puzzle. "A lot of quick-dry topcoats are created with only that function in mind, at the expense of other qualities like durability and sheen," she says. Not so with this one, which stays glossy and chip-free for days. Choi is also careful to make sure the formula is neither too thick nor too watery, lending itself to the smoothest application possible.
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Choi developed the topcoat after a lot of experimentation — on both her lab technicians and her clients. "I ask for my clients' feedback on everything I produce," she says.
The final product is a combination of what her clients wanted and what her technicians recommended. "My technicians preferred a topcoat that doesn't get thick easily, since they use it repeatedly throughout the day, and my clients generally preferred one that dries quickly, since they don't have the time to wait."
The formula was tweaked until the perfect balance between those preferences was reached. "My husband calls me a lab rat because I spend so much of my time with the chemists," Choi says. "But, isn't an excellent formula what a durable nail lacquer is all about?"
Jin Soon Top Gloss, $18, available at Sephora.
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