A matte top coat lets you put an unexpected twist on the look of your nail polish and it’s an effect that can be leveraged for all sorts of interesting nail art designs. Matte top coats are also the key to successfully using watercolor nail polish.
Mattifying your nails great for a change of pace, to highlight nail art, or if you’re looking for a slightly more downplayed look. I find that matte looks particularly good over black, red, bright yellow, soft pinks, and nudes.
For matte tips and tricks, see the bottom of the article but let’s get down to the best matte top coats around today.
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1. LeChat Dare to Wear Matte Top Coat
Pros:- Soft touchable look
- Trusted brand
- Long-lasting
- Easy to open bottle
Cons:- Costs more than others
- With lighten the color of polish
- Cloudy formula
For a soft, suede matte try out this top coat by LeChat. This is a brand that I’ve featured several times in my gel nail polish articles, but they also have some great products in their regular nail polish line.
This isn’t a drastic chalkboard look, but more of a velvet. As you can tell by the near opaqueness of the top coat, this is one that will lighten the color of your polish a shade once it’s dry.
Find more LeChat Dare to Wear Matte Top Coat information and reviews here.
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2. Cirque Colors Matte Look Top Coat
Pros:- Soft velvet look
- Made in America
- Long-lasting for a matte
- Cruelty-free
- Doesn’t contain DBP, formaldehyde, or toluene
Cons:- The tiniest bit shinier than some mattes
- Best if applied to very dry polish
- Bottle smaller than average
This matte finish by Cirque goes on clear but still creates a velvet finish. I find this one to have a very soft looking effect that’s chic and upscale.
For matte, it has a long life to it. You can get a couple of days out of this without chipping and if you’ve worked with matte before, you know that is no small feat.
I like that as an indie brand so you’re supporting an American small business and all of Cirque’s lacquers are made in New York. Matte Look Top Coat is vegan and free of four of the more toxic ingredients normally found in nail polish.
Find more Cirque Colors Matte Look Top Coat information and reviews here.
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3. OPI Matte Finsh Top Coat
Pros:- Soft, brushed metal finish
- Dries quickly
- Great brush
- Trusted brand
Cons:- Best over a layer of top coat
- Formula is thin for some
- Will smear nail stamping
This top coat from OPI will mattify anything you can throw at it. It’s a thin, slightly cloudy formula that’s easy to spread and won’t flood your cuticles. If you prefer thicker formulas, this may seem a little watery to you.
You get that wide, full OPI application brush making it easy to get full coverage fast and with fewer passes so you can avoid brushstrokes. It’s not a quick dry top coat but it does dry fairly quickly.
I will say that this top coat does have a tendency to transfer the nail color onto your top coat brush so if you’re having this issue, you’ll want to do a layer of quick dry top coat before adding the matte.
Find more OPI Matte Finish Top Coat information and reviews here.
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4. China Glaze Matte Magic Top Coat
Pros:- Slate or satin finish
- Not streaky
- DBP and toluene free
Cons:- Discontinued
- Smaller bottle
- Cloudier than others which can be good or bad
This was one of the favorites for a long time because of its ability to create a slate, chalked-out look. Unfortunately, it’s been discontinued–but you can still get your hands on it for the time being.
The supply is finite so this isn’t something you can rely on being able to try in a few years. The formula is a little thicker but goes on nicely. It dries quickly and keeps your lacquer true to the color it normally is instead of a slightly lighter color which tends to happen with most mattes.
The only issue here is you run the risk of really falling in love with this top coat and possibly not being able to find it in the future. Just be aware that Matte Magic comes in a slightly smaller bottle than your average nail polish.
Find more Matte Magic Top Coat by China Glaze information and reviews here.
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5. ManGlaze MatteAstrophe
Pros:- Extremely matte
- Made in America
- Cruelty-free
- Three free
- Unique bottle art
Cons:- Not predictable in whether it will crackle or not
- Not for nail stamping
- Not everyone is into the branding
Another indie brand, ManGlaze is targeted toward men and anyone else into something more offbeat. The bottles look like street art instead of the usual, more feminine nail polish labels. Their matte toper, called MatteAstrophe, has one of the mattest finishes on the list.
It’s a flat, chalkboard look without a speck of shine to it. This is a matte effect for when you want to stand out.
That said, it’s a little bit of wild card because the formula reacts differently with each polish brand and even different levels of dryness. Sometimes you get an impeccably smooth matte finish and sometimes you can get a matte crackle effect. It’s not entirely predictable but it is fun and looks great however it dries.
Find more MatteAstrophe by ManGlaze information and reviews here.
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6. Morgan & Taylor Mattes a Wrap
Pros:- Touchable suede look
- Trusted brand
- Great formula
Cons:- May pick up nail color on the brush
- Not for nail stamping
- Bottle can be hard to open
Mattes a Wrap both has a clever name and a great mattifying formula. The finish on this one is a soft, suede or velvet look. It looks super touchable and elevates any color you apply it to.
The consistency of the formula is great though it does tend to transfer so you’ll likely want to put a quick dry top coat over nail art before applying this. It dries quickly and has a decent lasting time for a matte.
Find more Mattes a Wrap by Morgan & Taylor information and reviews here.
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7. JINsoon Matte Maker Top Coat
Pros:- Frosted glass effect
- Cruelty-free
- Five free
- Made in America
- Great formula
Cons:- Not as matte as others
- Luxury price tag
- Bottle smaller than average
For a runway inspired look, this JINsoon Matte Maker creates a dull satin sheen. Not as matte as some of the others, the Matte Maker has more of a frosted glass look to it so it keeps some shine while still being mostly matte.
The formula is a perfect medium of thick and thin and so easy to work with. Five free and made in America, this lacquer is a good choice for those looking for a low toxin nail polish.
Find more JINsoon Matte Maker Top Coat information and reviews here.
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8. Orly Matte Effect Top Coat
Pros:- Flat, satin finish
- Dries quickly
- Affordable
Cons:- Chips faster than others
- Not as matte as others
- Can pick up color when applied
Orly is an example of a brand that originally got into the matte game when the trend came on the scene, but their product wasn’t that great. It was streaky and not all that matte.
Now, years later, their new formula has really stepped it up. Their most recent matte topper creates a very smooth, streak-free matte finish. It’s not all the way to chalkboard matte, but it gets pretty close.
Plus, it dries quickly, which I always appreciate. This top coat isn’t as durable as some others but it’s a great deal for the price.
Find more Orly Matte Effect Top Coat information and reviews here.
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9. Little Ondine Quick Dry Matte Top Coat
Pros:- Non-toxic
- No chemical smell
- Quick-drying
- Great applicator brush
Cons:- Not as dramatically matte as some
- Not as long-lasting as some
- Odd bottle shape
If you want to go the non-toxic route, check out the indie brand Little Undine. Their quick-drying matte top coat is practically odorless and made with natural resins.
It delivers a soft matte that might not be as stark or durable as some chemical ones, but it’s certainly matte and it is safer for your body.
Find more Little Ondine Quick Dry Matte Top Coat information and reviews here.
Matte tips and tricks.
Generally, you can apply your matte coat directly on top of your dry nail color. However, if you're having trouble with transfer (polish being picked up on the brush) you can avoid all of this by applying a quick-dry top coat before adding your matte. My go-to is still Seche Vite.
If you're playing with nail art or nail stamping, most matte polishes can smear your artwork so you'll definitely want to apply a quick dry top coat first to protect your nail art from streaking.
Sometimes when matte formulas are really old, the dissolved silica can clump together and you end up with white flakes on your nails when it's dry. So if you're getting white specks, it's time to toss that bottle.
Because matte dries unevenly to form its dimpled surface, it can feel dry before it really is. When your matte manicure feels dry, give it another five minutes just to be safe.
Not all matte top coats are made equally so if you've tried one that ended up looking streaky or not matte at all, then you need to pick up a new brand. Also, since the trend has been out for almost 10 years now, companies have had time to perfect their formula so you may have tried a few brands years ago that were atrocious but they've since gotten it right.