It’s a rare event when a product disappoints me enough to warrant a review.  Typically, you’ll find mostly positive reviews on this blog, as I generally only get inspired to write about things that excite me.  Every so often I’ll come across a ‘meh’ product, but they tend to not get discussed, because how boring would it be to read about something that is just ‘OK’.  Unless it’s a well-known product that failed to WOW me, I won’t bother to bring it up.

However.  There are times when you run into an item that really just pisses you off, plain and simple.  Incidentally, it’s not always the product itself that fails, but some mechanism involved in using the product, or a side effect, or something of the like.  I’ve fortunately not come across too many ‘defects’ we’ll say, but there is ONE particular item in my stash that gives me grief every time I use it.  Let me present to you Orly’s In A Snap quick-drying top coat.

Since I tend to do things fast and I like to multi-task, quick-drying top coats are a must for me.  There are drawbacks of course – such as polish chipping quicker – but as I change my polish probably every few days, it’s never really a problem (except for the major shrinkage of Seche Vite – just could NOT deal with that).  I’ve been trying a new version every time I finish a bottle; so far I’ve tried Seche, Revlon’s Quick Dry, and now Orly’s.

Let’s discuss the product itself before I get to the heart of the matter. The brush is typical of other Orly brushes – which is to say that it long, flexible but with some firmness, and of a medium density.  Using it is fairly easy and only requires a few strokes, and the rubber cap makes it comfortable to wield.

In A Snap doesn’t dry in a snap by any means – it’s not like Seche (though to be honest, what else does dry that fast?) – but it seems comparable to Revlon’s version, which means it dries fairly quickly but still requires caution for about 5 minutes.  At that point, it’s dry to the touch, but nicks and dings could still happen if you go off galavanting around without care (<– I have never written the word galavanting before…me likey!).  Overall, it works well but not off the charts if you’re looking for something to dry and set in minutes.  For me this isn’t a big problem, as I don’t tend to do much galavanting anyway.  =)

Alas, despite it’s fair marks so far, there is one big drawback my friends, and it is this: THE FREAKIN’ PRODUCT GETS CRUMBLY AROUND THE EDGES AND GETS ON THE BRUSH WHICH THEN GETS ON YOUR MANI. 

WTF.

Let me explain.  When you wipe off a bit of excess product, as you do, along the sides of the bottle, a little accumulates on the rim, as is typical with a lot of polishes.  Generally I do a bit of a clean up every so often so this doesn’t become problematic.  However, with this product, it gets bits around the mouth of the bottle so consistently, and they’re so tiny, and they get in the cap itself, that you’re pretty much screwed.  So there you are, about to perfect your mani with a nice glossy topcoat, and then BAM!  These flaky bits are on your brush, and you can’t get them off unless you wipe them with a remover-soaked wipe, and then you try again only for it to happen to you the NEXT TIME.  I can’t tell you how many nails I’ve ruined from this happening, so that little bits get stuck in my mani.  THE AGONY.  There’s nothing better than a flawless manicure…and there’s nothing worse that having it get fucked up despite all your careful and precise polishing.

I have never had a top coat do this before to this extent.  I dread using this product now, and have actually skipped doing a top coat altogether just for that reason.  I’m sure you’re thinking ‘Why the heck don’t you buy a new top coat then?‘ to which I would reply ‘Huzzah!!!  I HAVE.’  ….I just have yet to receive it   The even sadder (grammar!?) part is that this bottle of Orly top coat is not even quite half finished – I hate wasting things!!  And it’s not gone thick or goopy yet, so there’s really not a true need to toss it – but I may just have to.  I really, REALLY can’t stand all those little bits flying around everywhere :S

Just threw this photo in there since I was currently doing this mani with the Orly top coat (and also because my previous photos of Zoya Anja were TERRIBLE).  With MUCH careful application, I managed to get it finished goober-free

And so it goes with Orly’s In A Snap top coat.  Anyone else try this product and experience something similar, or is it just me and my wipe-y ways?  If you haven’t tried it, may I suggest NOT and save yourself a lot of grief (and a lot of mani touch-ups)?  There are so many other options, don’t waste your time on this failed one!

What is your favorite top coat?  What is your ultimate pet peeve when it comes to cosmetics?