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Julep Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
What it is: An innovative top coat that goes on like a polish and performs like a gel. What it does: Be free! Free from smudged nail color. Free to reach into your purse after a manicure. Free from the painful, time-consuming removal process of gels. As seen behind the scenes at New York Fashion Week, this innovative top coat cures smudge-free in five minutes under natural light, leaving a gel-like shine and protecting color with a polymer force-field. The black, opaque bottle keeps this unique light-curing formula safe and pliable. What else you need to know: This Freedom Polymer Top Coat comes off easily with any nail polish remover and contains no formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, or DBP. Research results: An independent, blind, third-party, clinical study found the following: - 100% of all subjects using Freedom Top Coat passed the smudge test at five minutes - None of the subjects using the leading regular top coat passed the smudge test at five minutes - 82% of all subjects using Freedom Top Coat showed only mild wear at five days after application - 82% of all subjects reported they had better overall wear using Freedom Top Coat than the leading regular top coat
Average Rating:
50 reviews
5 stars
22
4 stars
7
3 stars
5
2 stars
9
1 star
7
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reviews for Julep Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
Review 1 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
One Week, No chips
-05.14.13
Quick Take: easy to apply, works better than average topcoat
Put on my pedicure. So far so good.
Wearing sandals everyday, workout 6 times a wee & wore heels too.
TIP: Wait until at least 1 hour after painting nails before applying.
Wearing sandals everyday, workout 6 times a wee & wore heels too.
TIP: Wait until at least 1 hour after painting nails before applying.
0points
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Review 2 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
Ash15
No Thank You
-05.12.13
I didn't have quite the luck people had with fast dry time. I had applied this to my nails a few days after I applied my nail color. It made my once dry nails wet and smudged. I also noticed they chipped within a day. Not for me!
0points
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Review 3 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
Best I've ever used!
-05.09.13
Quick Take: strong, easy, dries quickly, works amazing
I cannot express the love I have for this top coat. Had the opi uv top coat and another opi top coat, was never satisfied. This dries very fast, especially if you place it under direct light. Goes on easily, very shiny, and I've never had a problem with chipping or dents. It also comes off just as easily as any other nail polish with remover.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS!
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Review 4 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
AMAZING PRODUCT!!!
-05.02.13
Quick Take: does what it says, strong, fantastic product
I have natural nails and use the pink brightening formula by Dior ( found on here) as a base. The Dior was fantastic, making my nail beds look really bright with the tips almost white. I was very content with just the polish, but came across the Julep faux gel coat and its description that read "5 mins and you can reach into your purse". Yeah right, I gotta check this out. I had to watch this stuff FAIL like they all do. 5 minutes pass and I gingerly touch my nails, they were smooth, hard and not sticky. They are really, really BEAUTIFUL!! I'm hooked!!!
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Review 5 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
Quick drying, pro-finish top coat
-04.29.13
Quick Take: quick drying, shiny, long lasting, smooth application
I got this product in my Maven box when it first came, so I've had a while to gather an overall opinion on it.
It applies like butter, a nice thick coat, that evens out nail stokes and dries to a glassy, ultra-shiny finish.
It dries quickly under natural light, OR even more quickly under a LED light (5 mins), however I wouldn't suggest heading into a hot shower directly after. As with any nail polish, it will smudge and move around in the heat of the shower!
Removal was a breeze, same amount of time with any other normal top coat.
I find this top coat makes my nails last about 4-5 days without any major chipping, just some minor tip wear which happens with any other polish. I practice classical piano everyday for about 2 hours and use my fingers ALOT. Considering the amount of contact my nails have with the keys, this polish is a durable top coat. I like to change my color on the weekends, anyways!
It seems like a pretty pricey product, but I am willing to pay extra for a healthier nail polish that performs well. If it doesn't end up working for you, Sephora still has a great return policy!
Don't be afraid to try this out, because chances are you'll be impressed by your new nails!
It dries quickly under natural light, OR even more quickly under a LED light (5 mins), however I wouldn't suggest heading into a hot shower directly after. As with any nail polish, it will smudge and move around in the heat of the shower!
Removal was a breeze, same amount of time with any other normal top coat.
I find this top coat makes my nails last about 4-5 days without any major chipping, just some minor tip wear which happens with any other polish. I practice classical piano everyday for about 2 hours and use my fingers ALOT. Considering the amount of contact my nails have with the keys, this polish is a durable top coat. I like to change my color on the weekends, anyways!
It seems like a pretty pricey product, but I am willing to pay extra for a healthier nail polish that performs well. If it doesn't end up working for you, Sephora still has a great return policy!
Don't be afraid to try this out, because chances are you'll be impressed by your new nails!
+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
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Review 6 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
Excellent gel substitute!
-04.29.13
Quick Take: excellent!
I tried this and the manicure lasted 3 days! I probably would have lasted longer had I reapplied the topcoat as directed, every 3 days!
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Review 7 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
Good, but not great
-04.29.13
Quick Take: shiny, fast-drying, not durable
I found that it did indeed dry quickly, and I did not get any horizontal cracks like with other polishes and topcoats. That said, the tips wore down by the next day, and it started chipping at corners within 48 hours. I'll admit, I use my fingers quite a bit (I type a lot (not with my nails, obviously, that'd be weird))
It's the best topcoat I've come across so far, but it still leaves plenty to be desired. Maybe I'm expecting too much? It'd be nice, though, to have nail polish look nice for more than a day or two. Maybe it's just my nails?
TL;DR - Dries quickly, looks nice, but doesn't protect from chipping much better than other top coats.
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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Review 8 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
Awesome!
-04.26.13
Quick Take: fantastic.
This top coat made my home manicure look nearly professional. After about 5 - 10 minutes, I didn't have to worry about smudges on my nails. I would buy this again in a heartbeat.
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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Review 9 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
Love it!
-04.22.13
First of all, I have to say that I am very picky with my nail polish and top coats and this is by far the best I've ever tried. I applied a drug store brand base coat, a THICK coat of Julep nail polish, and then this top coat (Obviously after the nail polish has dried). This top coat gives my nails a nice shiny finish and also dried in 5 minutes. I touched it after 5 minutes and it was good but I waited another 2 for good measure.
I type a lot (as my job is a receptionist) and I also play piano. My nail polish is still good and shiny and didn't chip. I even tested it my scratching it with my nail and it still looks the same. I definitely recommend this to anyone who's looking for an amazing top coat.
0points
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Review 10 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
Best Top Coat Ever
-04.21.13
This top coat makes my polish last the longest. I didn't have a shrinkage issue. Also makes my nails nice and shiny. Comes off easily with regular nail polish remover.
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Review 11 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
No more waffle nails...dries quickly
-04.20.13
Quick Take: fabulous
I absolutely love this product. It goes over the julep color and dries very quickly. You have to give it the 5 min. It is great for quick color changes and I find myself wearing more colors on my nails b/c of how fast it dries.
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Review 12 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
Best home manicure!!
-04.19.13
Quick Take: fast-drying, long-lasting, shiny
I've never had regular polish last so long! Used over a Julep polish, I went 5 days with no chipping whatsoever, but it was still easily removable with my regular polish remover. And it really does dry nails lightning fast. I had a hard time believing they were actually dry already, but they really were. 10 minutes post mani, I can reach into my purse with no smudges. This product is so worth it.
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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Review 13 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
The ONLY product I've ever returned!
-04.19.13
Yes, it goes on thick and shiny and dries fast, but polish chipped much more quickly than normal. I tried it with a few different brands, with and without light bulb curing, to give it a fair shot but it was uniformly worthless. At almost $20, it had to go back. Great idea, but doesn't perform.
+1point
2out of 3found this review helpful.
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Review 14 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
Perfect for girl on the go!
-04.18.13
Quick Take: quick, shiny, saves time, effective, awesome
I was hesitant about buying this product due the persuasiveness of the negative reviews. However, I had 15% of as a VIB so I figured, why not? I am SO glad I bought this top coat. I applied 1 base coat, 1 rather thick coat of a Julep color, waited until dry (~5 min) and then applied the Freedom coat. 3 minutes for good measure by my light, and BAM, nails are dried and hardened to the touch. Went to bed right away and NO issues.
I type all day and haven't had any issues with chipping or peeling. As long as you prep the nail bed, seal the nail edges, and not get too close to your cuticle, I don't know how this product could NOT work.
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 15 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
Ehhhh
-04.14.13
Using this as top coat alone, you polish will chip. I put on another top coat and THEN applied the Julep. My polish lasted 5 days with no chipping. The julep DID however give it that glossed gel finished look. That's why I gave it an extra star.
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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Review 16 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
Review 17 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
Gel Look Indeed, Poor Results
-04.12.13
Figured I try a new brand... Per subject, beautiful shine. Unfortunately, product doesn't hold up and not only chipping, but peeling of the topcoat and color underneath. (Sign). Took it right back to Sephora....
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Review 18 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
Disappointing
-04.11.13
My nails (regardless of the brand, base, or top coat that I use) always chip by the second day. This product was no exception unfortunately. It dries fast and looks really nice but has nowhere near the wear-time they advertise.
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Review 19 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
So glad I tried this in store instead of buying
-04.11.13
I have been super interested in getting this topcoat. So, I was in the store over the weekend and put it on my thumb nail to see how it performed before I bought it during Chic Week.
I used it over an OPI color, and it the thumb nail I put it on is the ONLY nail so far that has chipped. Super disappointing. I will not be buying this.
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+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 20 for Freedom™ Polymer Top Coat
Not Worth it.
-04.11.13
This will make your nails shiny. it does dry fast. And those would be the two stars I'm giving. Potentially if you stuck to one color or did simple french manicures, you might like this. Especially if you don't do anything with your hands, ever. If you do nail art, it can smudge the design, it seems to seep into it and blur it as well. It chips quickly. I put some on yesterday only to have an entire nail fill of polish pop off today at lunch. I will not be purchasing this again. Too bad, it had a great thought!
+1point
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