Qtica Half Time, You 'Nailed' It

How long does it take you to apply nail polish? It takes me ~2 hours, including a wait time of at least 1 hour to dry (I'm currently using Zoya Armor Top Coat).  I also try to paint them before bedtime to give the polish more drying time.  But even after all that waiting, there is a high chance that my polish will be ruined when it comes in contact with the harsh soaps I use during a regular work day in the lab.  So the time is takes is sometimes hard to justify.  I've seen many of you rave about Seche Vite Top Coat, but the chemical smell is wayyyy to strong for me and I'm also a little bummed that it contains toluene.  Luckily I've discovered drying drops as an alternative!

It all started when ES introduced me to Qtica Half Time Polish Drying Accelerator.  I was sceptical at first but Qtica is "big 3-free" meaning it does not contain toluene, DBP or formaldehyde which I prefer.  I'm happy to report that I have found my holy grail nail product.  I can apply nail polish in peace and will never be without some sort of drying drops.

What is it?
Qtica Half Time Polish Drying Accelerator is the original drying drop formula.  Apply it after your top coat to prevent bubbles, streaks, smudges and dents.  All layers of your polish will be rock hard and dry in 5-10 minutes.

Ingredients: Disioxane, dimethicone, jojoba seed oil, tocopherol.

How to use it?
Apply polish as usual: basecoat, colour, topcoat.  Without needing to wait for topcoat to try, tilt nails downward and drip 1-2 drops starting at base of nail and let it spread naturally over nails.  Do this over a towel/paper to catch drops or it could get messy.  Let stand for 5-7 minutes (I usually wait 10).

Does it work? 
YES!  My nails are completely dry within 10 minutes.  It is absolutely great.  Of course if you deliberately try to ruin it by pressing really hard on the polish it will smudge, but it's dry enough so that you can work with your hands without a problem. And pressing on them with regular pressure won't leave a mark.  I can't comment fairly on how long-lasting the formula since everything chips on me within 2 days because of work.  But I can finally dress up my nails the same day I go out!

As for packaging, the dropper is very effective - it's long enough to reach the last drops in the bottle by tilting it.

I'm wearing Sally Hansen Dark Roses (courtesy of Rasilla, thank you!) to match yesterdays' cold weather in Toronto.  We had a week of warm weather prior to today and then....SNOWSTORM for one day.  This colour definitely feels very winter.

Where to buy?
US: $7.50 for 0.25oz [EDIT: or $22 for 1oz] online on the Qtica website.  Qtica is made by Art of Beauty - the same company that makes Zoya nail polish.

Canada:  Trade Secrets in stores $10.50 for 0.25oz OR $30.5 for 1oz.  That is extremely overpriced, but The 1oz one is currently 50% off at the Markville mall location (Markham).   Please let me know if you've seen this brand elsewhere, perhaps Sally's beauty supply or at Salons? Thanks in advance - my nails will be forever grateful!

It's a must-try if you can get your hands on it.  It's quite amazing. But beware of marked up prices in Canada, I wouldn't pay more than $15 for a bottle considering Qtica's $7.50 online price... [EDIT: I initially thought they sold the 0.25oz for $30]

Pros: Polish completely dries in 10 minutes, "big 3-free," excellent dropper. 

Cons: To date, it is expensive and difficult to find outside the US.

Rebuy? Yes.

I've used up all my Qtica drops so I'm trying OPI Drip Dry next:

Have you tried drying drops? What do you use to minimize drying time?
Babybubblz (Mira)