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Coating Application · Matte Top Coat

Matte Top Coat in Russian Manicure: Why the Cuticle Zone Needs a Separate Fine Brush Pass

By Yuliia Vel, VEL Academy · Russian Manicure Professional Education

In VEL Academy Russian manicure, matte top coat is applied with the same scheme as glossy top coat — a thin layer with a squeezed brush, a drop at the lunula zone, a 5-second hand flip and 60 seconds in the lamp — with one addition: the cuticle zone is painted separately with a fine brush. A glossy strip at the cuticle on a matte nail is not a property of the product; it is a sign that the top coat was not applied right up to the edge of the coating.

VEL Academy methodology: if the color reaches the cuticle, the top coat can reach it too — without touching the cuticle itself. The fine brush pass is how matte top coat covers the cuticle zone completely.

On a glossy nail, a narrow strip without top coat at the cuticle is hard to see. On a matte nail, it shows immediately as a shiny line against the matte surface. That is why matte top coat in VEL Academy technique gets one extra step — a fine brush pass at the cuticle zone — and why a glossy strip is treated as an application error, not something to accept.

The Glossy Strip at the Cuticle: A Sign of Incomplete Application

Where the Strip Comes From

The color coating goes right up to the cuticle. If the top coat stops short of that edge, a narrow strip of coating is left without matte top coat, and after curing it looks glossy against the matte surface of the rest of the nail. The cause is not the product — it is that the top coat did not reach the edge of the coating.

How to Reach the Edge Without Touching the Cuticle

The top coat is applied to the coating near the cuticle, without touching the cuticle itself. To do this, the cuticle is gently moved back so the edge of the coating is open, and the cuticle zone is painted with a fine brush. This way the top coat covers the coating completely and does not go onto the skin.

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The VEL Academy Matte Top Coat Sequence

Matte top coat follows the same scheme as glossy top coat, described in top coat application: the hand flip and 5-second wait, with an extra fine brush pass at the cuticle zone:

Step 1 — Thin Layer with a Squeezed Brush

Apply a thin layer of matte top coat over the whole nail with a squeezed brush, pushing it toward the cuticle. Coat 2–4 nails this way at once.

Step 2 — A Drop at the Lunula Zone

Place a drop of matte top coat in the lunula zone and spread it over the whole nail with the brush held parallel to the nail. Repeat on the remaining nails.

Step 3 — Fine Brush at the Cuticle Zone

With a fine brush, paint the cuticle zone so that the matte top coat reaches the edge of the coating — without touching the cuticle.

Step 4 — Flip the Hand for 5 Seconds

Turn the hand over so the nails face down and hold for 5 seconds.

Step 5 — Flip Back and Cure for 60 Seconds

Turn the hand back over and cure in the lamp for 60 seconds.

Matte vs Glossy Top Coat: What Changes

  • Application scheme — the same: thin layer, drop at the lunula zone, 5-second flip, 60 seconds in the lamp.
  • Fine brush at the cuticle zone — an extra step for matte top coat.
  • Top coats used in VEL Academy courses — One Nail Fix (glossy), IQ Beauty (matte).
IQ Beauty matte top coat used in VEL Academy courses

IQ Beauty matte top coat

The rule: if the coating reaches the cuticle, the top coat must reach it too. A glossy strip on a matte nail means the top coat stopped short of the edge — move the cuticle back and paint the zone with a fine brush, without touching the cuticle.

Frequently Asked Questions About Matte Top Coat Application

On a matte nail, any strip of coating left without top coat shows as a shiny line. A fine brush lets you paint the cuticle zone so the top coat reaches the edge of the coating, without touching the cuticle.
Yes. Matte top coat follows the same scheme as glossy: a thin layer with a squeezed brush, a drop at the lunula zone, the fine brush pass at the cuticle zone, then a 5-second hand flip and 60 seconds in the lamp.
Because the top coat did not reach the edge of the coating at the cuticle. It is a sign of incomplete top coat application, not a property of the product. The cuticle should be moved back and the zone painted with a fine brush, without touching the cuticle.
If the client asked for a matte finish, switching to glossy is not a solution. The fine brush pass is a normal part of matte top coat application and gives the complete matte finish the client expects.
VEL Academy courses use IQ Beauty matte top coat. It is applied with the same scheme as glossy top coat, plus the fine brush pass at the cuticle zone.