Last year I read a review about the Essie matte finisher and thought that it sounded quite good, but as I love my nails to have a glossy finish I wasn't really sure if I'd use it much so didn't want to pay £11.00 for it.

I came across ELF's matte top coat a few months after reading the review while browsing the ELF website and decided to try it as at £1.50 for a 10ml bottle it seemed like a bargain - plus I knew that if I didn't like it I wouldn't have wasted much money!

Like all ELF products the nail varnish is cruelty free (hasn't been tested on animals) and it's free of any harmful ingredients. It is infused with vitamin E which for the price I was impressed by! The varnish is packaged in a sturdy plastic bottle which is quite small. It's the same 'square' kind of shape as the other ELF nail varnishes with a black lid and black writing on the front simply saying the brand and product name.

The bottle is transparent meaning that the clear varnish is visible. The lid has a very short wand attatched to it and the brush is attatched to the end. The brush is a good size and the bristles are soft and well compacted with no stray bristles which ensures neat and precise application. I find that the lid is a little bulky due to the square shape and it is hard to grip properly which makes application a little more awkward but this isn't a massive issue.

The brush does pick up quite a lot of product so it's important to wipe off any excess before applying each coat else it is quite messy. The varnish itself has the usual nail varnish smell which soon fades and it's a good consistency - very slightly runny but not so much so that it doesn't stay put. I apply this over the top of freshly applied nail varnish (once it has dried obviously) and it transforms them from glossy to matte within a matter of minutes.

I love using this with a range of different colours and whether I use it on a pink or black varnish the effects are the same. The varnish doesn't take very long to dry - 2-3 minutes and there's no hint of shine at all once it's dried. It doesn't feel heavy or anything on my nails and the finish is completely smooth. I am always impressed with the results, however the results aren't very long lasting and after two days (on average) the shine starts to come through so it needs re-applying. It doesn't chip easily and I usually remove it after around five days. Removing it doesn't take too long.

Overall, recommended.