Professionals generally use a four step process of wash, clay, paint correction, and some sort of wax or sealant as last step protection. Of these steps, the correction step is by far the most important and is usually overlooked by consumer enthusiasts. Consumer products marketed as acrylic polishes, glazes, liquid waxes, etc. are not capable of correcting paint flaws. Rather, they fill scratches and make flaws less noticeable. As you add "layers" you simply mask more of the flaws and come closer to what a properly corrected finish would look like. The absolute best finish would involve a two or three step machine polishing process to remove swirls, scratches, marring, etc. followed by whatever wax or sealant you prefer. Once you properly correct the paint, it looks perfect without any wax or sealant. The last step only adds protection, not shine. Once corrected the paint will stay that way for a long time with proper wash methods. Just top with a long lasting acrylic if you want protection that lasts a few months.
