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Somewhere I read/got the idea that, after you basecoat your mdel, applying a varnish before shading helps the shade flow into the recesses better and tends to get overall better results.
Before I try it and have to strip a model, I'd rather ask if anyone her has tried this and/or has some experience wih this technique?
All I have (and currently can get) is GW's Purity Seal, which is a matt varnish. Somehow there doesn't seem to be a gloss spray can for either GW or Army painter for whatever reasons, so I have a hard time getting a gloss spray at all (unless I feel experimental and get some base acrylic varnish not made for modeling... but I'm inherently distrustful to these things).
So, matt, gloss, nothing?

Well if you cant find a gloss varnish you could try to find a product that is similar to Pledge with Future floor care. It is a acrylic floor finish that would do what you are trying to do and it is pretty tough finish to boot.

You could use a gloss lacquer spray can from an automotive repair/accessories store.
In the UK there is a pretty well established chain of Halfords stores for this, but anywhere that does car paints should do them. Just always do a test piece before your carefully painted models with any new products you try

If you really cant get a spray can, a brush on gloss clear would suffice, GW do 'Ard Coat' , but if theres an arts and crafts store around, an acrylic glossy varnish would do about the same

The reason that its good is so that the wash will flow into recesses without pooling easier.
Its getting popular to try artists oil paint thinned with mineral spirits as the wash after the varnish step, and then to clean up wash on unwanted areas with a cotton bud (q-tip) soaked in mineral spirits.
Then matt / satin varnish to tastes afterwards.

"Better overall results" is a bit too subjective to support outright, but yes, varnishing before applying a wash will affect the results. Glossing the model will help restrict the wash to the recesses - great for starker blacklining and applying pin washes to rivets and panel lines. Sometimes, though, you want a more gentle shading effect, in which case it will work against you. Play around with it on some scrap sprue (the nubbly bits and curves) or a test model, learn how it affects the flow and pooling, then use it where appropriate. Another tool in the chest.

I do my "basecoat" (base + wash + highlight) then gloss varnish before I apply pin washes. Matte coat after than and then I apply weathering.

It does not "help" it flow into he recesses, but what the varnish does do is help reduce the amount the wash will stain/color the areas not in recesses, thus making more of the wash flow in to the lower areas.

Again, this is quite subjective, as said by some of the others above.

I would say do one model, and see how you like it.