Why You Should Wear Base Coat
It took me years to learn the importance of base coat in the manicure. I never bothered prepping my nails for color when doing them at home. Not only was wasting time on a manicure that wouldn’t last as long without a base, but I was also doing a disservice to my nails!
Are you skipping the base coat step in your manicure? Or maybe you’re doing it, but not sure why? Read on to discover why you should use base coat every time you paint your nails.
Healthier Looking & Stronger Nails
The keratin in nails lets water pass through them, but this also lets nails absorb some of the pigment from nail polish. This causes them to stain or become yellow. Using a base coat acts as a barrier between your nails and your polish, protecting them from color transfer. If you wear polish non-stop, it’s natural for your nails to yellow slightly. Base coat can help prevent this, too.
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Even your most basic base coat will also help your nails feel stronger, as the extra layer in your manicure offers reinforcement for your nails. Especially if you have any peeling or small cracks, base coat will smooth over them and keep them from getting worse. Many base coats double as a nail treatment, infused with nourishing ingredients that will make your nails healthier over time. My most-used base coat is the Londontown Kur Nail Hardener & Base Coat, which uses botanical ingredients to hydrate the nails and keep them from splitting, cracking and peeling.
Better Looking & Longer Lasting Manicures
You can achieve a smoother looking manicure using a base coat. Many of them help fill in any ridges or irregularities to create a nice foundation so that polish applies evenly. This will prevent streaks, and you can probably get away with one less coat of color.
Even if you already use top coat, a base coat will also help extend your manicure’s life with less chips. The formula sticks to your nail while anchoring your polish onto a flexible surface. Base coat bends more easily with your nail, which helps avoid chips.
Base coat is an essential for great looking manicures and healthy nails. There are several reasons your salon manicures always look better, and base coat is one of them. You don’t have to splurge on a fancy base coat like the one I use— there are ton you can pick up at the drugstore or online for a few bucks that will do the trick. Check out my faves below.
My Favorite Base Coats
Do you use a base coat? Can you tell the difference?
Ok, you convinced me! I need to stop being lazy and use a base coat. I am on the computer all day and my nails definitely take a beating! 🙂
Same! It definitely makes a difference!
Base coats make the nail polish look smoother and it protect the nail from the pigments of the nail polish. Indeed, it makes the nail polish last longer.
So true!! Thanks for reading!
My wife doesn’t use base coat but she uses colorless nail polish on top of her main nail polish.
Send her this article and hopefully she’ll start!
I used to be one of those bad people who never wore base coat. I truly thought it was just another way for nail companies to make more money (I am even shaking my head in disbelief as I write that). Some base coats are really just a clear nail polish and I hate when cheap brands do that, but otherwise most of them are legit. I find the ORLY ones very good.
I always make sure to use a base coat especially when I’m going for a dark polish!
I won’t lie I never use a basecoat! I do have a few though, I suppose I’ll start using them and see how it helps my polish 🙂
I tend to skip base coat cause I just don’t take the time!
I do use base coat religiously. Unless I am swatching… No sense in applying base for polish that is only going to be on for a few minutes! LOL I use China Glaze Strong Adhesion Base Coat. It is the one base coat that works for me. 😀
I’ve heard great things about that base coat – I find it truly makes a difference in my manis!
I always use a base coat. It really helps my polish to last 🙂