Here’s something a lot of people don’t know about me: I hardly ever get my nails done. Long ago, I perfected the art of an at-home manicure that gives me long-lasting, salon-quality results for less than a quarter of the price of an in-salon manicure. The secret sauce that many people doing their nails at home skip? A good base coat.
“Base coat acts as the foundation for a long-lasting polish application,” says Queenie Nguyen, celebrity manicurist. She explains that base coats help prevent nail polish from staining your nails, and many also help create an ideal surface to help nail polish adhere to.
Not only does it create the perfect foundation for nail polish, but a quality base coat also helps extend a nail polish‘s wear time. “Base coat is important to adhesion and to even out tone, brighten, and perfect the nail plate,” says Deborah Lippmann, celebrity manicurist and founder of Deborah Lippmann. “It will also dramatically improve the longevity of your manicure.”
When shopping for a base coat, be sure to look for products that will improve the longevity of your manicure and help strengthen and nourish your nails. Ingredients like calcium, keratin, vitamin E, and avocado oil can make your nails more resilient and healthier. Below, see some of my favorite base coats to extend the life of your next at-home manicure.
This is Lippmann’s tried-and-true favorite base coat. “It contains diamond powder, which helps strengthen and protect,” she says. “I find it especially beneficial for weak nails or post-gel and artificial nail removal.”
This is the base coat the Nguyen keeps reaching for. “It is my current favorite base coat because it is 83% naturally derived but also infused with bio-ceramics technology,” she says. “This technology specifically hardens and strengthens nails over time. I think this base coat is especially great to use post–gel removal for gel polish wearers that are thinking of taking a break. It also creates a smooth foundation for polish application and dries quickly.”
Orly’s Bonder is like “double-sided sticky tape” for your nail polish. If you have trouble with nail polish chipping or peeling, this rubberized base coat is your solution.
“If you have dry nails and ridges, you’ll want All About That Base to moisturize, conceal imperfections, prime, and fill ridges for a smooth flawless-finish base,” shares Lippmann.
This beloved base coat prevents yellowing and makes your nail polish last. It’s easy to apply and preps nails perfectly.
If you have yellowed or stained nails, Lippmann recommends reaching for this base coat infused with violet pigments, which help neutralize and brighten nails.
My toxic trait is that, if I do end up getting a gel manicure, I always try to take it off at home to paint my nails myself after a few weeks. The last time I did this, I severely damaged my nails, and this strengthening base coat infused with biotin, vitamin B, calcium, and horsetail extract helped save them.
Infused with argan oil, this nourishing base coat helps strengthen and prime nails.
For a smooth start, this base coat completely evens out the nail’s surface, filling in lines. It’s long wearing and prevents discoloration.
If we’re going to talk about base coats, I’d be remiss not to include this cult favorite. It dries quickly, sticks to color, and prevents staining.
This base coat acts as a primer to your nails. In fact, it’s almost as close as you can get to a gel manicure with normal nail polish.
What makes this Olive and June Nail Primer great is that it doesn’t act like a normal base coat—it almost goes on more like a quick-drying oil. It extends manicure time and smooths out nails.
Cirque’s base coat practically bonds to nail polish, extending wear time.
