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Anonymous Insider

Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

What are some of your favorite base coats and tops coats?

 

I generally like a strengthening base coat just to keep my nails strong and healthy.  I recently finished off a Sephora by OPI one.  Currently, I've been using Bridge the Ridge from Sally's Beauty Supply.  I helps to fill in minor dents and ridges that can come up from time to time due to a rough glitter removal.  At least that's what I use it for lol.  It dries really fast and to a matte finish. 

 

I have a variety of topcoats.  I use to use Seche Vite, but it can sometimes shrink polish and cause it to come off in whole pieces.  Right now, I've been been using the Out The Door topcoat.  I really like it!  I also love my NYC Matte Me Crazy topcoat.  It dries fast,and it's super durable!  I was very surprised about that.  I use my Cina Top Coat and bonder when I use nail art pieces, glitter or rhinestones.

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

Thanks for sharing this information.

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

I took the plunge for the Nails Inc Nailkale base coat and the 45 second top caviar top coat and could not be happier. The top coat doesn't cause shrinkage like sometimes the Seche Vite does and I am in love with the brush style that comes in both polishes. It's a wider brush, but the curved tip makes it easy to work with on my nail beds and there's no crazy streaking as the brush is dragged over my nail.

 

Here's a pic from a blogger showing the brush style:

 

The base coat actually dries to almost a satin matte finish, it's not super glossy but not 100% flat either. It holds up really well as a conditioning treatment even without color or a top coat over it, when I wear it alone I do about 2 coats minimum.

 

After the last time my nail broke (in February) I decided to take a break from at-home gel manicures and that's when I decided to invest in the Nails Inc base and top coat, I figured that if I opted for quality I would be more inclined to use my regular polishes and with the quick dry top coat I would get less frustrated/impatient with using normal polish. Since then I have yet to break a nail (knock on wood), my nails are long and feeling strong!

 

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

I'm a polish hound and I think I've tried them all at this point. I still use Seche on occasion (it's my 2nd fave) but I know it doesn't play well with certain polishes and will shrink them, so typically I use Glisten & Glow HK Girl Top Coat (you can buy it online at a number of places). It's similar in price to Seche and it works like Seche (fast drying, super shiny) but it doesn't shrink polish. You can also add another coat a few days later to restore shine and prolong your mani without issue, whereas Seche prefers a slightly wet base to stick to. Recently I did a head-to-head test between Seche, Poshe and Glisten & Glow (all fresh, brand new bottles) and Glisten & Glow was the clear winner as far as shine, lack of shrinkage and being chip-resistant. It's become my go-to over the past two years and I've gone through several bottles. 

 

For base coat, I like CND Stickey. I have a jumbo bottle of it and I use it for everything - even for my high end polishes like Chanel, Dior, YSL etc. It works great.

Anonymous Insider

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

so one of my gal's friends told me a general rule is use a base coat, two coats of polish and a top coat.

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

That's generally the norm for your typical mani/pedi application. Certain colours and nailpolish styles sometimes need more or less coats.

Anonymous Insider

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

How many base coats/top coats do you generally need?  I'm learning how to do pedicures on my gal's friends and I notice each has a different preference.

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

Does anybody have experience with the Nails Inc. Nailkale base coat? I'm thinking of buying it during this sale. 

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

I haven't purchased it, but I tried it in-store and have been wearing it for several days now. I LOVE IT! It looks gorgeous on its own, but polish also applies nicely to it. It keeps a very nice sheen when wearing alone. I feel like it's strengthening my nails as well.

 

They also have a mini version out:

 

http://www.sephora.com/nails-inc-baby-kale-collection-P396400?skuId=1702976&om_mmc=ppc-GG&mkwid=jAjt...

 

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

I bought this 'baby kale' set, but haven't received it yet- bought online because they didn't have this set in-store. Does anyone know if the brushes that come with these minis are the same as the full-size brush? Does anyone own this 'baby kale' set?

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

I bought this and posted pictures in the other thread for ya. 😉

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

You are THE best!!!!

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

I've been using Gelous gel base - two coats - even though I wear regular, not gel polish. It makes my polish last a lot longer, i.e. I can actually get a week out of a mani!

 

I really like Seche Vite top coat because it dries so quickly and makes my nails so, so shiny. It's a really nice finish. It is not good at all on dry nails though so you really have to put it on while your nails are wet. I'm excited to try out Julep's offerings though, now that I joined Maven. I've been happy with their polishes.

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

@Grahamcrackers  I been hearing good things about gelous I need to get some and try it I just ordered Orly rubberized base coat been hearing good things about it also have you used the Orly rubberized base coat before?

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

Seche Vite base and top coat!!! But sometimes/most of the time I use OPI Nail envy in original as a base coat - since it strengthens your nails and makes then grow!

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

I use Julep Oxygen base and top coats with Julep Oxygen polishes. Honestly, who knows if it actually helps much, but I do know that my nails have become exceedingly healthier since using their products regularly (but that could just be because I have my nails covered and pretty and my anxious little self can't get at them). However, the bottles are so small that I can barely get through 3/4 of a bottle of base coat before it gets too chunky to use anymore. So that is a huge bummer. But the top coat dries fast and is extremely thick and glossy, which I do like.

 

With other polishes, I have been using Formula X base and top coat because getting The System when it came out was a good deal and they work well enough for the price (and dry so fast!). I have notice recently that my top coat has been drying with tiny little bubbles in it which annoys me, and I can't figure out if that is a new occurrence or if I just didn't spend as much time gazing at my manicures in the past.... I really enjoy the nail cleanser which is totally a novelty because it's something like acetone and ethanol in a little polish bottle, but it is fast and convenient when doing a mani.

 

I'm now moving over to Deborah Lippmann (Ridge Filler and Rehydrating base coats and Addicted to Speed top coat). And I loooove the JinSoon Matte Maker matte top coat.

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

To actually answer the topic, I can speak with some serious info given my literal drawer of base and topcoats. From high end to low end, I've tested almost all of them. Literally. I have the new Deborah Lippmann on the way and in my hands on Monday.

 

My $0.02 doesn't include specialized sets (ie DL Gel Lab, BL Gel, etc)

 

In terms of base coats, I have three mainstays that I rotate:

 

1. Butter London Nail Foundation

2. Deborah Lippmann Rehydrating Base Coat

3. Essie Ridge Filling Base Coat

 

Additional shout-out goes to Formula X.

 

In terms of top coats, I have a few tried and trues, but I also like to match topcoats to the brand of polish I'm using.

 

1. Dior Gel Coat

2. Chanel Beaute Des Ongles Laque Brilliance Extreme

3. Butter London Hardware

 

Once again, shout-out goes to Formula X. Not in my top 3, but still good.

 

For the record, I get too much shrinkage despite wrapping my tips with Seche Vite.

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

Just to back up that nail swagger...

 

This is my drawer of just base and top coats. Note: not all are clear (hence the glitter), but I did count 16 different base coats, 23 different clear topcoats (plus one not pictured), and 2 different matte top coats among the bottles. Those are just what I have at the moment- constantly trying new nail products is my thing.

 

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Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

Totally off topic, but I would really like a custom avatar.  I love Kimmi's purple one.  Sephoramusthave's is awesome and makes me think of Elpheba.  Rikkie's makes her look like she has the best hair on the planet (like even KevinBT has nothing on her avatar).  The lashes on Makeupobesessed's are the best ever.  Let's not even get into how fabulous Starletta's is.  She looks like a glamorous star (thus the fitting screen name).  I know it has been a long time since anyone got one, so the illustrators may not even make them anymore.  If they do, I nominate myself.  I'd make my own, but we ALL know creating something is not something I can do.  Please and thank you!

 

I will give 10,000 of my hearts for one, tiny, custom avatar!  Unless it makes me look angry, please make me red!

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

Smooches!

 

We actually submitted photos of ourselves and the illustrators were allowed creative license. I was a bright redhead at the time, and wearing sunglasses in the photo!

Re: Favorite Base Coats and Top Coats

Remember when they did these? I missed the HOA cut off by a week & was so sad. 

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