When you’re in a hurry, it’s easy to slap on one coat of colored polish and head out the door. But in order to keep your at-home manicure chip-free and looking great longer than just a few days, it’s important to apply a base and top coat. Not convinced? Check out the pros of these polishes below.
Benefits of a base coat:
- A base coat sticks to your natural nail and helps secure the colored polish you’ve picked.
- Nutrients like protein, vitamin E, and calcium can all be found in base polishes, which work to prevent nails from breaking and splitting.
- Acting like a foundation or primer, base coats keep colored polish from directly touching your nails and turning them yellow.
My recommendations:
ORLY’s “Bonder” and essie’s “First Base“
Benefits of a top coat:
- A top coat seals polish to the nail, acting like a protector to shield your colored polish from chipping and giving you a longer-lasting manicure.
- Many nail-polish shades, like neon hues, dry matte. But by using a top coat, you can restore that coveted shine.
- Uneven application happens – especially when you’re using of-the-moment glitter polishes. By applying a top coat, you can smooth out bumps and visible brush strokes for a professional-looking manicure.
My recommendations:
Deborah Lippmann’s “Addicted To Speed” and Seche Vite’s “Dry Fast“
By Carolyn Schultz, Staff Writer
Do you use base and top coats? Tweet us at @ruelala, then check out our weekly Mani Monday column.
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