Why do I need to apply a layer of base coat during my manicure?
A very common question, and a not-so-simple decision! Which one, and why? Fret not, for we are here to answer all your questions…
What exactly is a Base Coat?
A base coat is a layer applied to the nails before covering with a coloured polish. They are usually clear but sometimes feature a slightly coloured appearance to off-set yellow or undesirable undertones on your nails, similar to how colour correcting contours work under makeup application to conceal red, yellow or purple undertones. However, their wide array of benefits doesn’t stop here!
Perfecting, Protecting, and Nourishing
Base coats also provide a foundation for the polish, serving as a smoothening layer to offer an even surface for colours to stick to and lay evenly on top of. They act as a barrier between your nail and the coloured polish to prevent damage and staining, while simultaneously ensuring a better surface to adhere to, which provides the opportunity for longer wear time of your colour. By applying a base coat, you can improve your nails’ health, natural colour and ensure longer, more even, and more vibrant manicures.
Which Base Coat to use for Traditional Polish?
Using a base coat under a traditional polish is an essential step to creating a long lasting manicure as they create a better surface for polish to stick to. Providing a better, stickier surface for colours to stick to will help prevent chipping and peeling of the polish, helping to keep your manicure looking perfect for longer. Polish base coats are especially important when using highly pigmented colours on the nails, bringing us to the second reason why base polish is so necessary to nail health. The base coat creates a barrier between your nail and the colour, so you can avoid staining or ruining the natural colour of your nail plate, which can be very hard to reverse. Additionally, base polishes can be formulated with actives or ingredients that will help to moisturize, strengthen, and nourish your nail plate and nail fibers.
When the base provides aid…
Manucurist offers a wide range of base coats to fit all nail types and needs (to find your nail type, checkout our diagnostic tool! ), that are all formulated with up to 84% plant-based ingredients, and jam-packed with nutrients, vitamins and minerals to keep your nails and the planet happy and healthy :
Green Base Coat
Our base coat is fortified with pistachio gum (an ancient natural resin), avocado extract, spinach and green tea extracts which contain vitamins and antioxidants. Even our most simple and traditional base coat will help to nourish and care for your nail health underneath whatever brilliant colour you choose!
Green 5.5 Base Coat
This base is perfect for nails that are generally healthy but could still benefit from a little extra nourishment and protection. This base contains 5 plant extracts and 5 vitamins that, all together, offers a complete dose of everything your nails need to stay hydrated, strong and healthy.
Green Force Base Coat
Soft, bendy and flexible nails begging to be strengthened need this base coat! It contains a special AHA treatment that is extremely effective at repairing soft nails and easily bend, crease and break.
Green Smoothing Base Coat
Vertical nail ridges are very common with causes such as improper nail care, nail trauma, vitamin deficiency or simply increases in age. This base coat is specially formulated with ingredients and a slight tint to even out imperfections and fill in ridges while keeping nails moisturized, smoothed and strengthened.
Perfecting Matte Base Coat
This base offers a sheer coverage that visibly corrects and blurs imperfections while offering nourishment and strengthening with its formulation containing keratin and AHA.
Green S.O.S Base Coat
This base coat is the ultimate option for regenerating very damaged nails. The formula is jam packed with ingredients that strengthen, hydrate, nourish, protect and rebuild the nails structure including: Vitamin B5, Vitamin C and AHA. After one week, nails are completely regenerated.
Base Coats for Gel
Gel polish has a different chemical composition than that of regular polish. It contains chemicals that require and react with UV light to cure and harden. For gel manicures, a base coat is an essential step in protecting the nail and assuring long-lasting wear, as well as decreasing the rate of peeling or chipping by acting as an adhesive barrier for the polish to stick to. For typical gel manicures, the removal process is extremely harsh for the nail fibers and structure, so using a base helps to shield and protect from scraping and drilling that is often required for removal.
However, it’s your lucky day. Manucurist’s Green Flash, the world’s first-ever LED nail polish whose base coat has the same adhesive and protective properties, can be removed easily and quickly with a mild acetone-free remover. In one minute, the varnish comes off by itself from the nail it's magic ✨In addition our Green Flash Base coat is formulated with 84% plant-based ingredients so you can keep your nails and the planet happy and healthy.
Let’s flash ! ⚡️
