Care

Base coat nail polish: what is it and how do you use it properly?

5 min to read

Before diving into a whirlwind of colour, there is one simple yet essential step you should never skip: base coat nail polish. The true foundation of every manicure, it protects your nails, strengthens them and helps your nail polish last longer. But which one should you choose? What is it used for? And why is it such an essential part of your routine? Here is everything you need to know for a flawless manicure and beautifully healthy nails.

A base is the foundation

A base coat nail polish is the essential first step to a successful manicure. Applied to bare nails before your colour, it is usually transparent. Just like a makeup primer, a base coat creates an even surface and prepares the nail for colour application. But its role goes far beyond simply smoothing the nail. It does so much more than that.

Protection, adhesion and longer lasting colour

Applied before your nail polish, a base coat nail polish creates a smooth, even surface that helps your colour grip the nail more effectively for improved wear. It also acts as a protective layer between your nail and coloured polish, shielding your nails from staining pigments and from external factors, such as moisture, that can weaken them.

A base coat nail polish is step one for a flawless manicure that lasts.

Before or after your nail polish?

At Manucurist, both the Green™ and Green Flash™ manicure routines follow one simple rule: the four coat routine.

  • 1 coat of base coat
  • 2 thin coats of colour
  • 1 coat of top coat to seal in the colour and extend wear

⚠️ Do not confuse a base coat with a top coat.

While a top coat is applied last to add shine and create the perfect finish, a base coat is always the very first layer before applying colour. It creates a smooth surface for the best possible nail polish application. Another benefit is that it prevents pigments from bonding directly with the nail plate, making colour removal quick and easy with a gentle acetone free nail polish remover.

Which base coat goes with which nail polish?

First of all, it is important to remember that you should always use products from the same range, as each formula has been designed to work perfectly together.

The right base coat depends on the type of nail polish you choose.

  • With Green Flash™ Gel Polish, choose the Green Flash™ Fortifying Base Coat. Its patented KeraHCE+ technology combines Hexanal, Vitamin C and Vitamin E. This innovative complex strengthens nails beneath the colour while improving the wear of Green Flash™ Gel Polish, up to 12 days with Green Flash™ Top Coat and up to 21 days with Xtrem Flash™ Top Coat. Simply apply a thin coat and cure it under an LED lamp. Let’s flash ⚡️
  • With Green™ Nail Polish, use the Green™ Fortifying Base Coat. This latest version also features the patented KeraHCE+ technology to protect and strengthen nails while giving you a manicure fit for royalty for up to 7 days.

When your base coat becomes nail care

KeraHCE+, an exclusive Manucurist innovation

The Green™ and Green Flash™ Fortifying Base Coats feature the exclusive KeraHCE+ technology, combining nail care with performance. This unique molecular complex delivers two complementary actions.

👉 It rebuilds the keratin fibres while stimulating natural keratin production.

👉 It provides effective protection against oxidative stress and dehydration.

The result: beneath your colour, your nails regenerate deeply while you enjoy a stronger, shinier manicure that lasts even longer. In short, it is the perfect base coat nail polish.

Green™ and Green Flash™ Fortifying Base Coats help strengthen your nails beneath your colour.

A treatment base coat for every nail type

When your nails feel tired or start showing signs of weakness, it is time to switch to a treatment base coat. Manucurist treatment base coats are packed with nutrients, vitamins and minerals, making them the perfect way to give fragile nails the care they deserve.

Because every nail is different, it is important to choose the treatment that best matches your needs. Our nail diagnosis will help you find the perfect formula for your nails.

Need to repair damaged nails? You can rely on the S.O.S. Base Coat, the ultimate treatment for brittle, peeling or weakened nails damaged by harsh manicures. Its intensive formula, enriched with AHAs, Vitamin C, Vitamin B5 and Hexanal, restores and strengthens the nail plate. It gently exfoliates while stimulating cell renewal, rebuilding keratin fibres and regenerating the nail from deep within. After three weeks of use, fragile nails look visibly healthier and noticeably stronger.

Finally, for ridged nails, there is Active™ Smooth. Rather than being a traditional smoothing base coat, it is an all in one perfecting treatment polish that instantly blurs ridges and imperfections thanks to its formula enriched with castor fibres, Hexanal, AHAs and Vitamin E. Inspired by a CC cream, it enhances nails with a soft satin nude veil. Even better, Active™ Smooth is available in four shades, pink, beige, gold and bronze, so every skin tone can find the perfect match. We love it.

More than just the first step in your manicure, a base coat nail polish is a true essential. It protects and strengthens your nails while helping your manicure last longer. At Manucurist, every formula has been carefully developed to meet a specific nail need, combining naturally derived ingredients with high performance. So if you want healthy looking nails and a manicure that lasts, remember that every beautiful manicure starts with the right base 😉