I Never Get My Nails Done, But People Think I Do Thanks to This Sneaky Product
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.
My Favorite Base Coats for Long-Lasting Nail Polish
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."
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.
Shop Spring's Trendiest Colors to Top Off Your Base Coat
Periwinkle:
Forest Green:
Coral:
Pink:
Next, Spring's Nail Trends Are Too Good Not to Copy—Thank Me Later
Prior to her time atBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing , Katie Berohn worked as the beauty assistant for Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day, and Prevention magazines, all part of the Hearst Lifestyle Group. She graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder, with a major in journalism and minor in technology, arts, and media, and earned her master's degree at NYU's graduate program for magazine journalism. In addition, Katie has held editorial internships at Denver Life magazine, Yoga Journal, and Cosmopolitan; a digital editorial internship at New York magazine's The Cut; a social good fellowship at Mashable; and a freelance role at HelloGiggles.
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