Nail Polish: Best top coats and base coats
My recommendations for the best manicures
Top coats and base coats are key to a great manicure. Even the fanciest polish wont last without a top coat or look right if not prepared with the correct base.
Find below my favourite-and also least favourite-top coats and base coats for nail polish which I will update regularly as I use new products. Also feel free to share your favourites or products you would like me to trial in the comments below!
Top coat nail polish
Top coat is designed to be worn over nail polish to protect the polish and any nail art etc. You can wear these straight over nails for just a glossy coat.
Holo Taco Glossy Taco 5/5
Super glossy nails with great protection what more can I say! This top coat will help your nail polish last and look so shiny as well.
W7 Top coat 4/5
This top coat was my favourite for years and I purchased several. It has a strange glow to it which did affect the colours of the polish put over however it was the best protection of any top coat I had found for years! Plus they dried super quickly. I’ve moved away from this top coat now but would still recommend as a cheap option!
Rimmel 60 Seconds Super Shine 740 Clear 4/5
Works really well helping nail polish to dry quickly and leaving a beautiful shine and protection. Lasted until the brush couldn’t reach the product which is great. Wouldn’t repurchase however as the brand is not cruelty free.
Barry M Wet Set Top Coat 4/5
Does what it says on the bottle, a quick dry top coat which will have you ready to go in no time! Great wide brush and seems to smudge a lot less than other top coats can!
Barry M Cosmetics Basecoat, Topcoat & Nail Hardener All in One 4/5
Perfectly fine jack of all trades, protects your natural nail under polish and your polish on top too. Great multi use product which saves on outlay (but obviously you will use it twice as fast). It has a great wide brush and is usable until all most the very bottom of the bottle which was much better than some brands I’ve tried! A great product for value, if nothing special.
Help My Finger Matte Top Coat 3.5/5
The only Matte coat I have tried but does what it says on the box-makes nail polish matte. I wouldn’t say the protection is as good but this may be to do with being a matte effect.
Barry M Cosmetics Plumpy Hi Shine Top Coat 3.5/5
A perfectly suitable top coat which offers shine and protection but I marked it down as there is no plump or gel style effect and it is no more shiny then their generic top coat.
No7 Stay Perfect Clear 3/5
Love the shine, and protection, this top coat gives however it does pick up colour and when the product was about 1/3 left it became sticky and eventually unusable and that’s really disappointing to me.
Rimmel London Finishing Touch Ultra Shine Top coat 3/5
This has a much better bottle design where the brush can reach almost to the bottom, however the polish has gone thick and sticky. When in its prime it did give amazing shine and fair protection however it has such a strong chemical smell! I wouldn’t repurchase because of that alone but also the brand is not cruelty free.
Professional Nail Care Finish Touch Top Coat 1/5
Awful, adds a lovely shine but no protection and in fact is likely to smudge your nails especially any nail art. Not a fan!
Base coat nail polish
Base coat is designed to go under nail polish to protect your nails from nail polish staining and to prep nails for polish application such as smoothing polishes etc.
Barry M Cosmetics Basecoat, Topcoat & Nail Hardener All in One 4/5
Perfectly fine jack of all trades, protects your natural nail under polish and your polish on top too. Great multi use product which saves on outlay (but obviously you will use it twice as fast). It has a great wide brush and is usable until all most the very bottom of the bottle which was much better than some brands I’ve tried! A great product for value, if nothing special.
Holo Taco Peely Base 3/5
This seems to be personal to me but I can not get it to peel yet! I keep trying different techniques but am yet to master it but I know others rate this 5/5 super easy to use so I will keep trying!
Avon Nail Experts 24K Gold Strength 3/5
A strengthening polish for under polish or to wear alone. It gives nails a gold shine and more protection than naked nails. Can peel from your nails after a few days wear.
Avon Nail Experts Mineral Fix 3/5
A base coat/nail protector polish with a yellow tone (which makes your nails look yellow stained) this protects your nails either alone or under polish but why the yellow colour?!
Barry M Cosmetics Peel it! Base Coat 0/5
Awful, no peel, no protection and sticky when faced with nail varnish remover. Would of been better to of painted my nails with PVA!! Barry M normally do great nail products so this was extra disappointing.
Protective nail polish
These polishes are for you if want the protection of polish without the colour of nail polish.
Avon Nail Experts Pearl Shine 3/5
A pink shine applied straight from the bottle is designed to be worn alone on your nails for a healthy look and some protection. Ok product but the brush became unusable about halfway through the bottle which is bad value to me!
Avon Nail Experts 24K Gold Strength 3/5
A strengthening polish for under polish or to wear alone. It gives nails a gold shine and more protection than naked nails. Can peel from your nails after a few days wear.
Alex
Professional makeup artist with an interest in natural, complimentary makeup but also fun makeup designs and nail art too! Life is too short to be stuck with trends that don't suit you!
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