Survey Says... August 7th, 2013
- Your skin tone/coloring:
- Favorite polish texture?
- One, two, or three coats of polish?
- Do you use a base and/or top coat?
- Your skin tone/coloring:
- Favorite polish texture?
- One, two, or three coats of polish?
- Do you use a base and/or top coat?
We're here to help you make better beauty purchases that you'll enjoy and love! We recommend signing up to take advantage of personalized features like tracking products you own, viewing dupes that you already have, and more!
Here are some useful resources for you:
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!
Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).
We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!
We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!
Your skin tone/coloring: Light/wam
Favorite polish texture? Cream
One, two, or three coats of polish? Two
Do you use a base and/or top coat? Always
Your skin tone/coloring: medium warm
Favorite polish texture? cream
One, two, or three coats of polish? Depends 🙂 Whatever gives an opaque result, but the fewer the better!
Do you use a base and/or top coat? Always!
Your skin tone/coloring: Neutral Beige
Favorite polish texture? Creams. They tend to have a high shine finish and I also like that they’re easy to remove.
One, two, or three coats of polish? Two. Three is fine for very sheer polishes, but sometimes it can look goopy after two coats.
Do you use a base and/or top coat? Yes, always. My polishes wouldn’t last as long as they do (about 7 days without imperfections) without them!
â—¾Your skin tone/coloring: NW 20
â—¾Favorite polish texture? : cream because it applies so easily !
â—¾One, two, or three coats of polish? Two
â—¾Do you use a base and/or top coat? I use a top coat, a base doesn’t help for me quite the opposite, my nails are extremely hard
Skintone/Coloring: Light, neutral; dark-featured.
Texture: Medium, not too runny/goopy.
Coats?: Depends on the color, formula, etc.; there are some shades that I’m willing to put in the added effort of extra coats. Also, some of those same polishes can be used as layering shades, or look nice as a sheerer shade. I don’t discount a product because it doesn’t work out the way I planned. In fact, I’ve had many products end up being some of my favorite, most versatile items for that very reason.
Base/Top Coat?: It depends. If I suspect there may be staining, definitely a base coat (although it may just be a different shade of polish I know won’t stain). As for top coat, if I’m layering polishes, I’ll forgo one, unless the top layer has a gritty or dull finish. I change my polish at least every other day, so unless I’m wearing a basic/neutral shade I plan to keep for several days, I keep things simple.
Your skin tone/coloring: NC15 – fair, leaning sallow
Favorite polish texture? I like the sands and the feathers, but my favorite is the rubberized look – ‘wish that was more popular!
One, two, or three coats of polish? 2 always.
Do you use a base and/or top coat? Base 100% of the time, top coat if it’s not a texture that’s supposed to be matte or dimensional, like heavy glitter.
Your skin tone/coloring: NC20-25
Favorite polish texture? Glitter and jelly
One, two, or three coats of polish? Usually three, depending on opacity. I layer jellies and glitters over cremes because I dislike VNL
Do you use a base and/or top coat? Yes, both
Your skin tone/coloring: Fair/cool-toned
Favorite polish texture? Shimmer if I’m wearing it by itself; cream if I’m doing nail art on top
One, two, or three coats of polish? I definitely prefer just 2, though some polishes are worth 3
Do you use a base and/or top coat? Yes, almost always (not if I’m wearing textured or some holo polishes)
Skintone/coloring: light/yellow
Favorite texture: I love how shimmer doesn’t show imperfections as much, but my favorite is probably flat/cream. I use both a lot though.
Coats: 2-3, depending on how streaky it is.
Top/base: yes to both, but I have a system. Since I usually do my nails at night, I do the base and color at night. Then the next morning I throw on a topcoat in the car right before going to work and it dries on the way. That way I clean up any problems from overnight and my topcoat dries great because at that point it’s basically one layer. I do another topcoat every other day or so to keep it shiny. Except this am I did my third color coat instead of topcoat because of streaking 🙂
skin tone: NC20 (light olive undertones)
Fav polish texture: Cream
usually one coat, sometimes two
always a base coat and a top coat
Dark (NW50)
Love cremes and duochromes!
3 coats. Love how opaque my nails look with 3.
Always use TC & BC.
Your skin tone/coloring: olive
Favorite polish texture? glossy
One, two, or three coats of polish? two coats
Do you use a base and/or top coat? both
Your skin tone/coloring: NC45, medium deep
Favorite polish texture? matte and duochrome
One, two, or three coats of polish? two
Do you use a base and/or top coat? yup! i use both!
Your skin tone/coloring:
NC20 (aka pale Asian)
Favorite polish texture?
Don’t discriminate I like most of them except feather/fuzzy/bar glitter
One, two, or three coats of polish?
Usually two. Three if the polish is difficult to work with or really sheer.
Do you use a base and/or top coat?
Yes and yes.
Your skin tone/coloring: Light-medium, peachy (NW25)
Favorite polish texture? Very fine microshimmer
One, two, or three coats of polish? Depends on the polish. Usually 3 thin ones, but sometimes up to 5. I HATE VNL!
Do you use a base and/or top coat? Always! All polishes peel on me within 24 hours without my beloved Butter London Nail Foundation and Hardwear.
I just realized microshimmer is a finish, not texture, lol. I prefer my polishes to be on the thin side, and rather apply an extra coat. I find the thicker ones (especially thick creams) to be hard to work with streak easily.
Your skin tone/coloring: Fair, neutral undertones
Favorite polish texture?: Cream, followed by matte
One, two, or three coats of polish?: Depends on the nail polish, but most times I need two coats.
Do you use a base and/or top coat?: Always a base. If I wear a matte finish polish, I don’t add a top coat.
Your skin tone/coloring: Estee Lauder Double Wear Tawny or MAC 35/37
Favorite polish texture? Cream this week.
One, two, or three coats of polish? I prefer to only have to wear one coater polish but will do two coats. I don’t like to have to do three.
Do you use a base and/or top coat? Yes, nail envy by OPI for base and Sally Hansen
Insta-Dri Anti Chip Top Coat.
Oh, whoops. Texture, not finish! *facepalm* I like a texture that’s not too thin, but not super gloopy. *nods*
Favorite polish texture? Cream, there’s something nice about just clean color on the nails. I like shimmer a lot too.
One, two, or three coats of polish? I never apply more than two coats. Even with fast dry top coat three coats take too long to dry.
Do you use a base and/or top coat? Both. After experimenting with a few brands, I find that it definitely prolongs my manicures.
Your skin tone/coloring: neutral
Favorite polish texture?: matte or glossy
One, two, or three coats of polish?: 2
Do you use a base and/or top coat?: both
Your skintone/colouring – fair/cool tone
Favourite polish texture – cream
One, two or three coats – usually two. Only three if it’s really sheer or streaky after two.
Do you use a base and/or top coat – l’m terrible at using base coats but I try to use a top coat to prevent chipping.
Your skin tone/coloring: Fair-Light/Neutral
Favorite polish texture? I prefer a glossy texture. Easy to put on and easy to remove.
One, two, or three coats of polish? Two. Three if it’s a sheer polish,
Do you use a base and/or top coat? Both!
Your skin tone/coloring: Porcelain/Ivory (NC 15, maybe a bit lighter)
– Favorite polish texture? Creme
– One, two, or three coats of polish? Two would be ideal, but most of the times it takes three. -__-
– Do you use a base and/or top coat? On a good day. lol
NW15-20, peachy, medium brown hair & dark eyes
i like creams the best! and i like them to be on the thin side. thick polishes drive me CRAZY. mattes are pretty cool too but i haven’t had the chance to use one yet.
i try to get away with just 2 coats, but some polishes call for 3. i don’t like visible nail line at all.
sally hansen miracle cure as a base coat, then some random sally hansen top coat on top. always!
â– Your skin tone/coloring: Warm/Fair
â– Favorite polish texture? Jelly
â– One, two, or three coats of polish? all of those
â– Do you use a base and/or top coat? Yes!
Skintone: NW20
Favorite nail texture: I see a lot of people confusing finishes with textures here. They’re not the same thing! My favorite *texture* is the traditional smooth texture. I was okay with the matte and shattered textures from a few years ago, but just can’t get on with the current sandy look that’s in style right now. The sparkly ones are okay, but the cream finished textures are so ugly IMO!
Always use a base and topcoat. I wear a lot of blues and greens, which are nail colors prone to staining so a base is a must! I also usually do 3 coats.
Your skin tone/coloring: Pale, cool
Favorite polish texture? a nice shiny cream (I’d love some glitter polishes more if they were easier to get off!)
One, two, or three coats of polish? Two
Do you use a base and/or top coat? I use a top coat but not a base coat on my finger nails (I find polish lasts a bit longer on my fingers without base coat) but I use a base coat on my toenails since polish last longer there and I want to avoid staining.
â– Your skin tone/coloring: Dark
â– Favorite polish texture? Holographic finishes
â– One, two, or three coats of polish? The least amount of coats to get opaque
â– Do you use a base and/or top coat?Both are necessary, and only certain brands do the job for a lasting finish, I’ve noticed. I think it’s finding formuls that work with your body chemistry.
â– Your skin tone/coloring: MAC N1, Chantecaille Alabaster
â– Favorite polish texture? Chanel (Fast-drying & Opaque)
â– One, two, or three coats of polish? depends….Mostly one layer for Chanel
â– Do you use a base and/or top coat? YES! Chanel’s too.
Your skin tone/coloring: Tan/ NC42
Favorite polish texture? Cream, but loving these new textures like Zoya Pixiedust
One, two, or three coats of polish? usually two (depending on polish)
Do you use a base and/or top coat? Always! Base- Zoya or Orly/ Top: Out the door
Your skin tone/coloring: Warm/Medium
Favorite polish texture? Cream
One, two, or three coats of polish? Two
Do you use a base and/or top coat? Always use both
– Fair neutral
– Cream or jelly (cream is easier to work with though!)
– Usually two coats
– Always (can’t live without quick-drying topcoat)
Skin tone/coloring: cool/fair
Favorite polish texture: cream or jelly
Number of coats: With most polishes, I do three very thin coats, which dry more quickly than two thicker ones. Some polishes let me get away with two thin coats, though.
Base/top coat: I’m too lazy to use a base coat (though I know I should!), but my favorite top coat is Revlon Quick Dry.
â– Your skin tone/coloring: Very fair
â– Favorite polish texture? – Cream
â– One, two, or three coats of polish? – Depending on the polish, OPI Strawberry Maragarita would need normally 3 coats, other regular OPI or Essie polishes would need 2 coats
â– Do you use a base and/or top coat? – No, but i am waiting a parcel with Seche Vite top.
Favorite polish texture? Cream
One, two, or three coats of polish? Two, unless it needs 3 to be opaque
Do you use a base and/or top coat? Always. Orly Bonder Base Coat and Seche Vite Fast Drying Top Coat
Your skin tone/coloring: Light medium, warm yellow undertones
Favorite polish texture? Cream!
One, two, or three coats of polish? Two, I rarely have patience for any more.
Do you use a base and/or top coat? Yep, CG Calcium Gel Fortifier as a base and Jordana Quick Shine top coat is better than Seche Vite 🙂
â—¾Your skin tone/coloring: medium/cool
â—¾Favorite polish texture? cream, shimmer, or metallic, but it must be shiny and glossy
â—¾One, two, or three coats of polish? two
â—¾Do you use a base and/or top coat? quick dry topcoat only. Too lazy to do more!
â– Your skin tone/coloring: Warm, golden/Yellow undertones
â– Favorite polish texture? Creams or metallic
â– One, two, or three coats of polish? 2, three if neccessary
â– Do you use a base and/or top coat? Yes
your skin tone/ coloring : fair and cool
favorite polish texture : MATT
one,two or three coat of polish : one sometime two
do you use a base and top coat : yes
Your skin tone/coloring: Light-Medium / Yellow
Favorite polish texture? Matte and gloss
One, two, or three coats of polish? It depends on my current mood. Lately though I’ve been favoring three coats.
Do you use a base and/or top coat? I use both and currently they’re both by Revlon.
Your skin tone/coloring: Olive toned/Medium Tan
Favorite polish texture? Cream
One, two, or three coats of polish? Two
Do you use a base and/or top coat? Always
Skintone: Deep/NC 50
Favorite Polish Texture: Cream
Coats of polish: Two
Base Coat/ Top Coat: Both Always
Tone – very pale
Texture – glossy and shiny (Barry M Gelly is example) – don’t like matte and hate textured/sand
Coats – depends on the brand. Get away with one coat with a-england, some Barry M and Illamasqua. Normally do two. Feel strongly that it shouldn’t be necessary to do more than two – but have had to do up to six!
Base/top – no – only a drop of glitter occasionally on top
Texture – also love holographic!
Deep Mac NC50
Creme
2 coats
base & top coat