The Hit List: Best Base Coat (for Nails)
What’s the Best Base Coat for Nails…?
What brand/product wins this category? Any particular reason it wins?
What’s the Best Base Coat for Nails…?
What brand/product wins this category? Any particular reason it wins?
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!
I use “Stickey” Anchoring Base Coat By CND Essentials. I love it..it works great…sold at Sally’s.
I haven’t tried many but enjoy Sally Hansen’s base coat. Seems to work better than the OPI one for me. Not sure why though 🙂
Liquid Glass Nail Laminate Polish. Very Hard to find. Bed Bath and Beyond has it near me, utla.com use to sell it. I had to stock up on them since they are so hard to find. Great for brittle nails, makes them harder and thicker. Great base and top coat. I have turned so many people on this this, it’s great. Stops the breaking, helps the nails grow strong.
Nailtek foundation II ! The best I EVER tried, I won’t try anything else ever. Makes my nailpolish stay on for day and my nails are so strong, I even cut my BF once ! Can’t live without this stuff.
I’ve been using Barielle’s “Hydrating Ridge Filler with Silk Fiber” for the past month. And I *think* I’m impressed.
My nails don’t seem to be peeling as badly (and it has been dry, dry, dry this winter).
I also think my staining is growing out … which I didn’t think was ever going to happen.
I’ll need a couple more trials before I’m ready to sing praises, though.
Seche Vite is worth every penny.
I love Zoyas basecoat. Makes my manicure last much longer than CND Stickey base coat.
I alternate between Orly Bonder and Avon Adhesive Base Coat. I like them equally right now.
Sasha…so, u’ve using Avon Adhesive Base Coat. Does it honestly make nail polishes stick on for several days??? Thank U.
yes someone please tell me. I use seche vite as a top coat and love it! Looking for the best base coat out there.
I love Revlon Post Trauma, the best base coat for my dry nails 😉
I love Orly’s Bonder! It keeps my nailpolish FOREVER! (okay, close to forever), but my friends always comment on how my nailpolish seems to stay on so long and look decent after weeks of wear 🙂
ORLY Bonder works really well for me. I used to use CND Stickey, but it would make my nail polish peel. Not worth it!
Another vote for Orly Bonder. I can’t do my pedicure as often as I’d like but with Bonder, my toenails stay chip-free for at least a week.
I use Nubar Nu Nails – it’s amazing! My nails are stronger and I no longer have yellow stained nails!
I’m loving Seche Natural – which has a matte finish & contains key ingredients wheat protein, calcium and polyurethane to strengthen weak nails.
Essie 3 in 1 glaze. It is a nail straightener, base and topcoat in one. When I used this I never had a broken nail and they were strong, even though I painted my nails almost everyday or have polish on everyday for about 4-5 months. Without this 3 in 1 glaze my nails would be dry and brittle from too much nailpolish.
Orly Bonder is the best I’ve ever used. It even made my matte colors stay on a few days. 😉
I use CNDs Ridge Filler (lots of ridges on my nails), I like it because I can wear it alone if I don’t have time to do a complete polish!
I love OPI base coat but my favorite is called Christina Ashley. I don’t know where its sold because I go to cosmetology school and my teacher orders it.
I just think that’s really awesome because my name is Christina Ashley. Totally have to try it now!
I’ve been really loving China Glaze’s Strong Adhesion Base Coat lately.
CND’s Stickey!
Does anyone use any that are free of formaldehyde, toluene and DBP? I don’t often paint my nails, but my nails are prone to drying out and getting ridges, so I am wanting to use a base and top coat that is a little less harsh on my nails!
I’ve seen a brand called Ecrinal, but I don’t know if it’s available outside of Canada, or if anyone has ever used it and liked it :/
The only 2 I know are free of wild chemicals are Rescue Beauty Lounge and Zoya. : )
I only use “Out The Door” I picked it up at Sallys. Its so shiny and dries super fast.
Im currently using OPI’s base coat and it is okay but I’m currently looking for something better.
Without a doubt CND Stickey! I love it.
I’m loving Posche’s 3 in 1 strengthening basecoat!
Another one for Orly Bonder 🙂
From my experience, it’s really personal. There are some that work like magic for some and crap for others! Some will hold your polish like iron, but stain like a fiend! (Ahem, Orly Bonder…)
I’ve been using Barielle Protein base coat for a while, and it’s been really good at stopping my peelies, which are a huge problem for me. But it still lets polish stain my nails. I’m kinda sick of it, so I’m switching to a Nubar that I got for free from an order. I’ve heard from a lot of people that some Nubar base coats stop the staining.
Orly Bonder. My polish lasts for two days instead of one (I wear latex gloves at work and that cuts down my nail polish wear time).
Zoya Anchor Basecoat. It makes my manicures last forever. It also works well with Seche Vite (my fav. topcoat). It helps with the shrinkage that Seche causes.
I love Dermalogica’s Active Moist. It moisturizes the dry areas, and also helps oilyness. My skin has been so much more even toned and I’m not so oily! I love Dermalogica!!
I use OPI’s Natural Nail Base Coat. Best base coat I’ve tried!