The Hit List: Worst Base Coat (for Nails)
What’s the Worst Base Coat for Nails…?
What brand/product wins this category? Any particular reason it wins?
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31 Comments
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Worst base coat EVER has got to be the time I used a top coat for a base coat not really understanding there was a difference between clear np. the entire coat of polish came off with a day and it looked like I had literally lost my nail (because it kept the polish together just not adhered)
Definitely, definitely NYC. It’s super runny … and the bottle looks tacky. I actually haven’t tried many base coats, I just stick with OPI, cuz it works!
NYC ruined my big toe, toe nails 🙁 I will NEVER use it again. I guess it’s true, you get what you pay for.
Nailtek Foundation II. It made my nails peel horribly and it took months for them to recover.
SAME HERE!!!! i just made the SAME COMMENT down below! i’m so so so glad to read it wasn’t just me
Mary Kay, hands down. Fuggetaboutit!
Anything Sally Hansen. My strange younger sister actually likes the look of bubbles on her nail polish. Weirdo.
It’s because she doesn’t know how to apply nail polish.
I actually Like Sally Hansen and I’m not strange.
I’m wearing it right now and I applied it last Saturday, and my nails look as if I had painted them yesterday.
Besides, the promise to make my nails stronger worked; at least for me, I never managed to have long nails before I started using it.
Tell your sister not to blow into her wet nails and stay away from fans or things like that while she paints.
I love Sally Hansen too. It’s worked better on me than the high dollar brands. And I have tried many!! I can’t really name the worst though.
I dont like sally hansen either its too sticky or something. idk it just makes me mad everytime I use it. i cant really describe it.
Seche ridge filling base coat. Does nothing, peels off, and random specks of white and black were in the bottle I had (I don’t know if that’s just a bad bottle I got or what). I stick with OPI’s ridge filling base coat now. Not only does it actually smooth out ridges, but it makes a pretty good base for sheerer colors to look more opaque.
Any two-in-one top coat/base coat duo. Peels like nobody’s business!
Ones that are ‘rubberized’ work the best for me. Orly Bonder, especially, and MAC’s base coat works similarly, too.
Hhmm…maybe that’s why. I guess I’m trying to hit two birds with one stone. I am using the Sally Hansen Ultimate Shield (base coat and top coat in one bottle) and it works out great. Except, now that I’ve used half of it, it made my nail polish stain my nails. And it’s getting sticky too.
Orly Bonder is the pits, w/CND Stickey close 2nd
Joan Rivers Beauty nail polish base coat is hands down the worst ever!
Seche Vite Base Coat
I’m sorry, but for some reason my nail polishes chip faster (as in big pieces) with this stupid base coat, and it doesn’t help nail polishes to go on smoother either. I mean, I can handle a base coat that does nothing, but not one that makes the work harder!
Same here!
OPI. Sucks balls.
I did’t like Sephora by OPI (I’m assuming is the same formula)
Loved the color selection but it became so dull and opaque after a few hours.
NYC, definitely! Even my OPI nail polishes chip within a day when used over this base coat!
Any base/top coat combo always sucks for me. I can’t remember the names of the 2 I’ve tried but they were horrible. The base is supposed to make the polish stick and last longer and a top coat is to protect and make them mega glossy shiny, so why a company thought they could combine the 2, I have no idea 🙂
I just bought one today for the first time and I got Essie, Glad to see it doesn’t have any bad reviews (yet)!
Orly Bonder is the worst base coat, in my opinion. I know some people love it, but it stained my nails a dark orange color after a few uses. YUCK!
Orly rubber base… chips easily!
i havent found a single one i liked: seche vite, OPI, orly bonder, CND stickey, poshe… the only thing that works for me is polishing over freshly buffed nails, makes my manicure last a good week.
nailtek II , totally useless. did not improve my nails AT ALL. if anything it made them WORSE
I use CND Stickey on my clients. I like it best. One trick to try is a “Stickey sandwich” if you have time. One coat of Stickey, first coat of polish, another coat of Stickey, last coat of polish, then top coat. No matter what you use, be sure nails are super clean before you start. No lotions or oils.
ironically, OPI Chip Skip! It actually started chipping the SAME day! I hate this product. I tried it several times and still the same result. Plus it seemed to dry out my nails.
the OPI (i believ) natural base coat is also very prone to chipping. By the way, I use top coats (Seche Vite) along with the basecoats mentioned.
I have been using No Miss Base Coat. I like it but was wondering if there was anything better out there. How did the Essie work out?
I have to say, stay away from NYC brand nail polish! If you used it, remove it within a day or two. I bought this really, really, cute color, left it on for over a week and my big toe nails are messed up! They have a yellow discoloration on them, and also I can feel the nail is very uneven now. It’s horrible! I’m hoping over time my nails will grow out and be normal again 🙁 I haven’t even gotten a pedicure due to this in months!