When it comes to gel manicures, a base coat is just as important as the gel polish itself. After all, you wouldn’t paint a house without applying primer first, would you? It’s basically the same thing. The primer preps your wall for the paint so that it lasts longer and chips less—and that’s exactly what a base coat does for your nails. It prepares your nails for the gel nail polish so that it lasts longer and chips less.
But one of the biggest mistakes we see with gel manicures is that women skip the base coat because they think it’s not necessary. Not true! Applying a base coat is very important to prepare your nails for a gel manicure.
When you apply a base coat, you are doing more than just creating a sticky layer for the gel polish to adhere to. You are also using it as a foundation or primer to help protect your natural nails from staining and discoloration. A base coat can also help even out the surface of your nails if they have ridges or peeling.
A quality basecoat will bond with your nail, creating a smooth surface that gel polish adheres to nicely. Additionally, a lot of polishes have pigments in them that can stain your nails, so applying a layer of base coat before applying your polish will help protect your nails from getting stained.
All in all, if you do not use the base, you run the risk of having lifting issues in which the gel polish will start to peel off prematurely. Eliminate this from happening by applying the base coat correctly!
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