Byrdie / David Hattan
Doing your nails can feel like a tedious task—between filing, manicuring your cuticles, and waiting for your polish to dry, you may be tempted to cut some corners to speed things up. While a base coat might seem like something you can skip when painting your nails at home, we spoke to some experts who say it's a must.
"A base coat is the foundation of any manicure application; it creates a sticky layer for your nail lacquer to adhere to," explains nail artist Christine Doan of Gloss House. But that's not all. Nadine Abramcyk, nailcare expert and the co-founder of Ten Over Ten, tells Byrdie: "A base coat provides a smooth canvas for a salon-worthy manicure from home. It also helps keep your polish durable and prevents it from peeling or chipping."
Clearly, there’s a lot to look into when picking out the best base coat. So we conducted hours of research, evaluating them on price, benefits, reviews, and overall value. After consulting with our experts and considering dozens of options, we landed on these top-rated choices for your next touch-up.
Best Overall
Nails Inc. Nailkale Base Coat
Nails Inc.
Hardening
Nourishing
Prevents breakage
Product takes a little while to dry
Size: 0.5 oz | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Our number one pick is NailKale from Nails Inc. As the name suggests, it contains kale—yep, the leafy green superfood—and keratin to strengthen brittle nails and prevent breakage.
The all-star formula is a great option for people with short, brittle nails looking for a boost in growth and strength. This product also promises to harden, hydrate, and nourish your nail beds, leaving nails brighter and healthier-looking with a brilliantly glossy finish. Your nails will look so good that it's almost a shame this base coat will be covered with regular lacquer.
Best Budget
Sally Hansen Double Duty Base and Top Coat
Amazon
Budget-friendly
Dries quickly
Doubles as top coat
Has a thick formula
Size: 0.5 oz | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: No
If you're on a budget and are the ultimate multitasker, go with this affordable two-in-one formula from Sally Hansen. It doubles as a base coat and top coat, smooths your nail beds, dries quickly, and provides a hardening effect. You'll even be able to forgo touch-ups because the formula is so long-lasting.
Best No-Fuss
Essie First Base Coat
Amazon
Primes nail beds for long-lasting polish
Hydrating
Budget-friendly
Consistency changes quickly
Size: 0.5 oz | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: No
Essie's cheekily named First Base is a go-to for low-maintenance individuals who prefer a well-kempt mani. The rubberized formula primes your nail beds, adheres to nail polish, and helps your DIY mani last as long as possible for a no-fuss manicure. Formulated with hydrating argan oil, this base coat also doubles as a high-gloss top coat. Regardless of how you choose to use it, your mani will look and feel stronger with each application.
Best Splurge
Hermès Enamel Base Coat
Bloomingdale's
Luxuriously primes nail beds
Long-lasting
Light-protected bottle
Unavailable in major retailers
Size: 0.5 oz | Finish: Translucent white | Cruelty-Free: Yes
The price tag on this base coat is a bit high, but if you like the high-end stuff, you won't be disappointed. This vanity-worthy bottle is filled with a smoothing, protective formula that promises to extend the life of your manicure—and the translucent white finish is pretty on its own.
Best Ridge Filler
Butter London Priming Base Coat
Amazon
Fills in ridges
Expert-recommended
Prevents discoloration
Can be drying
Size: 0.4 oz | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes
This base coat is a standout. Not only does it boast a matte finish, but it also layers on a protective shield that helps fill in ridges and prevent nail stains. "Ridge fillers can help even out the texture of your nails," says Doan, who's partial to Butter London. "The brand is clean, which is especially good since the base coat is the closest to your nail beds." We recommend this pick to people who prioritize a base coat that is 10-free (made without 10 of the most common chemicals).
Best Nail-Hardener
Londontown Nail Hardener & Base Coat
Amazon
Hardens nails
Primes nail beds
Prevents chipping
Takes a while to dry
Size: 0.4 oz | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: Yes
We also love Londontown Kur. Formulated with weak, brittle nails in mind, this hardening base coat helps create a durable canvas that bonds to the lacquer, extends its wear time, and prevents breakage. Amazon reviewers can’t get enough of this base coat, with many sharing that it keeps their manicure as fresh and chip-free as the first day of application.
Best Strengthening
Tenoverten Foundation Base Coat
Amazon
Strengthens nails while preventing cracks
Prevents cracks
Smoothes ridges
Can chip easily
Size: 0.5 oz | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes
For some consumers, the idea of all-natural, vegan nail polish may sound less than effective. But this strengthening base coat from Tenoverten proves the naysayers wrong thanks to its shiny, ridge-filling benefits. "The Foundation is a great everyday base coat," says Abramcyk. "It's perfect for prolonging your polish and preventing cracks and ridges." This muted-pink pick looks great on its own but works well as a strengthening base too.
Best Nourishing
Deborah Lippmann CC Base Coat
Blue Mercury
Primes nail beds with hydrating ingredients
Color-correcting
Strengthening
Bottle is unprotected from light
Size: 0.5 oz | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes
When your nails crave nourishment, reach for Deborah Lippmann's All About That Base. This color-correcting formula conceals blemishes, then hydrates, strengthens, and primes your nail beds so they're ready for polish. You can thank the formula's hydrating complex with panthenol for these benefits. For those who prefer a matte finish over a shiny one, this base coat is for you.
Best Bonding
Orly Bonder Base Coat
Amazon
Long-lasting because it bonds to polish
Prevents chipping
Dries tacky
Some reviewers note it yellowed their nails
Size: 0.6 oz | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Formulated with rubberized resin, this base coat bonds to your polish to give it the best shot at longevity. It dries a bit tacky, but this is what gives the nail lacquer something to hold on to. People who struggle with keeping their mani chip-free will fall in love with this pick, which customers report helps their polish stay flawless for at least a week.
Best Anti-Yellowing
OPI Base Coat
Amazon
Prevents discoloration
Protective
Long-lasting
Brush sometimes pops out
Size: 0.5 oz | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: Yes
To keep that dreaded yellow tint at bay, go with OPI. This base coat is designed to prevent highly pigmented colors from staining your nail beds while providing an adhesive foundation for your polish. When it comes to classics, this pick from OPI is hard to beat due to its quick dry time and anti-yellowing results. It’s the perfect base coat for people with stained nail beds.
Best for Damaged Nails
Côte Base Coat
Cote Shop
Strengthens and prevents breakage
Smoothing
Primes nail beds
Bottle is unprotected from light
Size: 0.4 oz | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Damaged nails? Côte is your best bet. After smoothing your nail beds, this reparative base coat calls on calcium to strengthen, protect, and prevent future breakage. This essential is a mani mainstay for those who put “strength and repair” at the top of their wish list.
Best Duo
Ella + Mila Top & Base Duo
Two-for-one
Dries fast
Fills ridges and creates even base
Can be thick
Size: 0.45 oz | Finish: Soft | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Looking for the perfect combo to help you achieve flawless nails at home every time? This set from Ella + Mila works in tandem to create a nice, smooth surface for polish. All you have to do is apply one coat of the fast-drying base coat, apply your polish, and then finish everything off with the top coat. Healthier, stronger nails are the name of the game—and this duo is the winner.
Best Gel Base
beetles Gel Polish Gel No Wipe Base Coat
Amazon
Lengthens the life of a gel manicure
Strengthening
Goes on smoothly
Consistency changes quickly
Size: 0.51 oz | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes
This base gel from Beetles is made with an acid-free formula that helps improve coloring, prevents peeling, and smooths the nail surface. The brand claims its base coat, which is best described as tacky, helps gel manicures last around three weeks. This pick is for those who prefer gel manis over natural nails. It’s as easy as brushing on the base coat and turning on your UV nail lamp to lock in the mattifying effect, pre-lacquer.
Best Quick Dry
REVLON Quick Dry Base Coat
Courtesy of Amazon
Dries quickly
Creates a smooth surface
Long-lasting
Can get clumpy
Size: 0.5 oz | Finish: High shine | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Nobody likes chipped nail polish—and luckily, this pick from Revlon helps avoid that altogether. This base coat is not only long-lasting (it can help maintain your mani for up to a week) but is also free of ingredients such as formaldehyde, toluene, and more.
Best Eco-Friendly
Kapa Nui Base & Top Coat Sealer
Kapa Nui
No harmful chemicals
Prevents yellowing
Long-lasting
Not ideal if you prefer your base and top coats separately
Size: 0.5 oz | Finish: Matte or Shine | Cruelty-Free: Yes
This 100% nontoxic, vegan, formaldehyde-free pick from Kapa Nui Nails provides your nail polish color with two to three times more chip resistance for a long-lasting look you can feel good about—both when it comes to your nail health and the environment. This two-in-one base and top coat work overtime, making it the perfect pick for those looking to repair their nails after years of exposing them to toxic formulas.
What to Look for When Buying a Base Coat
- Ingredients: The main feature to look out for when buying a base coat is the nail-caring ingredients it contains. If you have weak, brittle, or peeling nails or are coming off of many gel polish manicures, look for a base coat with ingredients, such as keratin, vitamin E, soy protein, calcium, bamboo, and castor oil.
- Type of formula: For those who prefer a one-and-done nail product, be sure to reach for a dual top and base coat. These are formulated specifically to prep the nail and seal in a colored mani.
- What you are applying afterward: Are you going in with a classic colored nail polish or hoping to keep the nail bare? This should guide your base coat product choice. If you’re keeping things bare, go for a milky, slightly opaque option to give the nail an even, healthy appearance.
Why Trust Byrdie
Theresa Holland is a commerce beauty writer. She spoke to two experts for this story, including a nail artist and a nail care specialist, compiling their product recommendations and expertise on formulations. As a life-long DIY manicurist, she'd tried several of the base coats on this list, including OPI, Essie, Butter London, Orly, and Sally Hansen. Theresa writes about color cosmetics, skincare, and haircare at Byrdie.
Grace Gavilanes is a freelance writer-editor who has covered a wide range of topics—from celebrity news and beauty to food, wellness, and travel—for close to a decade.
To ensure we're recommending the best of the best, we spoke to a few experts, including:
- Christine Doan, formerly a nuclear engineer, is a California-based nail artist, licensed cosmetologist, and the owner of Gloss House.
- Nadine Abramcyk is a nail expert and co-founder of Ten Over Ten, a conscious nailcare brand.
- Purely Polished is an Australian-based mobile manicure service.
According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find enough base coats from Black-owned and/or Black-founded businesses. If you know of any we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com, and we will evaluate the brand ASAP.
