What is the BEST Base & Top Coat Polish?
- Thread starter Cheryl
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Base: Another vote for CND Sticky. It's truly the best base out there and works well with all my polishes. A lot of the makeup review sites give high marks to this one as well. I bought it on the basis of those and, having now used it for almost a year, I can safely say I will likely not use another. Really extends the life of my manis/pedis - I can actually get a pedi to last 1 month or more.
As another contributor mentioned, I too find that Essie bases & top coats do not work well with other brands, especially OPI. I get dismal results combining the two. Chips within a day or two. No go.
With regard to top coats, I continue to use OPI and top that with Rapid Drip Dry, with great results. I'll try Seche Vite next seeing the positive feedback on this site.
As another contributor mentioned, I too find that Essie bases & top coats do not work well with other brands, especially OPI. I get dismal results combining the two. Chips within a day or two. No go.
With regard to top coats, I continue to use OPI and top that with Rapid Drip Dry, with great results. I'll try Seche Vite next seeing the positive feedback on this site.
I use my Nailtiques #2 or Sally Hansen Maximum Growth as a base/top coat right now for my fingernails, but don't really have anything for my toes (I wouldn't want to use these two things on my toenails). I think I'll go out today and buy some Seche Vite and maybe the China Glaze base coat.
i got seche vite (thanks to reading tpf!) and it works really well for a topcoat. i tried a revlon topcoat and it chipped the next day but w/ seche vite i can go for a week or longer sometimes. my only concern w/ it is the horrible smell which makes me worried about how toxic the chemicals must be. i would like to find a topcoat that's a little "safer" but i'm assuming i won't be as satisfied w/ the results.
Piggy has found the topcoat holy grail!!!
Dior quick-drying top coat
It dries way faster than Seche, wears better, is 5-free, and doesn't peel off if you put additional coats over it later on. What kind of crazy magical stuff are they doing over there at Dior Beauty?!? It boggles the mind, I tell you (*(oo)*)
See my full detailed comparison of Seche Vite vs. Dior here:
http://forum.purseblog.com/nail-car...l-polish-swatches-650237-36.html#post18017331
Dior quick-drying top coat
It dries way faster than Seche, wears better, is 5-free, and doesn't peel off if you put additional coats over it later on. What kind of crazy magical stuff are they doing over there at Dior Beauty?!? It boggles the mind, I tell you (*(oo)*)
See my full detailed comparison of Seche Vite vs. Dior here:
http://forum.purseblog.com/nail-car...l-polish-swatches-650237-36.html#post18017331
I've used a ton of them and right now I'm loving Ulta's house brand ridge filler b/c. i've had peelies, and even after using 2 bottles of Barielle Hydrating RF they were still there! I picked up the Ulta on a whim when it was on clearance a few weeks ago, liked it, went back and bought them all for $0.99 each! Love it so far - I'm a half bottle in, peelies are almost gone and not coming back. As for t/c I use SV - sometimes with a slow dry under it to prevent shrinkage or with Gelous under it to help stop glitters from eating my SV. I always wrap my tips, seems to prevent shrinkage for me. I love how fast it dries, how great it is at self-leveling and adore the shine! I like Poshe with my Zoyas, and occasionally I'll use the SH red one too.
So I'm back head over heels in love with Seche Vite now I've added some thinner to it. For my base coat I swear by Orly rubberizing bonder.
