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  • 10 Best Base Coat Nail Polishes 2024 | UK Makeup Artist Reviewed 1
  • 10 Best Base Coat Nail Polishes 2024 | UK Makeup Artist Reviewed 2
  • 10 Best Base Coat Nail Polishes 2024 | UK Makeup Artist Reviewed 3
  • 10 Best Base Coat Nail Polishes 2024 | UK Makeup Artist Reviewed 4
  • 10 Best Base Coat Nail Polishes 2024 | UK Makeup Artist Reviewed 5

10 Best Base Coat Nail Polishes 2024 | UK Makeup Artist Reviewed

A good base coat is an essential step if you want to keep your polish chip-free whilst protecting against weak, brittle nails. Base coat primes your nails, strengthening them and creating a smooth surface for colour. Whether you're after a hardening base coat for gel nails or want to increase staying power, in this article we'll share the 10 best in the UK available from Boots, Amazon and more. 


Alongside reviews of top nail care brands like essie, OPI and Sally Hansen, read on for tips on how to choose and apply base coat nail polish! Moreover, we have partnered with Makeup Artist Marie Dancer for reviewing and fact-checking the article so that we can deliver the best information to our users.

Last updated 21/03/2024

Quick List - Top Base Coat Nail Polishes

1

Orly Bonder

Rubberized BaseCoat
Rubberized BaseCoat

The Salon-Staple No.1 Base Coat in the UK

2

OPI

Natural Nail Base Coat
Natural Nail Base Coat

A Cult Classic to Protect and Prevent Staining

3

Nails Inc

Nailkale Base Coat
Nailkale Base Coat

Superfood Formula With Keratin to Strengthen Nails

4

Maybelline

Superstay Strength Primer Protecting Base Coat
Superstay Strength Primer Protecting Base Coat

An Affordable Base Coat That Increases Staying Power

5

Essie

Strong Start Nail Polish Base Coat
Strong Start Nail Polish Base Coat

A Quick-Drying Formula to Make Your Colour Last

Marie Dancer
Expert
Makeup Artist
Marie Dancer

As a professional make-up artist of ten years, Marie's job has taken her all over the UK working at top events, on TV shows and making up beautiful brides. For all her clients she loves emphasising their natural beauty by creating a flawless base that still looks like skin.

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Table of Contents

Fact-Checked & Approved by Makeup Artist Marie Dancer

Fact-Checked & Approved by Makeup Artist Marie Dancer

As a professional makeup artist of ten years, Marie's job has taken her all over the UK, working at top events, on TV shows and making up beautiful brides. For all of her clients, she loves emphasising their natural beauty by creating a flawless base that still looks like skin.


Find out more about Marie and what are her favourite makeup products are through her Instagram! She even shares some industry tips on makeup application too. And if you're interested in getting your makeup done by Marie, you can contact her via her email found at the top of her page.

How to Choose a Base Coat Nail Polish in the UK

Key Points to Consider
  1. Choose a Strengthening Formula for Treating Brittle Nails
  2. Opt For a Conditioning Base Coat to Fill In Ridges
  3. Look For Moisturising Ingredients Like Vitamin E and A
  4. Go For a Quick-Drying Base Coat if You’re Short on Time
  5. Seek Out a Base Coat That’s ‘3-Free’ or Higher to Avoid Potentially Harmful Ingredients
1

Choose a Strengthening Formula for Treating Brittle Nails

Choose a Strengthening Formula for Treating Brittle Nails

Splitting is one of the most common nail problems, and even a little break or crack can completely ruin a lovely manicure. Most of us will suffer from nail splitting at some point, but if it's a regular occurrence, it probably means that you have fragile nails that could do with a bit of strengthening.

 
Look for ingredients that are typically used in nail strengtheners, such as ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, tosylamide, formaldehyde resin or nitrocellulose. Be warned though, formaldehyde has been linked to damaging the nails when using it for a prolonged time. 


If you'd prefer to take a more natural route, horsetail extract, calcium and biotin (one of the eight B vitamins) are also meant to do wonders for strengthening! 


Suffering from dry and brittle nails? Here are the 10 best restorative treatments for damaged nails in the UK!

2

Opt For a Conditioning Base Coat to Fill In Ridges and Create a Smooth Surface for Polish

Opt For a Conditioning Base Coat to Fill In Ridges and Create a Smooth Surface for Polish

Those little ridges in our nails are pretty common, especially as we get older. Still, if the ridges are exceptionally deep, it's probably worth visiting your doctor as this can indicate vitamin deficiencies, diabetes or other more concerning problems. These ridges can make it challenging to apply a smooth surface of polish, but some base coats have been specifically designed to fix this problem. 


These base layers have a thicker consistency, filling in the ridges and gaps, creating an even surface to glide your colour over. For gel polish wearers, a builder gel applied on top of the base will provide additional smoothness if you find the base coat isn't enough support.

3

Look For Moisturising Ingredients Like Vitamin E and A

Look For Moisturising Ingredients Like Vitamin E and A

Nails that lack moisture can easily become dry, brittle and start breaking, which becomes even more of a risk come winter. But that doesn't mean you need to stop having beautiful nails. Some base coats are designed to be specifically hydrating and moisturising to help with exactly this.


If you're looking to up the moisture levels in your nails, keep an eye out for proteins such as wheat protein, vitamins (especially vitamin E and A), and hydrating natural ingredients like aloe vera. 


Also, if your nails are dry, it's once again best to stay away from formaldehyde, which can further dry them out.  Other moisture-replenishing ingredients to look out for are kale, soy, keratin and jojoba.


Don't forget, having a good manicure set is essential to help maintain your nails!

4

Go For a Quick-Drying Base Coat if You’re Short on Time

Go For a Quick-Drying Base Coat if You’re Short on Time

Some of us can easily spend – and enjoy – over an hour applying a home manicure, but sometimes, you need a quicker solution when you're short on time. A quick-drying formula is ideal for a perfect mani in a hurry, with some only taking seconds to dry! You no longer have to worry about chips or smudges, as modern formulas mean speed without compromise on quality. 


It's recommended to apply the base coat on every nail first, then it'll be dry and ready to apply colour once you've finished priming the last nail. Look for a base coat to match the brand of your nail varnish and top coat to ensure the formulas work best together.


If a fast manicure is something that you could benefit from, choose a quick-drying formula. There are many out there which guarantee to have your first finger dry by the time you've finished the last, meaning you can move swiftly onto the colouring. Now, that saves a lot of time!

5

Seek Out a Base Coat That’s ‘3-Free’ or Higher to Avoid Potentially Harmful Ingredients

Seek Out a Base Coat That’s ‘3-Free’ or Higher to Avoid Potentially Harmful Ingredients

Nail polish has come under scrutiny during the past few years for the number of harmful chemicals used in its formulas. That said, most researchers and beauticians are aligned in believing that the small amounts used, unless you are allergic, shouldn't pose much of a problem.


The most commonly used harmful ingredients in nail polish are parabens, dibutyl phthalate, toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, xylene and ethyl tosylamide. 


If you want to be cautious, look for products that are 3-free, 5-free, 7-free, 9-free and so on. This lets you know how many of the commonly used harmful ingredients are not in their formula. 

Was the Buying Guide helpful?

10 Best Base Coat Nail Polishes in the UK

This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
Popularity
Products
Image
Click to purchase
Key features
1

Orly Bonder

Rubberized BaseCoat

Orly Bonder Rubberized BaseCoat 1

The Salon-Staple No.1 Base Coat in the UK

2

OPI

Natural Nail Base Coat

OPI Natural Nail Base Coat 1

A Cult Classic to Protect and Prevent Staining

3

Nails Inc

Nailkale Base Coat

Nails Inc Nailkale Base Coat 1

Superfood Formula With Keratin to Strengthen Nails

4

Maybelline

Superstay Strength Primer Protecting Base Coat

Maybelline Superstay Strength Primer Protecting Base Coat 1

An Affordable Base Coat That Increases Staying Power

5

Essie

Strong Start Nail Polish Base Coat

Essie Strong Start Nail Polish Base Coat 1

A Quick-Drying Formula to Make Your Colour Last

6

Jessica

Rejuvenation Base Coat for Dry Nails

Jessica Rejuvenation Base Coat for Dry Nails 1

Treats Acrylic and Gel-Damaged Nails

7

Dior

Base Coat - Abricot

Dior Base Coat - Abricot 1

Nourishing Base Layer With an Apricot Tint

8

Nailberry

Strengthen and Breathe Oxygenated Base Coat

Nailberry Strengthen and Breathe Oxygenated Base Coat 1

Breathable Formula That Helps Harden Brittle Nails

9

Revlon

Quick Dry Base Coat

Revlon Quick Dry Base Coat 1

Five-Free Base Coat Made Without Formaldehyde

10

Sally Hansen

Spray-On Base Coat

Sally Hansen Spray-On Base Coat 1

One-of-a-Kind Spray-on Base Coat for Nails

If you don't see the product you're looking for, you can request that it be listed.
No.1

Orly Bonder
Rubberized BaseCoat

Rubberized BaseCoat 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£8.40
Mid
Reference price
£8.40
Mid

The Salon-Staple No.1 Base Coat in the UK

This unique base coat from Orly Bonder is one of the tried and tested methods that has become a salon staple, with many nail technicians and beauticians swearing by this formula. When applied, the rubberised formula creates an adhesive consistency for the nail polish to literally stick to the base.


This increases the longevity of your manicure tenfold, plus, it has been shown to be one of the best in strengthening your nails too, increasing flexibility and reducing chipping and breakages. As an added bonus, the bottle is also significantly larger than many base coats giving you excellent value for money. 

Was this Ranking helpful?
No.2

OPI
Natural Nail Base Coat

Natural Nail Base Coat 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£14.30
High Mid
Reference price
£14.30
High Mid

A Cult Classic to Protect and Prevent Staining

OPI are one of the biggest names in the nail polish world, and their products are commonly found in many salons. Their Natural Nail Base Coat works wonders to create a protective layer on your nail bed, eliminating the worry of yellowing nails from stains even when you have a dark nail polish on top.


This product does everything a good base coat should and has thousands of Amazon customer reviews to back it up. The salon quality ensures that it stops stains, prolongs the colour of your polish, and strengthens the nails.

No.3

Nails Inc
Nailkale Base Coat

Reference price
£4.99
Low Mid

Superfood Formula With Keratin to Strengthen Nails

If you're looking for a more natural approach, the NailKale Superfood Base Coat is probably your best bet. Essentially, it's like a green smoothie for your nails. Containing kale for nourishment and keratin for strengthening, this formula will leave your nail beds well-hydrated while reducing the risk of any splitting and breakages. 


The reviews for this product are excellent, with many claiming that it works just as well as a standalone nail treatment as it does a base coat – the perfect buy for nails that need a bit of extra love. 

No.4

Maybelline
Superstay Strength Primer Protecting Base Coat

Reference price
£3.49
Low

An Affordable Base Coat That Increases Staying Power

Just because a beauty product has a high price tag, that doesn't always mean it's better! This base coat from Maybelline costs just a few pounds and works just as well as some of the pricier options. It works wonders at preventing staining, even from dark colours, and increases your polish wear significantly. 


What's more, while providing a protective layer on the nail bed, it conceals any ridges or bumps and strengthens the fingernails. This is also an ultra quick-drying formula making it great when you're short on time but still want to look your glamorous best. 

No.5

Essie
Strong Start Nail Polish Base Coat

Strong Start Nail Polish Base Coat 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£6.74
Low Mid

A Quick-Drying Formula to Make Your Colour Last

Essie's Strong Start base coat is a favourite for many as not only is it reasonably priced, but it also dries exceptionally quickly – when you're done with both hands, the first finger will be ready. With long-lasting staying power, it can allow your manicure to last even longer than a week with no chipping. 


The natural shine also means that this can double up as a natural nail polish if you don't fancy committing to bold colours. Essie is one of the most iconic nail polish brands out there, and with their rubber adhesive formula, it's got the vote of many beauticians, salons and customers – including us!

No.6

Jessica
Rejuvenation Base Coat for Dry Nails

Reference price
£11.95
High Mid

Treats Acrylic and Gel-Damaged Nails

If you're a lover of acrylic extensions, shellac manicures and gel nails, this base polish from Jessica should be a staple in your makeup bag. It's no secret that overdoing it on the shellac and acrylics can leave your nails a bit worse for wear, and if this sounds familiar, you should probably give your talons a little TLC!


The reviews for this product speak for themselves, with so many customers vouching that it has fully restored their nails to their former glory, providing moisture, strength and long-lasting nourishment. 

No.7

Dior
Base Coat - Abricot

Reference price
£18.70
High Mid

Nourishing Base Layer With an Apricot Tint

This luxurious buy from Dior comes in a lovely subtle apricot colour which can double up as a natural nail polish if you want to stop your manicure at the base level. The formula protects your nail base, working to harden and strengthen your nail over time. 


The Abricot Base Coat creates a smoothing, nourishing layer that preps and primes the nail for further colouration as you glide on the product, but the reviews are a mixed bag. There are certainly some die-hard Dior fans who swear by this product hands down, but many others note that it is not very long-lasting.

No.8

Nailberry
Strengthen and Breathe Oxygenated Base Coat

Reference price
£17.50
High Mid

Breathable Formula That Helps Harden Brittle Nails

This may not be a product from one of the more prominent, well-known brands out there, but it does the trick! The Strengthen and Breathe base coat from Nailberry conditions your nails, nourishing them with moisture to provide a smoother, long-lasting manicure. 


With powerful strengthening abilities, this vegan-friendly formula works to harden your nails and improve their overall condition, resulting in fewer breakages and splits. However, some customers have noted that compared to the wide variety of base coats out there, this one isn't rapid drying and may not last the entire week.

No.9

Revlon
Quick Dry Base Coat

Quick Dry Base Coat 1
Source:amazon.co.uk
Reference price
£7.99
Mid
Reference price
£7.99
Mid

Five-Free Base Coat Made Without Formaldehyde

The affordable base coat from Revlon claims to dry nails in seconds, so it's a great choice if you often find yourself running out of time. It glides on smoothly, leaving behind an even, flawless base for your chosen pop of colour. 


As a bonus, this is a five-free formula containing no formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, DBP, camphor or toluene, so it's ideal if you want to reduce your chemical usage. One thing to note is that while some customers believe it to be a godsend, many don't consider it to be quite quick enough.

No.10

Sally Hansen
Spray-On Base Coat

Reference price
£5.94
Low Mid

One-of-a-Kind Spray-on Base Coat for Nails

To kick off our list, we've chosen this unique, first-of-its-kind spray-on base coat. Yes, that's right, a spray-on base coat! It's possibly one of the most effortless products to use – spray, wait a few seconds and voila! Your nails are ready for their funky colour.


The formula contains nourishing ingredients to help smooth and protect your nail base from any stains or chipping. Unfortunately, though, many people have had trouble with the spraying technology, ending up with a lot of wasted product and quite a bit of mess.

The Benefits of Base Coat Nail Polish and How to Use One

The Benefits of Base Coat Nail Polish and How to Use One

Applying a base coat should always be the first step in your manicure routine – after a bit of filing and buffing, of course. A base coat is the key to keeping your nails in tip-top shape, but this isn't the only benefit. 


Base coats act as an adhesive, forming a surface that will allow your coloured polish to literally stick to your nails. Adding this step is paramount in having a chip-free manicure that lasts beyond a few days. Some can even prolong your polish for over a week.

 
They can also even out the texture of the nail bed, masking any ridges or bumps and preventing your colour from looking streaky. On top of it all, base coats act as a barrier between your nail and the polish, preventing staining. Some even contain strengthening ingredients to avoid splitting or breakages.


It may be tempting to just use base coat, but you should always use a top coat to seal in your polish after!

Written and researched by: Roxy Pratley

Top 5 Base Coat Nail Polishes

No. 1: Orly BonderRubberized BaseCoat

No. 2: OPINatural Nail Base Coat

No. 3: Nails IncNailkale Base Coat

No. 4: MaybellineSuperstay Strength Primer Protecting Base Coat

No. 5: EssieStrong Start Nail Polish Base Coat

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The descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.

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