Base coats are essential to having a perfect looking mani. It is a shame I am just figuring this out. Being a college student on somewhat of a budget (although I buy too often and don’t eat instead) I cut corners when it came to base coats. I would use old ones or none at all. So sad.
I perused different brands but decided on Essie’s ‘First Base’ base coat. It is an adhesive base and was about $9.
I really wanted to try a rubber based one. It was between this and Orly’s bonder. I have had good experiences with Essie before, so I thought I would give this brand another shot since I have neglected their polish recently.
Overall, I have nothing bad to say about this! It has increased my polish wear time by about 2 days on average and chipping starts much later on in the week, instead of around 3 days — more like day 5. This helps to prevent yellowing as well and dries in seconds. That was one of my main concerns because I didn’t want to wait around while a clear coat dried.
Final Thoughts: Looking for a nice, reliable base coat? Essie sealed the deal for me. A good investment.
Price: 9/10
Staying Power: 10/10
Packaging: 10/10
Color/Wearability: N/A
Quality/Branding: 10/10
