From L-R: The Face Shop Face It base coat, Seche Vite dry fast top coat
Happy New Year! 2012 has been a so-so year for me *sniff* but Im setting that asise because Im looking forward to making my 2013 a whole lot better! :) Today I'll try to shed some light on some questions that Ive been getting for the past few weeks. This is something that I myself has not realized until last year when I started getting hooked with nail polish. When I finally came into my senses that these additional manicure steps are NOT to be skipped,I even asked myself why I took them for granted. Hopefully you'll be as enlightened as I am. :)
BASE COAT
Okay,I honestly didnt know anything about this when I got exposed to nail polish during my younger years. To me,nail polish is nail costume that normally comes off after 2-3days. But when I started reading horrific tales of yellowish nails,I started the quest of finding answers on how to avoid that. That is how I discovered the importance of a base coat. Not only does it make the life span of your mani/nail art longer,it also prevents stains from forming on your nails,be it the dreaded yellowish tinge,or the nasty colorants that some heavily tinted NPs would leave behind (eg, red,blue,black NPs). Now,are all base coats the same? I would say No. Some are just plain old base coats,while some are formulated with nail hardeners or vitamins. What should you get? It really depends,but as long as it does the job,then you're good.
Ive been a loyal user of The Face Shop's Face It nail base coat 03. It also helps in keeping my nails strong aside from the previously mentioned benefits of a base coat. I so love this stuff that Im on my 3rd bottle already. My only grip with this product is that halfway thru the bottle it gets gloopey,but nothing that cant be fixed with a few drops of nail polish thinner/solvent. This is priced at Php 180. There is another base coat that TFS offers (from the Lovely Me Ex line) which is cheaper than this base coat,but I havent tried that yet,hence I cant make any comparisons in terms of quality.
TOP COAT
Just like an artist,we would want to make our artwork last as long as possible,right? This is the concept behind a top coat. It locks and seals your nail color. It prevents premature chipping and gives that extra "oomph" to NPs with glossy finishes. Just like base coats,top coats were never created equally; you have to choose the one that would best suit your needs and lifestyle. Want that extra shine? Go for a high gloss one such as Sally Hansen's (Php 300+) or The Face Shop's (Php 95,from the Lovely Me Ex line); Cant wait for your manicure to dry since you have errands to do afterwards? Go for a fast drying top coat such as Caronia's or if you have some extra cash to burn,get Seche Vite dry fast top coat (Php 400 - 450,available thru online resellers only). I've been using Seche Vite for a few months now,and Im definitely impressed with the way it performs. It's like the Speedy Gonzales among all top coats,IMHO.
So there we go. I hope this has been very helpful and for additional questions,just send them in.
Happy Monday and Happy Martin Luther King's day to our US counterparts! :)
Seppie ♥♥♥
