To remember:
- The base coat is the essential first step of polish application, applied on bare and prepared nails.
- It protects nails from pigments, facilitates polish adhesion, and extends its tenue.
- Base coat ≠ top coat: the base coat protects the natural nail, the top coat adds shine and resistance.
- It is preferable to use the base coat from the same range and brand as the chosen polish.
- There are treatment bases according to nail types: strengthening base, SOS, or smoothing (Active™ Smooth).
A base is the base
The base coat is the essential first step of a successful manicure. Applied on bare nails before polish application, it is usually transparent. Like a makeup base, the base coat layer evens the surface and prepares the nail to receive color. But its role doesn’t stop there… it is much more than a simple corrector!
Mission: protection, adhesion, and tenue of the polish
Applied before the polish, the base coat offers a uniform surface that facilitates the adhesion of the polish layer and allows better tenue. It also acts as a protective layer between the nail and the colored polish, preserving nails from pigments that could stain them and from external aggressions (like moisture) that weaken them.
To summarize:
- The base coat protects the nail and evens the surface.
- It facilitates adhesion and extends the tenue of the polish.
- It is always applied before the polish, unlike the top coat.
Before or after the polish?
At Manucurist, the Green™ or Green Flash™ manicure routines follow a simple rule, that of 4 layers:
- 1 layer of base coat
- 2 thin layers of polish
- 1 layer of top coat to seal the color and extend the tenue
⚠️ Do not confuse Green Base Coat and top coat!
While the top coat is applied last to add shine and ensure a perfect finish, the base coat is the first layer before any polish application. Thanks to it, you get a smooth surface for an optimal application of the polish. Another advantage: it prevents pigment adhesion directly on the nail plate, allowing for easy color removal with a gentle, acetone-free remover. The Top Coat also plays an essential role. To understand its importance in your manicure routine, find all the details in this article.
Which base with which polish?
First of all, remember that it is essential to use products from the same range, as the formulas are designed to work in harmony.
The choice of base coat type thus depends on the polish used:
-
With a semi-permanent polish, the vitamin-enriched Green Flash™ Base Coat is what you need. Even better news: it offers a brand new formula combining for the first time hexanal, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Thanks to these active ingredients, it strengthens nails from the first manicure and increases the good tenue of the semi-permanent polish up to 12 days! Regarding application, nothing changes: you apply it in a thin layer and cure it under a LED lamp. Let’s flash⚡️
-
With a classic Green™ polish, you will use the Green Base Coat. Concentrated with vitamins and nutrients with antioxidant properties, it forms a protective film that preserves the health of your nails. Enriched with hexanal, the Green Base Coat protects the nail, fixes the color, and extends the tenue of your Green™ nail polish for a beautiful queen-worthy manicure. 😍
When the base becomes care
The vitamin-enriched Green Flash™ Base Coat, the result of innovative technology
The Green Flash™ Vitamin Base Coat was developed using an exclusive technology that combines care and performance. Its unique molecular complex KeraHCE+ allows a dual action:
☝🏻 it restructures keratin fibers and stimulates keratin production,
✌️it provides effective protection against oxidative stress and dehydration.
Result: under the polish layer, your nails regenerate deeply and you enjoy your beautiful manicure longer, up to 12 days. In short, it's the perfect base coat!
Everyone has their treatment base
When your nails are tired and show signs of weakness, it's time to use a treatment base. Formulated with up to 84% plant-based ingredients, Manucurist treatment bases are packed with nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Ideal for giving fragile nails a boost!
Depending on the nature of your nails, it is important to choose the most suitable base. Our nail diagnosis will help you know which one matches your needs.
-
For healthy nails, turn to the Vitamin Base. Nourishing and enriched with a powerful complex of 5 vitamins (A, B5, C, E, and F) and 5 plant extracts (aloe vera, lemon, ginseng, pomegranate, and grape), it protects, hydrates, and boosts the growth of tired nails. After one week of use, the risk of breakage and tearing is minimized, keratin production is stimulated, and the overall condition of nails is visibly improved.
-
For soft and brittle nails, choose the Strengthening Base. With a composition rich in AHAs, PHAs, and silicon, this care base coat durably strengthens soft and thin nails and can be used under a Green™ polish. It protects nails from daily aggressions and stimulates cell renewal. After one week of use, nails grow back healthier and naturally stronger.
-
Damaged nails can rely on the Base SOS, the ultimate base to treat brittle, split, or weakened nails caused by harsh manicures. Its treatment action restores and strengthens the nail plate thanks to its ultra-concentrated formula with AHA, vitamin C, vitamin B5, and Hexanal. It exfoliates by stimulating cell regeneration, restructures keratin fibers, and deeply regenerates the nail. After 3 weeks of use, fragile nails are visibly stronger and healthier!
-
Finally, for ridged nails, there is Active™ Smooth. It is not exactly a smoothing base but rather a perfecting care polish that instantly evens out and smooths ridges and imperfections on nails thanks to its formula enriched with castor fibers, Hexanal, AHA, and vitamin E. Like a CC cream, it enhances nails with a satin nude veil. The “good news” is that Active Smooth comes in 4 shades with warm, neutral, and cool undertones to suit all skin tones (available from April 4, 2025). We love it!
Much more than just a polish base, the base coat is a valuable ally: it protects and strengthens your nails while extending your manicure. At Manucurist, each formula is designed to provide a tailored response to every need, with natural and effective ingredients. So, to have beautiful nails and a long-lasting manicure, remember that it all starts with the base 😉
To summarize:
- Base coat = essential step to protect the nail and optimize polish application.
- Different types of bases: base coat, treatment base, treatment base coat (Green Base Coat Vitaminée).
- Treatment bases according to nail type: strengthening for soft and brittle nails, base SOS for damaged nails, Active™ Smooth for ridged nails.
