Base for gel polish
Gel polish is a three-step system that begins with the application of a base, usually a clear thick coat. The base for gel polish allows you to align the nail plate and prepare it for applying pigmented polish. This product is the first step towards creating a durable and perfectly even coating: it not only acts as an adhesive coating element, but also protects the nail plate from the rich color composition of the gel polish itself, smoothing the nail scales.
What it is
The base in the professional language of nail masters means the first (base) layer that must be applied before varnish and fixed in a UV or LED lamp. After the polymerization process, or hardening of the base, a colored gel polish layer is applied. The last, third step is the use of the top and its drying in the lamp.
The base and top are necessary to create a long-lasting and durable coating without cracking and to prevent chipping. The base is applied to the previously prepared nail plate: cleaned with a special buff and degreased with a clinser, often masters additionally use a primer for better adhesion of the composition to the nail. The purpose of the base is to provide high-quality adhesion of the surface of the nail with the color of the gel polish, fix it on the plate and ensure long-term wear. The base, of course, protects the keratinized layer of cells from the penetration of the pigment inside and the loss of naturalness.
Today every woman dreams of having beautiful well-groomed nails., and confirmation of this is a regular visit to the manicure parlor and the choice of gel nail polish. After applying the base, the nail plate becomes dense, uniform in texture, protected from the destructive effect of the pigment. Thanks to the first layer, it is possible to restore the architecture of the nail plate, give it an anatomically correct shape, and increase its thickness. A properly formed nail plate looks elegant and concise, the gel coating with color lays down in a smooth layer, which provides a natural glossy shine.
A high-quality base and a good gel coating are worn for a long time, but sometimes cause difficulties in removal. Experienced craftsmen began to apply a varnish square before gel polish in order to facilitate the process of removing a long-term coating. The "square" technique is the application of a transparent varnish on a previously degreased nail with indents of about 2-3 mm from the edge of the plate and the skin. In this case, an ordinary transparent varnish is used, for example, strengthening. After it dries, apply the usual thick base under the gel polish.
The camouflage rubber base has such a dense and pliable consistency, which allows you to smooth out all the imperfections of the nail plate.The modern pace of life, ecology, nutritional habits - all this affects the appearance of nails, which are not ideal and heterogeneous in texture. In order for the gel polish to last for a long time, you should use a high-quality base and top - this will act as a guarantee of nail safety, pigment saturation and long-term wearing of the coating.
The best base for gel polishes is rubber for a number of reasons:
- She provides perfect adhesion to the nail plate;
- Has a thick texture and lays down on the surface in an even layer;
- It protects nails from the penetration of coloring pigments;
- Thanks to the rubber base you can restore or create an anatomically correct shape of the nail plate;
- The base is absolutely harmless and does not adversely affect the nail, does not affect its further quality if the coating is removed correctly.
Kinds
Leveling
It usually has a transparent dense texture.. It serves to give the nail plate uniformity: the base hides cracks, grooves and other imperfections in order to create a perfectly flat surface for applying gel polish. Leveling bases also differ from each other in the main component, which is selected based on the initial state of the nail plate, its density, length, and appearance.
color
Has a slight tint. Colored bases are usually used to create a manicure in a French design and have a slight pinkish tone.
Without the use of this product, it is impossible to imagine a long-term coating, even though there are "3 in 1" gel polishes: base, varnish and top in one bottle. Although this will provide a quick application, but the long term of wearing such a product is questionable.
What is needed for
The use of the base is a mandatory step in the three-step procedure for applying gel polish. It is needed in order to:
- Provide a strong grip between the nail plate and pigmented gel polish;
- Strengthen the surface of the nail and protect against the penetration of the coloring pigment;
- Smooth out an imperfect insert surface by filling microcracks, grooves with a composition (often based on rubber);
- Provide long-term wearing gel polish;
- Enhance the radiance of the pigmented composition and give saturation to the shades;
Is it possible not to apply under the gel
The classic scheme for applying gel polish implies the mandatory use of either a base coat. The base is applied to a pre-prepared and degreased nail, fixed by polymerization under the action of UV rays. It adheres the coloring pigment to the nail, acting as an intermediate protective layer. Without a base, it is impossible to imagine applying gel polish. Firstly, such a coating will not be worn for long, and secondly, after such a manipulation, there is a high probability that the natural color of the nail plate will acquire the shade of the used hybrid of gel and varnish.
Modern nail product manufacturers have created a single-phase gel polish coating that combines these three components: base, pigment (varnish) and top. Products are applied in 2-3 layers, like a regular varnish, polymerization takes place in a UV lamp, like a classic gel format. A similar method can be useful for home use: fast, convenient, practical. However, units think about the time of wearing such a coating: it usually does not exceed one week. Which cover to choose: single-phase or classic three-stage, depends on the preferences of the woman and her ability to update the manicure if necessary.
Women are often interested in whether it is possible to do without a finish line. Top coat - Another mandatory item when working with gel polishes. It fixes previously applied coatings, gives a glossy shine or makes the nail matte, protects the varnish from chips and scratches. The combination of top and base provides nail protection and an integral coating, protects against chips and cracks, gives a rich color to the gel pigment and ensures a long wearing manicure for up to 3-4 weeks. The advantage of using a base and top is that the gel coating lasts much longer: manufacturers claim 2 weeks, but in fact women wear it up to 3-4 weeks, depending on the natural growth of nails. In addition, the base strengthens the nail plate, forms its correct shape due to the distribution of layers.
Why rolls
The main reason why the base rolls and lays unevenly is the lipid film on the surface of the nail. To ensure a uniform coating, the nail plate must first be treated with a soft buff and degreased with a clinser and lint-free wipes.
Compound
rubber
The most popular under-gel foundation has a thick, dense texture., well distributed over the surface of the nail, does not flow under the cuticle. Thanks to the rubber base, you can work on the shape of the nail plate by adjusting the density and thickness of the coating.With the help of a rubber base, the most durable coatings are created: the base fills in imperfections on the nail plate, evens out the surface of the nail and makes it perfectly smooth; it provides excellent adhesion to the next layer - pigmented gel polish.
The rubber-based base strengthens the nail plate, which is thin by nature or prone to brittleness, bending. The drying time of such a product is traditional - about 1 minute.
Silicone
An innovative silicone-based gel polish base traditionally comes in the form of a sticker. It allows you to remove a long-term coating without injuring the nail. The silicone base is applied to a pre-aligned nail plate and treated with a clinser (degreaser): you need to pick up a sticker with a similar shape of the nail, stick it on a clean, dry surface, remove the residue with a file. The silicone sticker is easily fixed on the nails and perfectly aligns and seals their structure. After the sticker has been fixed, it is necessary to align it and remove the formed air bubbles with an orange stick, gently smoothing the surface with the tool.
It is often used on damaged brittle nails and in cases where women are afraid to use a classic coating.
Acrylic
To strengthen the nail plate, a classic base and acrylic powder are used. - a synthetic material that has found its application in nail extensions and their correction. After shaping and degreasing the nail plate, the usual base is applied and acrylic powder immediately, then the nails must be dried in a UV lamp to adhere and harden the materials.Acrylic base is used to strengthen and give strength to thin brittle nails. There are transparent, white and colored powder, which is often used to create an original nail design and strengthen 2in1.
Gel based
Such a base often combines a base, gel polish and top, that is, it is a single-phase product for creating a long-term durable coating. All bases for gel polish are based on gel, they have the texture of this material, which ensures their easy application, the ability to adjust the thickness.
With vitamins
A similar type of base for gel polish is used for brittle, damaged, thin nails. Such formulations are enriched with vitamin E to stimulate the natural process of cell renewal and, as a result, strengthen the nails.
Water based
This type of base does not apply to gel polish, but there is a lot of talk about it today. A water-based base is used before applying the classic pigmented polish, which dries naturally. Such products do not contain potential allergen chemicals, which means they are suitable for allergy sufferers, pregnant women, children, and adolescents.
Popular manufacturers
- Kapous has an ideal thick consistency for the formation of the natural architecture of the nail plate and easy application. The product of the brand well levels the plate and prepares the nail for the next step - applying gel polish, and provides perfect adhesion between layers
- Irisk rubber base under gel polish belongs to the camouflage type and perfectly restores the natural shape of the nail plate. It protects the nail from getting gel pigment and enhances its saturation.
- Brand gloss is famous for its high quality base for gel coating due to the high density of the material and excellent leveling. This base has a high rating among the masters and is suitable for professional and home use.
- Bloom – rubber base, which means it is dense and durable. Its price is higher than previous analogues due to the use of foreign components, high quality is confirmed by numerous reviews and its choice as a base in premium beauty salons.
- Jessnail - product with medium density. It will be the ideal base for healthy, strong nails to maintain their natural thickness and density.
- professional brand Elsa Professional and its base for gel polish allow you to create a durable coating. It strengthens the nail plate due to the rubber base, evens out its surface and eliminates imperfections.
- Kodi Rubber Base – the most famous and accessible. It is made on the basis of rubber and has a rich thick consistency. This allows you to use the product to form the structure of the nail plate and create an ideal base for gel polish - a uniform protective coating.
- Another rubber product to create anatomically correct nails presented by the brand Naomi. It differs in that it is both a base and a top at the same time. The range of the brand has a classic analogue for the first stage of applying gel polish, designed to strengthen and protect nails, provide better adhesion to the pigment.
- Komilfo – american brand, which produces the base for the gel coating. It is applied as a classic varnish or using the drip method, the latter is necessary for the formation of the nail surface and its compaction.The base is used to create the shape of the nail, in addition, it can grow the nail up to 1 mm in length.
- Inexpensive base is presented by the Polish brand Aura. The product has a non-dense texture, which allows you to maintain the natural thickness of the nail plate and not overload the latter with excessive weight.
- The classic rubber base is in the line Royal to create the perfect gel polish finish. By the way, the brand line has a base with a less dense texture to protect the nail and ensure better adhesion of the layers.
Alignment of the nail plate
The technique allows you to form a natural regular shape and restore damaged plates. The dense texture of the base for rubber-based gel polish allows you to give your nails an elegant shape, give them density, volume, turn flat, unsightly plates into beautiful nails. There are several techniques for leveling the plate using a classic base and using acrylic powder. Consider the first method, the most common and affordable to perform even at home:
- It is necessary to prepare the nail plate for applying the base: give it a shape, remove the cuticle, treat it with a buff and degrease it with a special composition - a clinser;
- Then apply a thin layer of foundation and dry it in a lamp;
- After applying a drop of a dense base to the middle of the plate and with the help of a thin brush, stretch it to the tip, the movements should be stroking and abrupt towards the end at the same time;
- After that, be sure to turn your finger over so that the nail “looks” at the table (palm up). To make the shape natural, edit the volume of the plate in this position and leave it in this position for a while so that the gel fills the grooves;
- Dry the nail in the lamp.
In order for the alignment procedure to succeed, it is necessary to use a gel polish with a dense texture., rubber bases are ideal for this. Women often ask how many layers of base to use. It depends on the initial state of the plate and its density. If the nails are very thin, two layers are enough, the first of which is applied by the classical method and dried in a lamp, after which the plate should be properly coated again with the drop method. Do not forget that you must first degrease the surface to prevent the base from rolling and applying it evenly. Besides, the first thin layer of the base will serve as a good basis for further application.
In order to make sure that the coverage is even, turn your hand palm up and evaluate the new shape from this angle: it will show a smooth transition of the plate from the end to the center. A glossy uniform sheen on the surface will tell you about the correct correction, which is easy to check thanks to good lighting.
Usage Tips
Before applying the base for gel polish, it is necessary to treat the surface of the nail plate with a buff and then thoroughly degrease it;
- If the cover is being assembled or rolled up, then this is the first "bell" about insufficient processing of the nail and the presence of a lipid film on its surface;
- The base is applied only on a dry nail., otherwise it will begin to blur and lie unevenly;
- How to understand if the base is dry: dry it in the lamp for 1-2 minutes, depending on the power of the accessory;
- It must be dried at maximum lamp power. and for the time recommended by the manufacturer.
How to choose
The choice of base should be based on the initial condition of the nails and the desired result. The rubber base is used for:
- Creating the right curved nail shape and natural curve;
- Filling grooves and cracks;
- Seals;
- plate protection from getting gel pigment;
- Creations denser, thick texture.
A classic base with an unsaturated texture of medium density is suitable for healthy, naturally strong nails. In any case, it is necessary to use it before applying the gel polish itself, regardless of how long you plan to wear it.
What to replace
In a three-stage system for applying gel polish, it is impossible to replace the base. Ignoring its use will lead to unstable and poor-quality coverage., damage to your own nails due to their coloring in pigment. Nails will become brittle, thin, if you neglect the base for gel polish. Women are interested in whether it is possible to replace the base with a regular strengthening base. If you plan to use gel polish and a lamp, then you cannot replace the base intended for this procedure.
Reviews
According to women, the best base is the professional basis of CND. It is commonly used in salons or professional home craftsmen. The best budget base is Kodi. It has a rubber base and fits well on the nail, adheres it to the gel and is worn for a long time. The rating of the best bases for gel polish is often headed by the budget Bluesky due to the thick texture and the possibility of forming a durable coating and a new form of marigolds.
In the next video, we will look at different types of rubber bases, analyze the consistency, and also share secrets with you.