Tips On Tuesday: Using a Basecoat & Topcoat!

Happy Tuesday!
So what is the big deal with using base coats anyway?

There are a ton of base coats out there that do a variety of different things. Some base coats will help strengthen or harden weak or thin nails. While others will heal dry, brittle nails and prevent splitting and peeling. Others can help your nails grow faster. There are even base coats that will fill any ridges you have in your nails, smoothing out the surface.

Using a base coat protects your nails from the nail polish and will help prevent staining. St. Patricks Day is coming up this weekend and those of you sporting green polish without a base coat might end up with an interesting shade of green stained nails afterwards. Eek!

I have tried a ton of different base coats but my fall back is almost always 

Sally Hansen's Maximum Growth Treatment.

One coat does the trick and drying time is so quick!

If you polish your nails as often as I do, you will be finding you'll run out of both your base coat and your top coats pretty fast. Because I think using a base coat is so important, I often will skimp on spending too much on a top coat. Which is why my top coat of choice is 

NYC In a New York Minute.

This Top coat is seriously the best top coat I have EVER had. At $1.99 it is a total bargain to boot!

The NYC Extra Shiny Top Coat also works pretty well. This one is only $0.99!

While Base Coats protect your nails, top coats protect your manicure and keep it looking shiny for longer. I find that using a top coat helps prevent against chipping and will all around keep your nails looking nicer.

Don't forget, the key to nice nails and a long lasting manicure is using a moisturizer in addition to your base and top coats!

:)