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Illamasqua Nail Base Coat

What it is:A base coat for nails.What it does:True artists always prepare their canvas. Prime your nails with Illamasqua Nail Base Coat before applying Illamasqua Nail Varnish. It glides easily onto nails to create a fast-drying protective layer that maximizes color adhesion and eliminates staining. It can be used on its own for a clear, high-gloss finish.
Average Rating:
4.609 out of 5
4.6
 out of 
5
Open Ratings Snapshot
23 reviews
5 stars
17
4 stars
3
3 stars
3
2 stars
0
1 star
0
Sort by reviews for Illamasqua Nail Base Coat
Review 1 for Nail Base Coat
pinkfully8
Location:Queens, NY
Skin Tone:Medium
Eye Color:Brown
Age:25-34
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
One of my best investments!
-05.03.13
Quick Take: fast-drying
I knew there was a reason this base coat is always sold out online... It's that good!!! I found it at the store and I grabbed it immediately. (There was only 2 left.) I've used it twice already and it really creates a nice canvas to my manicure. Hope this base coat never discontinues.
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 2 for Nail Base Coat
juliejolie
Location:Los Angeles, CA
Skin Tone:Medium
Eye Color:Brown
Age:25-34
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
The Best!
-12.05.12
Quick Take: fast-drying
This is so far the best base coat i've ever used (better than Seche, OPI).
It works as a good nail foundation, great ridge filler, and dries quickly.
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 3 for Nail Base Coat
wowaudrey
Location:Los Altos, CA
Age:18-24
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Base Coat
-08.26.12
Quick Take: tan
I like the tan color because it acts as a sort of nail foundation and makes the nails nice and smooth.
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 4 for Nail Base Coat
danainaz
Location:Ahwatukee, AZ
Age:35-44
3 out of 5
3 out of 5
Nice base, not sure it helps wear
-08.23.12
Quick Take: not super
I do love this because it dries quickly and could stand alone as a nice look for natural nails. I bought this along with 2 shades of the Illamasqua nail color, and I'm not convinced it improves wear.
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
Review 5 for Nail Base Coat
am2010
Location:Houston, TX
Skin Tone:Fair
Eye Color:Blue
Age:18-24
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
A necessity!
-07.07.12
Quick Take: long wearing, fast-drying, chip resistent
What have I done without this? I dries quickly,helps any nail polish go on more smoothly, it stops staining (I'm addicted to red nail polish), and it also works well on it's own or as a top coat.
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
Review 6 for Nail Base Coat
selenalachelle
Location:Mexico City, Mexico
Eye Color:Brown
Skin Tone:Olive
Age:25-34
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Truly surprising!
-01.18.12
Quick Take: long wearing, versatile
I decided to treat myself and purchased this along with Nail, Inc. Caviar Top Coat. After my first use I was disatisfied with the top coat, but very happy with the Illamasqua product, and decided to do an experiment. I used my Illamasqua base as if it were my top coat as well-and I enjoyed a mani/pedi that shone through a week-long beach vacation, followed by a few extra days of Christmas festivities! I will definitely buy this product again!
+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
Review 7 for Nail Base Coat
peccavi
Location:BFE
Eye Color:Hazel
Skin Tone:Fair
Age:18-24
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Great basecoat!
-01.11.12
Quick Take: chip resistent, long wearing, fast-drying
Best thing since sliced bread. My nails are constantly dry in the winter so my polish always chips. I was looking for a decent base coat so I ordered this one... and it definitely does the job! Dries quick and takes a whole lot to chip. The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because the cap literally fell off not even 5 minutes after I took it out of the box... you'd think for the price the packaging would be designed with quality in mind, however I have absolutely nothing bad to say about the contents.
+1point
2out of 3found this review helpful.
Review 8 for Nail Base Coat
sam89
Location:NYC, NY
Eye Color:Brown
Skin Tone:Medium
Age:18-24
3 out of 5
3 out of 5
Good for what it's been so far
-08.16.11
Quick Take: long wearing, fast-drying, smoothing
Pretty generic, Definitly any cloudy ecrue colored base is a better smooth surface for a nail base. My toes haven't budged at all but I am an artist and my fingers have chipped but I also use hand sanitized multiple times a day
-2points
0out of 2found this review helpful.
Review 9 for Nail Base Coat
dreamyone
Location:LET'S ALL BE KIND TO EACH OTHER
Eye Color:Brown
Skin Tone:Light
Age:45-54
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
PROTECTS NAILS FROM DISCOLORATION FROM DARK POLISH
-07.07.11
Quick Take: long wearing, fast-drying, protective
I very rarely use a base coat, because I like to change polish almost daily. Using a base coat, adds to drying time, and if I had to wait for base and top coats to dry, I wouldn't be able to change my polish everyday. However, some of the darker polishes need base coats so that they don't discolor nails. My friend and I gave each other pedicures and manicures at her house, and used dark shades, so we used her Illamasqua Nail Base Coat which dried quickly and protected my nails from the dark shade of polish I used. I didn't use it on my toes, but just applied polish, and that shade did discolor slightly my toe nails, though not my fingernails which had the Illamasqua Nail Base Coat to protect it. It didn't chip, nor did the polish. I'm pleased with this base coat.
+1point
3out of 5found this review helpful.
Review 10 for Nail Base Coat
bobbiebrown123
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
-06.07.11
Quick Take: very useful
i never understood the need for a base coat before, but it does actually prevents your nails from yellowing. i love wearing outragous colours and this helps to not leave a stain behind when you remove the nail varnish!
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 11 for Nail Base Coat
denimndiamonds
Location:Stow MA
Eye Color:Brown
Skin Tone:Fair
Age:35-44
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
One of the best
-05.02.11
I seem to of tried every base coat out there and keep coming back to this one. It actually keeps the color from setting into my nails ( and we know reds and navys do stain!). Seems to keep my nails in healthier shape too.
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 12 for Nail Base Coat
superwoman611
Location:San Francisco, CA
Eye Color:Green
Skin Tone:Light
Age:25-34
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
fav. base coat
-01.28.11
Quick Take: long wearing
this is my fav. base coat. makes polishes last and protects your nails from yellowing. love love love!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 13 for Nail Base Coat
greeneyes9
Location:Texas
Eye Color:Green
Skin Tone:Fair
Age:25-34
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
-07.13.10
Quick Take: chip resistent, long wearing, fast-drying
great basecoat (my review is below) also, i just wanted to add that is works amazing as a topcoat too! love Illamasqua products! :)
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 14 for Nail Base Coat
UrbanFan
Location:Honolulu, HI
Eye Color:Brown
Skin Tone:Fair
Age:35-44
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
a good start
-06.11.10
Quick Take: long wearing
This base coat creates a perfectly smooth nail for polish.
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 15 for Nail Base Coat
babidollface
Location:CA
Eye Color:Green
Skin Tone:Medium
Age:18-24
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Long wearing, chip resistant
-05.06.10
Quick Take: fast-drying, chip resistent, long wearing
I usually never wear nail polishes because they usually chip, end up looking bad and dry my nails up. But Illamasqua's Nail Varnish does quite the opposite. It has a wonderful range of colors, all which are long wearing and stay put for more than a week.
The polish is a bit runny but it's quite easy to apply and evens out on your nail by itself. For the glossy colors, only one coat did the job for me and it didn't even feel like I was wearing nail polish.
I have Loella and Ruthless and both colors look amazing on me. Loella is a pink, pom pom like glitzy color while Ruthless is a wonderful shade of red.
-8points
2out of 12found this review helpful.
Review 16 for Nail Base Coat
babidollface
Location:CA
Eye Color:Green
Skin Tone:Medium
Age:18-24
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Long wearing, chip resistant
-05.02.10
Quick Take: fast-drying, chip resistent, long wearing
I usually never wear nail polishes because they usually chip, end up looking bad and dry my nails up. But Illamasqua's Nail Varnish does quite the opposite. It has a wonderful range of colors, all which are long wearing and stay put for more than a week.
The polish is a bit runny but it's quite easy to apply and evens out on your nail by itself. For the glossy colors, only one coat did the job for me and it didn't even feel like I was wearing nail polish.
I have Loella and Ruthless and both colors look amazing on me. Loella is a pink, pom pom like glitzy color while Ruthless is a wonderful shade of red.
-1point
2out of 5found this review helpful.
Review 17 for Nail Base Coat
greeneyes9
Location:Texas
Eye Color:Green
Skin Tone:Fair
Age:25-34
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
LOVE Illamasqua nail products!
-04.27.10
Quick Take: fast-drying, chip resistent, long wearing, amazing
After reading the reviews and noticing my stained nails (gasp, I know) I decided to try this base coat with my AMAZING Illamasqua nail varnishs - IT IS WONDERFUL.
With my Illamasqua nail varnishs, I'm able to get about a week of very very little chipping etc etc. which is great by itself - but this base coat extends the life of my nails even longer and I don't think I'll ever be without it! Illamasqua is so much better than Dior, Chanel or even OPI nail products, you won't be disappointed!
(also, this base coat looks great on its own!)
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 18 for Nail Base Coat
grammargrrrl
Location:Hudson Valley, NY
Eye Color:Brown
Skin Tone:Light
Age:25-34
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Give it a try
-03.24.10
Quick Take: chip resistent, long wearing
When I recently got out my box of nail polishes, I realized that my OPI base coat was impossibly glued shut. Arrgh! Lucky for me, I was just about to place an order with Sephora, so I added this base coat to my order. After trying it out, I am happy to say that it was worth the price! I used it under a few coats of NARS nail polish (in Orgasm, quite possibly one of the greatest make-up shades of all-time, right up there with Clinique's Black Honey). My nail polish lasted about a week with only minor chips. The base coat definitely made a difference. Even as I was applying the polish, I could tell that the base coat made my nails smoother than other base coats I have tried, and the polish seemed to adhere better to it. I'm glad I got it!
-1point
0out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 19 for Nail Base Coat
tenngal
Location:Tennessee
Eye Color:Blue
Skin Tone:Fair
Age:35-44
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Works great...
-03.17.10
This base coat does the job it promises. When I apply this my nail polish goes on smoother and it keeps the polish from chipping or fading much longer than when I don't use this before polishing. It really does make a major difference in the look and lasting effect of my polish. It's definitely worth the extra step of applying this before polishing. It's quick-drying, too. Great product.
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 20 for Nail Base Coat
lalalammmm
Eye Color:Brown
Age:25-34
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
staying power
-03.04.10
Quick Take: chip resistent
i read the previous reviews and then bought it... the base coat gives ANY nail polish staying power and less chips which is key when wearing dark colors.
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
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