Want a Salon-Quality Mani for Less? These Are the Best Base Coats to Prep Your Nails for Polish

Doing your nails can feel like a tedious task—between filing, manicuring your cuticles, and waiting for your polish to dry, you may be tempted to cut some corners to speed things up. While a base coat might seem like something you can skip when painting your nails at home, we spoke to some experts who say it's a must. "A base coat is the foundation of any manicure application; it creates a sticky layer for your nail lacquer to adhere to," explains nail artist Christine Doan of Gloss House. But that's not all. Nadine Abramcyk, nailcare expert and the co-founder of Ten Over Ten, tells Byrdie: "A base coat provides a smooth canvas for a salon-worthy manicure from home. It also helps keep your polish durable and prevents it from peeling or chipping." Clearly, there’s a lot to look into when picking out the best base coat. So we conducted hours of research, evaluating them on price, benefits, reviews, and overall value. After consulting with our experts and considering dozens of options, we...