The Arsenal – Nubar Foundation Base Coat
I get a lot of questions and comments regarding the tools and treatment products I use to keep my nails healthy and in tip top shape. Since my routine changes as I test new products, I’ve launched, The Arsenal, to share with you the items that are “must haves” in my nail kit.
The bare bones basics of any good manicure is base coat, top coat and color. I’ve shared with you one of my all-time fave top coats but I’ve never dedicated a post to base coats. Obviously this is long overdue!
I’ve been a fan of CND Stickey for forever and a day. I even posted about the “Stickey Sandwich” method back when ALU was just a baby. However Stickey has a major competitor for the “holy grail” crown in Nubar Foundation Base Coat.
I’ve had bottles of Foundation Base Coat floating around the polish room for years now but it wasn’t until I ran out of Stickey that I discovered its magical powers. It doesn’t dry tacky like Stickey or Orly Bonder but Foundation Base Coat grips on like glue. I get amazing wear every time I use it. And although it’s not a ridge filler, it provides a smooth surface for the polish to glide along even in spite of my less than stellar nail beds. I told you it was magic.
Nubar Foundation Base Coat can be purchased online from ByNubar.com for $6.99. The shipping is steep though so I suggest banding together with some friends to hit the $75 limit for free shipping.
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
my current HG topcoat is nfu.oh trainer I. it is making my weak nails quite strong
Very interesting. I have started to use Nu Nail from Nubar to strengthen my nails after bad experience with Nail Tek Foundation. Now I wanna buy this Nubar Foundation :))
I adore Nubar, so I absolutely need this! Thank you for the heads up!
xoxo
I received 2 bottles with an order that I put in (the green and brown collections), and absolutely love it! I agree with your review and thank you for sharing the raves with everyone…it tops my list of basecoats!
My HG of base coat are OPI’s Nail Envy and IA overkill I know – but my nails are nice and strong! I will try the Nubar one next time I place an order.
The shipping costs at bynubar.com are ridiculous. I keep hearing about how great Nubar polishes are, but don’t think I’ve ever seen them in person.
So, I went to order a bottle to give it a try and the estimated shipping was $12! For one bottle? Seriously?! Are they shipping from their warehouse in Antarctica? I don’t understand.
Are there any beauty store chains that carry this, or do I have to go on the salon hunt?
Thanks for sharing this! My cabinets are also littered with base and top coats in the hopes of finding the magic formula, but darn I wish I could find it in person. Know of any NYC locations or is it strictly online?
I only order from Nubar when they are running a free or reduced shipping rate special now. Their shipping costs went up sometime last year, I think; that slammed the brakes on any more orders from me, unless there’s a special. It’s a total shame, because Nubar polish is fabulous, and they have such gorgeous duochromes- needless to say, I’d buy SO much more of their product if it weren’t for their outrageously exorbitant shipping costs…
Use your heads, Nubar- you don’t tack on crazy-ass high shipping charges to your fairly expensive nail polish in the middle of the worst recession this country has seen since the great depression- DUH…
Well said, ReaderRita; as the old saying goes, “It’s the Economy, Stupid.”
Will this Foundation Base Coat work well with the new Orly Plastix Satin Finish Nail Polishes? Thank you.
I got it on Ebay for 6.50 and 1.75 shipping !
Nice! Good ol’ Ebay. Thanks for the tip.
Is this base coat one that can be used with Zoya polishes? Also, is the Quick & Slick Top Coat one that can be used with Zoya polishes?
Hi Ashley,
I have used this base coat with many polishes (OPI, Zoya, Nubar, China Glaze, Sally Hansen, Butter London…to name a few…:) ), and it works beautifully with everything I own. I can’t comment on the top coat you mentioned, though…
im using orly mini top 2 bottom and opi base coat hopping to get more due time :/
greetings and my compliments on a great site…i love it.
now – back to the issue at hand, i have gotten my first shipment of nubar duochromes., while i agree the shipping is flat out BS, it’s better to order in bulk then it doesn’t sting as bad. i got – peacock feathers, purple beach ,moonshadow
iris dust, star dust, indigo illusion & wildlife., YAYYYY.
i was heartbroken when i tried moonshadow using my usual stuff with 3 coats of color (base & top) and it was an allout chipfest!!!!
but after reading your recommendations about good base coats for nubars i went to my local ulta and picked up a bottle of your hg stickey and seche vite dry fast topcoat (i need a boatload of that!) BUT i also got a bottle of china glaze strong adhesion base coat and figured i’d try it cause it waas cheaper – and let me tell ya – it IS THE BOMB! it dries completely, and my nubar purple beach went on like a dream. i literally got bottle color from ONE COAT. WOW!!!!
anyway, i just wanted to thank you for the great info and let you know (if you already didn’t) about the china glaze base coat.
thanks again and keep up the awesomeness!!!!!
I’m not sure what it is but I bought this (on Amazon) and I don’t find that it works that well for me. I’ve used this as a base for my polishes a handful of times now and several hours later it’ll start peeling right off my nail. It’s especially bad when I shower; when it gets wet it’s like it just loses all grip from my nail. I’m kind of glad I bought this on Amazon and didn’t spend the $$ on shipping from their site. But it’s kind of disappointing nonetheless.
I’m sorry you had such bad luck with it. I know so many people who swear by it, including myself. I wonder if it was poorly stored, like in excessive heat.