The Best Base Coats That Will Actually Help Your Manicure Last

Without a colour-sealing, shine-enhancing topcoat, chipping is all but guaranteed the second you tear open a package from Free People or snap open a can of Diet Coke at 3 p.m. But a base-coat is just as important when it comes to acing your DIY manicure.

Not only will a base-coat ensure your nail colour of choice sticks around for much longer, but it prevents darker hues from staining your nails. Some are even packed with nail-nourishing ingredients to keep flakiness and dryness from ruining the finished result.

So we asked for a professional opinion on the best formulas that actually safeguard against those seemingly inevitable nicks and polish divots. Ahead, celebrity nail artist Naomi Yasuda breaks down her favourite base-coat polishes to keep your mani chip-free through super-crazy days — or, if you're really lucky, a full week.