Hello ladies,
Today I wanted to share my experience using Nubar Foundation Base Coat and Diamont Top Coat. I'm glad I had the opportunity to test big three free treatments from Nubar. These products are formaldehyde free, toluene free and pthalate (DBP) free. I am aware that some readers are very concerned about what chemicals are present in their nail care regimen. I want to honor that choice in adding Foundation and Diamont to the Apothecary section.
Nubar Foundation Base Coat and Diamont are the best performing big three free treatments I have tried. Foundation Base Coat remains sticky to the touch after painting to help secure color to the nail. The formula is slightly less tacky than CND Stickey, but reasonably similar. The consistency is thin and it adheres evenly.
Diamont is spectacular. It's a fast dry topcoat that hardens polish in minutes. Diamont is self leveling. It delivers a smooth, glassy layer over color with no visible brush stokes. As with most quick dry topcoats, application requires a good amount of product on the brush to glide over and seal the nail. I start with a large drop at the base the nail and use three quick strokes to complete the manicure.
Diamont works well as a layer beneath Konad stamping. It dries polish quickly and lessens waiting before stamping can occur. I had no trouble with the designs transferring cleanly. I also used Diamont over Konad special topcoat and it sealed the manicure perfectly with no issues.
I appreciate how the formulas work with my Nubar polishes and I will continue to use them as part of their system of color. However, I prefer the older formula CND Stickey and Air Dry as my go to base and top coats with other brands. I really like the way formaldehyde resin works as a hardener. I haven't found a single big three free formula that can mimic formaldehyde resin. My nails feel more flexible with Foundation and Diamont. I noticed a similar affect with Zoya Anchor and Armor. Some might argue that formaldehyde resin makes nails too rigid and leaves them prone to breaking. I disagree. I have some damage to my right thumbnail. I noticed using a big three free formula that slight bit of fine surface cracking was starting to feel textural once I removed my polish. After a week without formaldehyde resin, the corner of my nail chipped off. It had been holding together for months. Returning to Stickey and Shiney, my thumb nail feels smooth again to the touch and strong. For preserving nail length, I love my chemicals.
Despite issues I have with big three free treatments, I do think Nubar created the best available with Foundation base coat and Diamont top coat. I will use them with my Nubar polishes and can recommend them as quality treatments. Both are available at bynubar.com.