How to choose a camouflage base and not buy the wrong shade
A camouflage base does two jobs at once: it evens out the nail plate and provides color. Because of this, a neat nude in two layers already looks like a finished manicure, and that is why most masters keep several basic shades in their work, while colored ones are purchased selectively.
It's faster to search by line, not by color
The “Collection” filter is actually a list of manufacturer lines, and there are over sixty of them: Cover Base, French Base, Tint Base, Nude Base, Shimmer Base, Opal, Reflective, Thermo, Cat Eye Base, Potal Base. If you already know what you are working with, this is the shortest path. The “Color” filter is needed for a different task — choosing a shade from scratch: nude, beige and brown and white and milky cover most “clean” jobs, pink for French and baby boomer.
One detail about color groups: a card can have two of them. The grayish-lilac HEYLOVE Tint base TAUPE is labeled both as nude and purple, so look for “borderline” shades in both groups, not just one.
The shade number works only together with the brand
#01 in SHELLY, №1 in DA’23, №01 in Adore French Base and #011 in F.O.X are four different colors. From stories or videos, usually only the number comes, so look for the “brand + line + number” combination: most cards have all three, e.g. ADORE. French Base, №19, Sand, 15 ml. Some positions have no number at all — certain KODI bases are labeled only with words: Ultimate Grey, Storm.
Volumes 7, 8, 12, 14, 15, 30 are not typos
Each manufacturer has its own bottle sizes: KODI — 7 and 8 ml, SHELLY — 12, F.O.X — 14 and 30, HEYLOVE Tint base — 15, the largest formats go up to 50 ml. The same shade in two volumes is two separate cards with the same photo and name, the only difference is the number and price. For an unfamiliar color, it is wiser to take a small bottle: dense camouflages that “didn’t work” then sit in a drawer for years.
When color is not the main criterion
The “Property” filter covers what is not visible in the photo. “Cold / no burning” and “Low-acid” — when a client complains about burning in the lamp. “With fibers / Fiber” — if you need to strengthen the plate with the base. “No strong odor / NO HEMA, 7-14 FREE” — for those who consciously avoid HEMA. Effects also live there: “cat eye”, reflective, thermo, with mother-of-pearl and with potal — all these are camouflage and colored bases, not gel polishes.
What “DISCOUNT” means in the name
In the grid, next to regular cards, there are positions starting with “DISCOUNT / …”. This is the same product with damaged packaging or a short shelf life, placed as a separate card and cheaper. For material that will be used soon, this is a normal option; if you are buying for stock, look at the regular card.
Where to go next
If you don’t need color and only need adhesion and leveling — transparent bases. Finish — tops. If you need color as color, not as a base under it, check gel polishes. The full list of brands is on the brands page.
