Is there a difference between base coat and top coat?

My daughter asked me this question and I'll admit, I really didn't know if there was much of a difference so I decided to investigate...

A base coat provides a protective barrier between the nailbed and the colored polish, so that the color doesn't stain the nail.  The base coat also has ingredients in the polish to help adhere the polish to the nail surface, whereas the top coat doesn't contain those ingredients.

Base coats also contain ingredients that help strengthen nails.

 

Base coats also are a bit rougher to the touch. They aren't nearly as smooth as the follow-up top coat.

 

The top coat is more of a varnish type substance that has extra shine. Have you ever noticed how dull base coat is? The top coat has ingredients that make the nail polish extra shiny and helps protect the nail color below.

 

The top coat also dries much faster than the base coat, because it's usually thinner.

 

So why can't you skip the base coat and just apply the top coat in place of the base coat? You could, but you'll be re-doing your nail polish very soon afterward. Top coat is quite thin and doesn't bond well with the nailbed surface. 

I hope that helped clear up some of the confusion about top and base coats. 

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