Let’s be real for a second here ladies, there’s getting your nails done and there’s getting your nails done. I’m not totally sure I knew there was a difference before I paid a visit to Base Coat nail salon in the DTLA Arts District last week, but my oh my… have my horizons been broadened. Like most pampering involved appointments, you hope to have “an experience” and at Base Coat a well rounded experience is exactly what you get. For me it’s not just the fact that I’ll get a nice manicure/pedicure, you can get those just about anywhere in LA, but what really sets Base Coat apart is how they offer their services and the standard to which they uphold themselves.
The genius that is Base Coat starts with just a wonderful highly curated and *highly photogenic* space that is ideal for a little relaxation. Then it goes on to offering customers beverages, including everything from sparkling water to kombucha or even champagne/wine. From there you have several choices in how you would preferrably like to “treat yo self” – Base Coat is founded on being a non-toxic nail salon and only uses the highest quality products. “Our custom formulated creams, scrubs and oils used in all of the services at Base Coat Nail Salon™ are vegan friendly, scented with only essential oils, plant based preservatives and never contain petrochemicals, parabens, sulfates or any other harmful chemicals.”- Base Coat. Their nail polish is equally as impressive being “8-Free” (aka they do not contain Dibutyl Phthalate, Toluene, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Camphor, Ethyl Tosylamide, Xylene, and Parabens) and their Gel polishes are “10-Free”, which is just insane and insanely incredible.
My nails haven’t been without nail polish a day since I was under the age of 10 – seriously. My nail game be strong, and for the past 3-4 years I have been consistently getting Gel manicures. I always loved the idea of these “green” nail salons but none of them ever seemed to offer Gel manicures – that is until about a month ago when Base Coat came along and changed the whole game.
I’d heard so many incredible things from friends who’d gone in to Base Coat to check it out, and despite my hesitations towards the prices I had a pretty good feeling it’d all be well worth it. I got the “Base Coat” pedicure and the “10 Free Oxygenating Gel Manicure” and am still blown away by the quality of this mani/pedi. From the gel removal with the little steam machine, to the best foot massage on the planet, to the *PERFECTLY* applied nail polish… I’m head over heels obsessed. I can say with complete and total confidence I’ve never had a better manicure/pedicure in my life. The experience makes it genuinely all the more enjoyable but at the end of the day, the estheticians at Base Coat do a really really fantastic job.
I would be in Base Coat every other week if it weren’t for the cost. Don’t doubt for a second that I’m not constantly trying to think of ways to justify adding a $100-$300 budget a month for Base Coat manis/pedis. But truth be told if the quality of this gel holds up (which even in one week it looks like I just got them done) the likelihood of Base Coat becoming my home base nail salon is pretttty damn high. I feel good knowing that I’m paying for not only a wonderful and enjoyable experience, but also for quality: quality service/work and quality products. In this case you clearly get what you pay for.
If you are in need of some “me time” and fun way to “treat yo self”… Base Coat is the ticket. Trust me on this one. GO GET YO FANCY NAIL ON GIRL, HECK THROW SOME NAIL ART ON IT.
BASE COAT // DTLA – 704 Mateo St Los Angeles // FAIRFAX location coming soon!!!
Leave a Reply