How Proper Product Pairing Prevents Lifting, Chipping, Dullness and More

When clients admire a set of nails, they usually rave about the color, shape, or artwork—but nail professionals know the real magic lies underneath and on top. Your base and top coats are the foundation and the finishing armor of every service, and choosing the right ones can mean the difference between nails that last 2 weeks… and nails that lift in 2 days.

With Light Elegance systems, base and top selection isn’t just important—it’s essential. Here’s why these “unsung heroes” deserve center stage, and how picking the right pair can prevent nearly every common service breakdown.

1. Lifting Starts at the Base, Literally

One of the most common service issues is premature lifting, especially at the cuticle and sidewalls. While improper prep can play a role, the base coat is often the overlooked culprit.

What goes wrong:

• Using a base coat not designed for the gel you're applying

• Inadequate adhesion for the client’s nail type

• Too much flexibility or too much rigidity in the base/builder layer

• Skipping a bonding agent entirely

How LE solves it:

Tack Bonding Agent is the gold standard for adhesion.
It creates a superior “sticky layer” that grips both hard gels (Lexy Line) and JimmyGel for long wear.

Perfect for:

• Nail biters

• Oily nails

• Clients who lift easily

• High-impact lifestyles

• Hard gel services
  
  
  

For gel-polish clients or those needing a softer, soak-off base, pairing P+ QDbase with P+ provides flexible adhesion that moves with the natural nail.

Bottom line:

Pick the correct base, and lifting becomes a rarity, not a norm.

2. Cracking and Chipping? That’s a Base/Top Compatibility Issue

When clients experience cracking, the issue is often blamed on gel polish or color, but the problem usually sits in the foundation or the finish.

Cracking is caused by:

• A base that is too flexible under a rigid builder

• A top coat that is too rigid over a flexible system

• Incompatible systems layered together

• Insufficient structure beneath the color

How to fix it:

Match flexibility with flexibility.
Match strength with strength.
This is where Light Elegance shines.

• JimmyGel + Super Shiny = perfect for durable structured overlays

• Lexy Line + Super Shiny = ideal for high-impact clients who need rigidity

• P+ No Wipe Top Coat = flexible and soak-off friendly for natural-nail clients

• P+ QDbase under P+ = prevents cracking on natural nail manicures
  
  
  

Tech Tip:

If a client consistently cracks nails at the free edge, switch them to a stronger base like Tack + JimmyGel and finish with Super Shiny for durability.

3. Peeling Color Can Be a Silent Base Issue

When gel polish “shells off” in a single piece, the problem is rarely the color—it’s likely the base (or insufficient prep).

Peeling happens when:

• The base isn’t bonded properly

• The nail plate isn’t dehydrated

• The base doesn’t match the service or gel system

• Too much or too little base was applied

LE Solutions:

• P+ QDbase for soak-off clients needing flexible color wear

• Tack + JimmyGel for clients needing structure under their color

• Airbond + Tack + Lexy Line for hard gel services that must lock in place

4. Dullness, Scratches & Staining? The Right Top Coat Fixes Everything

A shiny finish is expected, but a long-lasting shine is what sets professionals apart. When clients come back with dull or stained nails, it’s often a top-coat mismatch.

Dullness typically stems from:

• A top coat that’s too soft for the client’s lifestyle

• Improper cure times

• Using a gel-polish top on a hard-gel service

• Heavy chemical exposure (stylists, healthcare, frequent cleaners)

Which LE top coat to choose:

• Super Shiny: Ultra-durable, stain-resistant, perfect for hard gel

• Flat Matte: Strong matte finish

• P+ Top Coat: Optimized for high shine with soak-off P+ wear

Hairdresser clients?

Always reach for Super Shiny—its stain resistance against hair color is exceptional.

5. Chalking, Pitting or Uneven Shine? Cure Time Is Key

Sometimes the top coat isn’t the problem, the quality of the cure is.

Under-curing leads to:

• Soft or cloudy finish

• Scratching or peeling

• Wrinkling

• Premature chipping

Solution:

Use our LEDdot lamp, calibrated perfectly for Light Elegance chemistry.
You’ll get a consistent, fully cured, salon-perfect finish every time.

6. When in Doubt, Keep It in the Family

The biggest preventable service issues come from mixing formulas, brands, and chemistries that were never meant to work together.

Every LE base, top, color, and builder is formulated to chemically align and cure together flawlessly.

The safest rule:

Stick with LE from start to finish → fewer breakdowns, longer wear, happier clients.

Why Your Base + Top Coats Deserve More Credit

They’re not an afterthought—they’re the stability, adhesion, protection and beauty that your entire service relies on.

The right base prevents:

• Lifting

• Peeling

• Cracking

The right top prevents:

• Dullness

• Staining

• Scratching

• Weakening of the enhancement

Together, they turn a good service into a great one—and a great service into one that lasts 3+ weeks with confidence. Shop our award winning bonding and finishing products here!