Monday, January 23, 2012

butter LONDON Nail Foundation Base Coat & Hardwear Top Coat Review

This is the review I've dreaded writing. A few months ago I gave a poor review of butter LONDON Artful Dodger. I had chipping problems within a day with this polish. After I posted that review, someone from butter LONDON was kind enough to write me and offered to send me their Nail Foundation base coat and Hardwear top coat to try with Artful Dodger. They felt that with their brand specific top coat and base coat I would have better luck. The problem is I did not.

I have held on to this base coat and top coat for almost 3 months, and I've tried it 2 times with Artful Dodger. I've tried it wither various other nail polishes, and have not had favorable results. I've hesitated posting this, in hopes maybe with another test run I can get the results I want. This did not happen. I feel terrible about it too, since these products are not cheap and they sent them for me to review. I have to be honest with you all though. That is what is most important. 


Here are the two treatments.

I will say that I do like the base coat in the sense that is not clear. It mattifies the nail and gives your nail a smooth even appearance. I noticed myself using less coats of polish when I used this base coat. The issue I have is I did not notice this either using it on its own with a different top coat or using it with the butter LONDON top coat to have any longer wear time usual. I tried this with the butter LONDON polish and with  other polish brands and experienced similar chipping issues. 

The top coat, is a quick dry, but is definitely less quick drying than other top coats I've used. I did not find it alone used with a different base coat or used with the butter LONDON base coat to have any longer wear time either. The same be said for when it was used with other polishes brands other than butter LONDON. 

Here is a picture of me wearing Artful Dodger using the butter LONDON top coat and base coat immediately after a doing my nails


This is two days later


Tip wear and a huge chunk out of my pinky.

On my other hand I used my typical top coat Poshe and base coat of Gelous. This is right after doing my nails.


This is 2 days later


Similar results as with the butter LONDON top coat and base coat.  Chips and tip wear.

What can I say? This was my second test run, and probably my 10th time using them individually or together on different brands of polish. This did not work for me. I'd expect for a brand polish that is $14 that I can get more than 2 days of wear on it. I'd especially assume that the base coat and top coat being $18 each I'd get superior wear than I would with any other top coat and base coat. 

It can very well be that butter LONDON and me just do not mix well. It wasn't meant to be! I love their color selection. I think they are a creative and sophisticated brand, but this chipping issue is frustrating. I do appreciate them offering to let me try these products. If you have had chipping issues with butter LONDON I do not think their base coat or top coat will solve your problems. Save your money! I'm sorry this did not work out for me because I had high hopes. I'm sorry for the lengthy review too. 

*These products were sent to me for review by butter LONDON

Happy Monday!

29 comments:

  1. Oh man! I know exactly how you feel. There are certain brands that just don't 'work' with me and not just polish- makeup and perfume too! butterLondon is actually one of the few that does though, I get great wear out of their polishes. On the other hand, Chanel polishes chip really quickly and Cargo cosmetics last approx. 2 hours on my face. 
    It's super disappointing, especially when these products are more high end. I'd expect more money spent = better quality, but that isn't always the case. :/

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  2. That's a shame that it didn't work out for you, the polish itself is gorgeous! I haven't tried their top coat or base coat. I have 3 Butter London polishes but I've only worn one of them so far, Wallis and it wore on me for 6 days before I even got tip wear!

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  3. I think as with everything, its a case of YMMV.  Your lucky that polish lasts on you longer than 2 days!  I find it interesting how some people can wear polish for a week with it looking flawless.  I use to not be able to go a single day without chips!  Then I found my HG basecoat, and I realized I could wear polish for more than a day (not that I do) without chips.

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  4. I had really bad chipping with Butter London too! It stinks because they have such gorgeous colors, but I don't want to pay $14 for something that chips to hell immediately. I'm jealous of Rie's 6 days of wear from Wallis!

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  5. I appreciate the longer review - you've definitely given it a good try, but it's clear that it just didn't work for you. It would be nice if they did, but wishing doesn't make it so. I admit that I've had better results with the one Butter London polish I own, which makes me think you may be right that they just don't work on you. (I'm about to give up on a different brand that others love because I never fail to have problems with it.) As I think I've mentioned before I place more trust blogs that post honest reviews when something doesn't work.

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  6. That's a shame Butter London polishes haven't worked on you, because they sure make some pretty ones. Interesting how different polishes react differently on people.

    I really love Butter London, but I probably get at most 3 days of wear with them. However, since I change my nail polish so often, I probably don't even notice.

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  7. Bummer they didn't work for you. I have been wearing HRH by them on my toes with sally hansen top coat and zoya base coat and I have gotten minimal chipping in almost a month I'd say, so I'm a fan!

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  8. I also like a base that is not clear. I use Orly Anchor that is a cream color. Having a color lets me know I got a good even base coverage. While I don't have yellowing to my natural nails, I would think having a color in the base would help neutralize the yellow as well. I also am not a fan of Butter London due to the chipping and over all lack of good wear esp at their price point. The only ones that stay on for me are their glitters and I am not a big fan of their glitters.

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  9. I think this may have to do more with body chemistry. All butter london polishes work fine on me with or without their base coat and topcoat. I don't think that people should save their money, but maybe wait for a sale so they can see if butter london works with their body chemistry. 

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  10. Thank you so much for your honest review. I feel you are speaking to your followers/readers and not being a mouthpiece for a product company.
    As I have read on fitness blogs, they have a quote, 'your mileage may vary.' :) As you mentioned, it could very well be a chemistry thing that doesn't mix well.

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  11. My suggestion to save the money was more geared towards people who already have had issues with chipping from butter London. I actually think people with similar issues like mine, would probably not benefit from it. I wouldn't necessarily have the same recommendation for people who do not have issues their polishes. I threw it out there that it maybe a body chemistry issue, but I cannot not write a review if something was given to me. I had to be honest. There are many people who do not have any problems with butter London, and there are a lot of people that do. I'm sure my review to the people who do not have issues will not dissuade them from purchasing what they want from the brand because their experience is different. :)

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  12. Yeah, I think from what I've noticed is that butter London is amazing on some and fussy on others. It seems very black and white. I love their polishes, it just sucks that we don't mix! 

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  13. I'll have to give Orly Anchor a try. I really like the base coats that are not clear for the same reasons. I like butter London even after this experiment. I will definitely do more thought about purchasing them in the future, but they have great colors. Hopefully, I can find some top coat or base coat combination that will make it wear better....or perhaps that's just wishful thinking!

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  14. BL works great on a lot of people. It just hasn't for me. It sucks because I love so many of their colors. :(

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  15. I should of stuck to changing my nails more frequently! I used to change them every 2-3 days now it's more like every 4-5. It does suck they don't work on me because I love their colors so much. 

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  16. Thanks :). Yeah, I'm noticing that butter London is fantastic for some while not so great for others. A lot of people have luck with it, me not so much. I wish I did though! 

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  17. Yeah, it's so frustrating because out of all of the higher priced nail polishes I have the most butter London. I love their colors. I keep hoping I'll find some top coat and base coat that will make them stick on me. What's funny is Wallis is a butter London polish that I got a lot of wear on. 

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  18. I want to know the secret of people who can wear polish for a week without any chips! What is your HG base coat. Share your secret!

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  19. I know! I love that color. It's funny I have Wallis and of all my butter London polishes that's the one I've had the least chipping problems with. 

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  20. I know I'd expect better, and what's more frustrating is that for so many people it works wonderfully on them. Oh well, you can't win them all. It's just a shame it has to be a brand with such pretty polishes. I'll still buy them, I will just be on a forever quest to figure out how to get them to stay on my nails!

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  21. Did the basecoat harden your nails?? I don't care to buy BL polish or the topcoat, but the foundation has been a lemming for me for some time now. I like nail foundations. I wear a nail treatment for strenght with a foundation over it to hide my ridges. I was hoping BL nail foundation would kill two birds with one stone. Your opinion? 

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  22. Thanks so much for the honest review... I've never tried this brand and now I'm a little hesitant after reading this.. have you tried any other colors by them?

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  23.   interested Excellent submit admin! i bookmarked your word wide web webpage great post Thanks 4 share

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  24. That's disappointing that it didn't even last 2 days.  For all that money?  No thanks!   Thanks for sharing the review ;0)

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  25. Don't get to see too many negative reviews but I'm glad you were honest. I know you struggled with it, but it obviously makes all your reviews that much more valid when you're willing to maybe not tell a brand what they want to hear. Good job, doll <3

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  26. Thanks for this post, Steph! I was so excited to get No More Waity Katie when it came out that I bought 2 (two!) bottles, only to have the polish chip the 2nd day. I wore it once after that and had the same problem. I may give it one more try because I love the color, but I think we aren't a good mix, either, like you & Artful Dodger.

    Right now I am wearing bL All Hail the Queen and it seems to be doing ok. One tiny chip on the 3rd day. Nothing like NMWK, tho :)

    April

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  27. Interesting, I know people who swear by the foundation/ base coat. And I still love Artful dodger as a color. I appreciate the honest review though.

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  28. I've had the same problem using cake-hole and their base coat and top coat. The colors are lovely but don't last.

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  29. my and my bff have had similar issues with Butter, except we can't go 24 hours without chipping. they make gorgeous colors but man, it's the least long lasting polish I've *ever* tried--fifty cent, no name drug store polish wears better than Butter. and it's not the lack of nasty chemicals! She and I get good results with Zoya and other 3 and 5 free brands--it's just Butter.

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