What is rubberbase?

• 4 min reading time

Rubberbase - What is it and how do you apply it?

You've heard of rubberbase. For many people it's not entirely clear what it is exactly. Rubberbase needs to be cured in a nail lamp, but it's still something different than gel polish.

Is Rubberbase the same as Biab?

There have been many new products on the market lately that all look a bit similar. And when different brands also use their own names, the confusion is complete. We already wrote a blog about Biab, so we won't go into that too deeply now. We will concentrate on the Rubberbase here.

Some biabs are suitable for extension, those are the real gels. But there are also biabs that you cannot extend with and that are somewhat more flexible. And that is exactly what rubberbase is. It is a somewhat flexible product, that is ideally suited for brittle and vulnerable nails. Because it is flexible, it moves with the nail and that is why rubberbase will usually stay in place better. The same flexibility is also the reason that rubberbase is not suitable for extension more than 1 to 2 mm.

Rubberbase is a basecoat that is a bit thicker than a standard basecoat. Because it is a bit thicker, you can also make a curve with it to give the nail extra strength. You can use it as a base under your gel polish but also under all kinds of other artificial nail products. Because of the properties of rubberbase, it is often the solution for people whose gel polish comes off quickly.

Colored rubber base

What makes rubberbase unique is that it is also available in many different colors. That way you don't have to apply another layer of gel polish. You strengthen the nail with the colored rubberbase, finish it off with topcoat and you're done.

Step-by-step plan for applying rubber base

If you don't want to go to the salon, but want to apply rubber base yourself, that is of course also an option. Although we are big supporters of training, we also know that the temptation is great to do it yourself. That is why we try to explain it as well as possible to help you achieve the best result.

Good preparation is half the battle. If you want to enjoy your rubber base for a long time, that saying certainly applies here too. First, carefully push back the cuticles with a cuticle pusher. Then use a buffer block to carefully remove the shine from the nail. Also run the buffer along the cuticle to remove any remaining skin. Finally, file your nail into shape with a file of your choice. Then remove the filing dust from the nails. The next important step is to degrease the nail to ensure that the rubber base can adhere properly. For this, use a dehydrator.

Applying rubber base

Now it's time to apply the rubber base. Be careful to only apply the rubber base to the nail and not to let it come into contact with your skin. If this does happen accidentally, remove it before you cure the rubber base.

First apply a thin layer, as you would apply a normal base coat and make sure you don't touch the cuticles. If you touch the cuticle with the first layer, you can expect the second layer to also run into the cuticle, because it follows the path of the first layer. Once the first layer is applied well, let it cure in the lamp.

Then it's time for a 2nd layer. Make this layer a bit thicker because you're going to give it strength. Place a drop on about 1/3 of the cuticle. Keep the brush in contact with the rubber base and move from left to right. In this way you pull the rubber base further and further towards the free edge and stop at about 1 cm from the free edge.

Use a nail art brush to pull the last cm of the rubber base to the free edge. Also run the brush along the sides of the nails to make sure you don't forget any edges. Check again that there is no rubber base in the cuticles or nail folds and then let the rubber base harden for 60 seconds.

Finally, apply a layer of topcoat. Let the topcoat cure for 60 seconds as well.