Versus

OPI Natural Nail Base Coat - US Versus Essie Here To Stay Base Coat

Nail Care
Nail Care
American Brand United States
British Brand United Kingdom

Updated on April 18, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both fungal acne (malassezia) safe nail care. They have a total of 11 ingredients in common

Free From

They both do not contain any oils, parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain harsh alcohols, fragrances and silicones

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

OPI Natural Nail Base Coat 14 ingredients

Essie Here To Stay Base Coat 11 ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

OPI Natural Nail Base Coat 14 ingredients

Essie Here To Stay Base Coat 11 ingredients

Concerns

Concerns

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Perfuming, Solvent

Ethyl Acetate is a fragrance.

Antimicrobial, Astringent, Masking

Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.

This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying - mostly due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue, constricting pores and leaving your skin dried out.

However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.

Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.

This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.

Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.

Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.

The rule of thumb is if this alcohol is near the end of an ingredients list, it will probably not affect your skin much.

Also...

This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.

The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.

Other types of astringent alcohols include:

Learn more about Alcohol Denat.
Masking, Solvent

We don't have a description for Butyl Acetate yet.

We don't have a description for Nitrocellulose yet.

We don't have a description for Tosylamide/Epoxy Resin yet.

Isopropyl Alcohol is more commonly known as rubbing alcohol. It is most commonly used as a solvent, meaning it helps other ingredients dissolve.

This ingredient is an astringent alcohol. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin as they high amounts may strip away your skin's natural oils.

Other types of astringent alcohols include:

According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.

Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.

Learn more about Isopropyl Alcohol

We don't have a description for Trimethyl Pentanyl Diisobutyrate yet.

We don't have a description for Polyvinyl Butyral yet.

UV Absorber

Benzophenone-1 absorbs UV.

Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Learn more about Dimethicone
Cosmetic Colorant

We don't have a description for CI 60725 yet.

When to use

OPI Natural Nail Base Coat 14 ingredients

Essie Here To Stay Base Coat 11 ingredients

2 Routines
50% use in am
50% use in pm
100% use every as_needed