Ending up with a broken nail is the worst thing that can happen to anyone and it happens commonly.
We have to be super careful not to catch our nails under some funky fabrics, sharp objects, or even when tying up our hair in a ponytail! Once the nail breaks, we all get frustrated, and we lose a lot of time trying to save and fix what’s left of it.
However, there are still some simple and great go-to solutions that you should know about if you want to end up with a neat manicure in less than ten minutes!
Keep on reading to discover how to fix a broken nail easily and quickly.
Why Did My Nail Break In The First Place?
If you are not too sure why did your nail fail you at the most inconvenient moment know that there are several different reasons, such as:
- Our nails tend to break a lot more in the winter due to cold air and low temperatures.
- If you are being exposed to harsh chemicals or detergents on an everyday basis, you can dry out your nails and hands, and cause them to dry out and peel/break.
- If you are constantly redoing your nails and applying nail polish and acetone your nails will crack.
How To Fix A Broken Nail in Three Different Ways
If you can’t make it to the salon to fix your nail on time, here are a few ways on how to fix a broken nail at home quickly.
How to Fix a Broken Nail Method 1: The Teabag Way
- Start with a clean nail and make sure that you’ve removed any nail polish from it with acetone.
- Cut a teabag with some smaller scissors and try to get it as long and as wide as your broken part of the nail since you will be placing the tea bag directly on top.
- Use some glue (preferably nail glue) and add a drop of it onto a small toothpick then dab over the crack and over the remaining part of your nail.
- Use tweezers to apply your teabag over the broken piece and let it air dry. Once it does grab a nail file and gently and smoothly file your nail.
- This little teabag will come in handy and will act great as your ‘acrylic’ nail substitute until you find time to head out to the nail salon.
- Cover your broken nail with a base coat and two layers of your preferred color. Seal the deal with a top coat and enjoy your saved mani!
How to Fix a Broken Nail Method 2: Silk Wrap
- This method is a lot similar to the teabag solution but is quite convenient if you don’t own any teabags at the moment, or vice versa.
- You should start with clean nails and go over the broken nail with some rubbing alcohol.
- Apply the silk wrap over the nail and place it also at the nail bed.
- Add a bit of some glue to your silk strip and cover the nail entirely. You should dip your nails into some harder substance, such as nail powder since it will harden the wrap and make it a lot stiffer.
- Cut the silk wrap at the edge until you get the right size and length for your nail.
- Buff away any imperfections and file the nail to your wanted shape.
- Apply a base coat, two coats of your colored nail polish, as well as a top coat.
How to Fix a Broken Nail Method 3: Fake Nail
If you are really in a rush and you are not sure what to do you can simply apply a fake acrylic or plastic nail on top. These are affordable and can be purchased at any drugstore.
- Make sure you cut your broken nail entirely and remove any color while successfully buffing out the edge and any weird bumps.
- Apply nail glue which comes with your set of acrylics over the entire surface of your fake nail.
- Press it down and let it air dry for two minutes.
- Later on, apply your nail polish and make sure that everything looks seamless and perfectly placed, as with other nails.
Don’t forget to shape it in the same shape as all of your other nails.
How To Prevent Nail Breakage in 7 Steps
If you want to prevent the breakage from happening in the future, and if you are trying to grow out your nails super strong and long, you should:
- Shape your nails with a fine-grained file and always follow the natural pattern of your nails. Don’t go for weird pointed shapes such as stiletto since these will crack the quickest.
- Buff your nails in the direction of the nail growth.
- Wear gloves when doing the dishes or using harsh chemicals around the house.
- Use cuticle oils, hand creams, and lotions to nourish your skin and nails.
- You can purchase nail growth-boosting serums or polishes to speed up the process.
- You can add biotin as a supplement to your food.
- Eat a lot of greens and drink at least 2 liters of water every day.
