4 Ways to Fix a Broken Nail at Home
If you’ve suddenly broken a nail, there’s no need to rush to the nail salon again to fix it. You can easily do it at home without any special materials, and 5-Minute Crafts will show you how.
Preparation
Step 1. Make sure that your broken nail is plain, meaning it has no base coat or polish.
Step 2. Wash your hands with soap and dry them properly with a clean towel.
Step 3. Use some rubbing alcohol to disinfect the nail and remove any excess oil.
After the preparation is done, you can choose any of the 4 ways to fix your broken nail, depending on what materials you have on hand.
Method 1: paper
What you’ll need:
- A sheet of paper
- Scissors
- Clear nail polish
Step 1. Take a sheet of paper and cut out a small piece in the shape of your nail. Then take clear nail polish and apply a thin layer of it to the broken nail.
Step 2. While the nail polish is still wet, place the piece of paper on it and cover it with another layer of nail polish. After it’s dry, you can apply colored nail polish so that the paper is not visible.
- If you don’t have any ordinary paper on hand, you can use toilet paper instead.
Method 2: a tea bag
What you’ll need:
- A tea bag
- Scissors
- Nail glue
- Nail file
Step 1. Take a tea bag, cut it open, and dump the tea out of it. Then cut a strip out of it that would cover the entire broken nail.
Step 2. Take nail glue and cover your entire nail with it. Right after that, place the tea bag strip on your nail, carefully smooth it down with your hands or with a nail file, and let it dry.
Step 3. Put another layer of glue on your nail and let it dry again.
Step 4. Smooth out the surface of your nail with a nail file until it looks natural, then apply a base coat and color as usual.
- You can also use a coffee filter — the result will be just as effective as a tea bag.
Method 3: tape
What you’ll need:
- Clear tape (Scotch tape or gift-wrapping tape)
- Scissors
- Tweezers
Step 1. Cut out a piece of tape that can cover the broken area of your nail.
Step 2. Using tweezers, attach the tape to your nail so that it covers the entire broken area. Then press it down gently to make sure it’s firmly affixed to the nail.
Method 4: baking soda
What you’ll need:
- Baking soda
- Nail glue
- A toothpick
- Nail file
Step 1. Place some nail glue on the broken part of your nail, then take a toothpick and use it to move the glue all over the cut, making sure that it gets inside the cut as well.
Step 2. Dip the nail into some baking soda, focusing on the area that has the glue. Then take the nail out, wipe away the excess baking soda, and use a nail file to smooth the fixed area.
- Repeat the application of glue and baking soda and continue filing your nail until it looks natural.