Nails Catching on Everything? How to Fix Broken Nails

Breaking Up? How to Fix a Split or Broken Nail

The dreaded broken, or split, nail can happen to the best of us, and if not fixed, will get worse every time it catches on something, risking not only pain, but also an infection.

To minimize the chances of a split, frequent moisturizing can make a big difference by increasing nail strength and flexibility. Regular trimming and filing also goes a long way to preventing broken nails. But, once your nail has developed a split, what do you do?

Well, don’t worry as there are several effective hacks that I’ve tried over the years (obviously I’ve tried some very unsuccessful ones too, but the less said about them, the better), and I’m passing them on to you!

The Tea Bag Method

This is surprisingly awesome – who’d have thought the humble tea bag can be a manicure saver.

1. Trim the broken nail, trying to get as close to your fingertip as you can
2. Gently file your nail
3. Take a tea bag, or some coffee filter paper, and trim it so that it covers the break
4. Apply a coat of clear nail polish
5. Before the polish dries, gently apply the small piece of tea bag, or filter paper, over the break. Tweezers may be useful to help with accuracy
6. Cure under a lamp or allow the nail to dry naturally, with the paper in place
7. Apply at least two more coats of polish, allowing them to dry thoroughly in between
8. Then paint with your favorite color polish

The Silk Wrap Method

This is used in a similar way to the tea bag, but is a lot stronger and therefore, lasts longer. Silk wrap is designed for nail extensions, and can fix splits, breaks and even smooth over any flaws in your nails surface. However, it is, quite frankly, useless for making a tasty hot beverage!

The Glue Method

If the damage is in the form of a split, rather than a complete break, nail glue provides a great temporary fix.

1. Gently file and buff the nail
2. Apply a thin layer of glue and let it dry
3. Swipe on a couple of layers of base coat and dry thoroughly in between

The Powder Fill Method

This is a really tough, long lasting DIY fix

1. Apply a little nail glue over the split
2. Sprinkle on clear, or neutral, nail powder and dry thoroughly
3. Repeat the glue and powder process several times, depending on the severity of the split
4. Once you’re happy the split is secured, and the last layer of powder is dry, buff the nail to give it a natural look.
5. You can, of course, use colored powder, if you prefer

If all else fails . . .

The False Nail Method

Yup, you guessed it, if nothing else works, or if the whole nail tip has broken off, it’s time to dig out the falsies. These are easy to apply:

1. Trim the false nail to fit your natural one, and file gently
2. Trim and file your own nail
3. Gently buff the nail surface to allow the false nail to adhere firmly
4. Apply three or four drops of nail glue to your nail bed
5. Press and hold the false nail in place, wiping away any excess glue that seeps out around the edges
6. Then apply polish as normal

Watch this vid for more nail fixing hacks. You can thank me later!