There’s nothing more annoying (or somethings more painful!) than breaking a nail, especially if you’ve been trying to grow them out. And that’s not even to mention the dilemma of what to do if you have gel and acrylic nail extensions at the time. But with salons shut for the foreseeable and no hope of hands on help from a professional, we’ve hit up Juanita Huber-Millet, founder of Townhouse Nail Salon in London, to share her expert advice and at-home hacks for treating and even completely fixing a broken nail.
The first thing to note, however, if how to avoid breaking your nails in the first place. “I have three top tips that significantly reduce the chances of breakages,” says Juanita. “First, chemicals in household cleaning products can weaken nails and make them more prone to breaking. Always make sure to wear gloves when doing any cleaning or washing up to protect your nails – and to prevent dry hands.”
“Secondly, do not use your nail as a tool. Instead use scissors to open a package or a spoon to prise open a can of soft drink. Finally, always apply a hand cream and cuticle oil daily to keep the nails healthy and nourished.”
If, despite your best efforts, your nail still breaks, don’t worry – Juanita has a few at-home hacks guaranteed to save the day.
HOW TO FIX A NATURAL NAIL
According to Juanita, the best at home method is called ‘the tea bag fix’. “All you will need is a tea bag, nail glue, tweezers and a nail file or buffer,” she explains.
1. Wash your hands to make sure the nail is clean.
2. Cut off a strip (big enough to just fully cover the break) of the outside of the tea bag. Dust off any tea from the strip.
3. Apply nail glue to the whole nail (that way it will be more even afterwards).
4. Using the tweezers place the strip on the break and gently press down with the tweezers to make sure it is fully attached.
5. Apply a second layer of nail glue over the strip. Leave to dry.
6. Using you buffer or nail file, gently buff the surface of the nail to a smooth finish.
7. Top off with your choice of nail polish.
HOW TO FIX ACRYLIC OR GEL NAILS
Unfortunately, a broken artificial nail is harder to remedy than a natural one and Juanita would always suggest cutting the nail down to avoid further damage. “However, if you do not want to cut the nail down and depending on the extent of the break, nail glue can be used to fix temporarily – but remember if doing this the nail will still be weak and could easily break further.” Your call.
Check out the best DIY gel nail kits as well as these chic and easy nail art designs to take your next at-home manicure to the next level.
