Having a broken toenail can be painful and problematic. If a nail breaks, you need to be careful to prevent it from getting caught in something and tearing further. That is why it is important to repair it. In this way, you will not risk it breaking to a greater extent, and you will also be able to strategically cover the damage with enamel.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Prepare the Broken Nail for Repair
Step 1. Remove the polish from the nails
Use a cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover and remove any nail polish. Rub the cotton from one side of the nail to the other so as not to leave nail polish residue along the edges.
When it's time to get the nail polish off your broken nail, be careful that the cotton doesn't get caught where it's chipped. If you are concerned that this may happen, only move the cotton ball in the direction of the break to remove the nail polish
Step 2. Cut the top of a tea bag
Take a pair of scissors and remove the top of an unused tea bag. The material from which the sachet is made will be used to repair the broken nail, so be careful to keep it intact and empty it of tea leaves.
Step 3. Cut out the sachet to repair the nail
Make a small rectangle from the sachet. The width of the rectangle depends on the depth of the tear. For example, if only the tip of the nail is chipped, cut the sachet to create a rectangle that covers the tip and reaches about halfway down the nail. If the cut is deeper, the rectangle should be longer, almost reaching the cuticle.
- The width of the rectangle must match the width of the nail. In practice, the paper must reach up to the sides of the nail.
- Don't worry if the sachet goes beyond the tip of the nail, you will fix it later.
Part 2 of 2: Repair the Broken Nail
Step 1. Apply a layer of clear polish
Apply a thin layer of clear base to the nail. Make sure it covers the part where the nail is chipped. The polish will act as an adhesive to stick the paper to the nail.
Step 2. Place the rectangle of the tea bag on the broken nail
The clear base must still be wet. Place the sachet on your nail gently to cover the damaged area. Gently spread it over the nail using your free hand or a cuticle stick. Make sure there are no air bubbles under the paper. Let the clear polish dry for 5 minutes.
Step 3. Wait for the clear base to dry
Let the clear polish dry. When it is completely dry, you can trim the sachet with scissors to give it the shape of the tip of the nail.
It does not matter if at the moment the sachet slightly exceeds the length of the nail. After you have repaired it, the nail will be more resistant and you can file it by trimming the sachet material precisely as well
Step 4. Apply a second layer of clear polish
Now that the tea bag is attached to the nail, apply another coat of clear base. Move the brush from the base to the tip of the nail, applying the polish also on the sachet. Let this second clear base coat dry for 5-10 minutes.
The clear polish will mask the sachet material
Step 5. Remove the excess part of the sachet
When the second layer of polish is also completely dry, take a nail file and shape the tip of the nail by removing the excess.
The file will also remove sachet fragments that may have stuck to the nail outline
Step 6. Apply another layer of clear polish
Add a third coat of clear base to seal the paper on the nail. This time apply the polish also on the profile of the tip of the nail, to definitively glue the sachet. Let this last clear base coat dry for at least 10 minutes so you don't risk ruining all your work by starting to use your hands too early.
Applying the polish also along the edge of the nail tip helps to prevent the sachet from getting damaged or separating from the nail
Step 7. Color your nails normally
When the last clear base coat is also completely dry, apply the colored polish to all nails as you normally do. Try to spread a thin layer of it on the broken nail, as you have already applied the clear base many times and keep in mind that it will take a long time for it to dry.
