How to Fix a Broken Nail With Glue, Gel, Acrylics, Tea Bag and Silk Wraps

You’ve been trying so hard to make your fingernails look pretty, but one day, all of a sudden, one of them breaks. It’s painful to have a broken nail. It can hurt both aesthetically and physically, and it can be an extremely frustrating problem to deal with. So, how to fix a broken nail?

If one of your nails suddenly breaks, don’t be alarmed, and most of all, don’t worry. Like many things, a broken nail is totally easy to fix if you know the right tricks.

I’ve had many broken nails in the past, which have each helped me work out a variety of thorough solutions. Now I’m here to help you solve your nail troubles too.

How to Fix a Broken Nail Corner

Begin by gathering the paraphernalia. You will need a nail buffer, nail glue or a super-glue, and a teabag.

• Take the tea bag and cut a tiny square to measure the area of your broken nail corner.
• Cut out the strip to the size just enough to lay on the broken area.
• Apply a small drop of glue over the broken area and stick the teabag strip on it, press it flat to ensure it sticks just right. Use the nipper to remove the excess strip. Apply another layer of glue on top of it and let dry. Don’t worry if some glue gets on your skin. It would simply vanish with a hot shower or a handwash.
• Once everything is dry, use the nail buffer to smooth out the surface. After you’re done, the nail would be completely evened out, with a smooth surface and also protected by the tea bag strip and glue.
• Apply your manicure, and voila, your nail is now fixed.

How to Fix a Nail Split

It’s quite easy to fix a nail split. You will need a silk wrap, a pair of scissors, glue, a nail buffer, and finally, a pair of tweezers.

• Gently buff the surface of your nail to smooth it out evenly.
• Cut out the silk wrap in the shape of your nail.
• Apply a drop of glue or raisin over your entire nail evenly using a brush.
• Next, take a strip of silk wrap (in case you do not have a silk wrap, you may use a teabag) and spread it across the entire surface of your nail, including the split area. The silk strip now settles on the nail. You can cut off the excess strip using a pair of scissors or tweezers. The advantage of a silk strip is that it’s very soft and thin and sets on your nail quickly and easily.
• After the silk strip dries, apply a coat of transparent nail polish over it and let dry.
• Apply a couple more coats of the polish and buff away the edges. You should now barely notice any split in your nail.

How to Fix a Broken Nail Under Gel Manicure

Using a gel base to repair a broken nail is a great option. You will need a nail buffer, gel base coat, nail glue, silk wrap, tweezers, scissors, UV/LED lamp. Then, all you have to do is follow these steps:

• Remove the nail polish you’re currently wearing, make sure your hands are clean, without oils lying around your nail plate., and prepped.
• Gently buff the surface of your nail to harden it for the gel to adhere to it.
• Once your nail is clean, apply a blob of glue on the broken area. Make sure you do not let the drop come in contact with your cuticles. Press the broken nail flap gently against the broken area and let dry.
• Cut the silk wrap in the shape and size of your nail surface and apply an even coat of base gel over the nail surface. Use your tweezers to apply the silk over the gel and cut out the excess, Then cure the gel under a UV/ LED lamp.
• Apply another base coat and cure, Then apply 2 final color coats of gel polish over the nail and cure every layer you apply under UV or LED curing lamp.
• Cleanse the nail using a dip a cotton ball dipped in isopropyl alcohol and wipe it over the sticky layer. Then, buff the surface out, and take off the dust.
• Finish off the process by finally applying the top gel.

How to Fix Your Acrylic Nail

If your acrylic nail has broken, you do not need to spend any money on buying a new set. You can simply fix it. Fixing a broken acrylic nail is pretty much the same as fixing a real broken nail, simpler even. You will need super glue, tea bag, nail buffer, and nail polish.

Here’s how you can do it:

• Apply the super-glue on the broken nail area and press the broken nail pieces firmly against each other, holding them for some time until they dry thoroughly.
• Buff out the nail surface evenly and in a smooth manner.
• Cut out a tea bag strip just enough to cover the broken nail area.
• Apply a small amount of glue on the broken area and set the strip on it.
• Once it dries out, apply another layer of glue evenly on the entire nail.
• Even out the surface using a nail buffer and apply two coats of clear nail paint to make it look as good as new.

How to Fix a Broken Nail Without Cutting It

You don’t need to cut off the entire nail in order to fix it. The things you need to get: nail glue, a toothpick, cotton swabs, nail polish remover, a nail buffer, and you’re pretty much set. Then, follow these steps:

• Before you start fixing your nail, make sure it’s clean and free of any form of oils in it by washing it with warm water.
• Grab a tiny bead of nail glue or super glue from the tube using a toothpick. Spread the glue evenly across the broken area. Make sure you do not let the glue come in contact with your fingers.
• Press the broken nail piece to fix it in place. Apply the pressure for at least 60 seconds to ensure the nail pieces are stuck back together.
• Wipe off the sides of your nail bed with a cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover to remove the excess glue left about on your skin.
• After the glue dries, buff the broken area to make it even and finally apply a top coat on the entire area.

How to Fix a Nail without Glue

If using glue can create hassle, I have a glue-free solution ready for you. A bottle of clear nail polish is all you will need.

• Make sure you use your most resilient top coats for this. A clear nail hardener can do the job just as well.
• Spread the top coat over the entire nail surface, paying more attention to the broken region. Make sure you apply to coat with even strokes and leave the nail to dry.
• Apply multiple coats giving the coats some time to dry and ensure that your nail gains the necessary strength and is back to how it was before.

How to Fix a Broken Nail with Cotton

You can fix your broken nail with a cotton pad and a gel base. In addition to a cotton pad and gel base, you will need a pair of tweezers and a nail buffer.
Here’s how you can do it:

• Cleanse your nail off of any underlying oils by washing them with warm water.
• Once dry, apply a very thin coat of base gel over the entire surface of your nail.
• Grab a pair of tweezers and fix the cotton pieces only around the broken area. Make sure the cotton is spread out evenly to avoid any bumps on the nail surface.
• Once dry, apply another think coat of base gel on the nail. For the final touch, another coat of the gel is advisable.
• After the coat dries, lightly buff the surface and apply your usual manicure.

How to Fix a Broken Nail with Acrylics (Dipping Powder)

The best quality of acrylic is that it’s very hard and stabilizes the nail in place very quickly.

• You will need a dipping powder base polish, acrylic dipping powder, dip activator, topcoat, and a nail buffer.
• Clean your nails with warm water to get rid of the oils that could interfere with the process.
• Apply a thick coat of base polish over the entire surface. Once dry, apply another layer on top of it to strengthen it a bit more.
• Pour the acrylic dipping powder over the nail surface. Your nail is now hardened from the acrylic.
• Apply the activator and buff the edges gently for a smooth surface.
• Then, apply a transparent topcoat. 

How to Fix a Broken Nail with a Tea Bag

Fixing a broken nail with a tea bag is one of the easiest and most durable methods. You will need – a teabag, a pair of scissors, tweezers, nail glue or super glue, and finally, a buffer. Then, follow these steps:

• Get rid of all the oils underlying on your nail by washing it with warm water, and you are now ready to go
• Cut out a portion of the tea bag just enough to cover the crack or the broken area.
• Apply the glue evenly throughout the surface of your nail and use the tweezers to place the tea bag over the broken nail part.
• Once dry, apply another coat of glue evenly across the surface and let dry.
• Pluck out the excess tea bag around your nail using the tweezers and use a nail buff to even out the surface and the edges of your nail.

You are now ready to apply your manicure.

How to Fix a Broken Nail with Gel

Using lightless gel is one of the easiest ways to repair a broken nail alongside giving strength to your nail. All you’ll need is a lightless gel, curing spray, and a nail buffer. Here’s how you can do it hassle-free:

• Take off your nail polish and clean your nail using warm water to do away with the dust and oils.
• Apply the lightless gel evenly across the entire gel surface. This gel does need any curing under UV or LED lamps.
• Spray the activating curing spray across the application of the gel. The cure spray helps harden the surface of the nail.
• Apply another layer of gel and cure spray once the previous layer dries up.
• Use a buffer to smooth out and even out the surface
• Once even, you can do your usual manicure

How to Fix a Nail with Nail Silk Wraps

Using a silk strip to repair your nail cracks is quite convenient because silk is very soft and thin and sets on your nail at once. For this step, you’ll need the following things: a silk wrap, a pair of scissors, nail glue or super glue, a nail buffer, and finally, a pair of tweezers.

• Make sure your nail is clean and oil-free by washing it thoroughly.
• Even out the surface of your nail, by buffing it gently, using a nail buffer.
• Spread a drop of glue over your entire nail. It is advisable to use a brush to spread the glue in an upward direction.
• Cut off the silk wrap in the size and shape of your nail and place it on the nail.
• After the strip settles, you can cut off the excess using scissors or tweezers.
• Once dry, you can apply clear polish over your nail and buff the edges.

You can always find ways to efficiently look after your nails in order to keep them safe from any avoidable hazards. But it’s inevitable that they may break or be damaged sometimes. If that happens, don’t fret, as there’s always a way to patch them up again.