A tea bag is just what you need to remedy a broken nail – here’s how it works

We’ve all been there and broken a nail or two…regardless of how careful we’ve been.

Upkeeping nails and having them look their best can be a challenge since manicure mishaps are bound to happen, and we all know how undeniably annoying or inconvenient broken nails can be when you’re constantly worrying about how your daily activities might make it worse.

Sure, we can still head down to the nail salon and have our local manicurist fix it for us by suggesting to use overlays on your nails, but sometimes piling on a thick layer of gel or acrylic may not be the best solution.

And cutting all of your nails short may ruin your plans of flaunting perfectly trimmed long nails.

Don’t reach for your nail cutter just yet, because we’re spilling the tea (bag) on how you can easily mend your broken nails at home!

The tea bag hack to fix your broken nails

@denasnails

how to fix a broken nail – using the teabag method☕️ #nailfix #nailtok #nailcheck #brokennail #brokennailfix

♬ Calling My Name-JP – Pandicio Del Toro

There’s nothing better than getting tips and tricks from the pros themselves. Dubbed “the classic nail hack that always works” by celebrity manicurist Betina R. Goldstein, a tea bag and nail glue is all you need to banish your nail woes.

Start off by buffing the split so that it’s flush with your nail and there are no sharp edges sticking out.

Next, cut a small piece of tea bag that’s big enough to cover the area around the broken part. Be sure to use an unused tea bag!

Apply your selected nail glue to your nail and put a little extra on the split.

Then, put the piece of tea bag above. For more precise placement and less mess, use a pair of tweezers.

Add more nail glue to saturate the piece of tea bag on your nail. Use said tweezers or a tool to set the tea bag in place, making sure that it’s completely covered.

Here, Betina likes to use her nail paddle from Navy Professional to wrap the tea bag around the split.

Let the nail glue dry fully till it feels hard to the touch before you start buffing over the glue. This will smooth out the edges and any roughness so that it blends well with your nail bed. Make sure you don’t over-buff!

Dust your nail and apply a base coat, nail hardener, coat of polish, or all of the above. To ensure it stays in place, Bettina uses a coat of gel and a no-wipe top coat.

Repeat the steps until your nail grows out to the desired length and you can safely cut off the affected area.

Best nail glues to fix broken nails

Beauty Secrets Drip & Clog Proof Nail Glue

This nail glue’s formula is vegan and free of sulfates, silicones, and paraben. It bonds quickly and has a clever applicator that prevents accidental spills or drips.

Beauty Secrets Drip & Clog Proof Nail Glue retails for S$26.80 on Amazon.

Elegant Touch Brush on Nail Glue

If squeezy tubes deter you from using nail glues, opt for this nail glue that has a mess-free brush applicator.

Its adhesive formula ensures even coverage and dries within four seconds. Providing an extra-durable hold, it’s also great for glueing on artificial press-on nails.

Elegant Touch Brush on Nail Glue retails for S$5.50 on LOOKFANTASTIC.

Kiss Pink Gel Nail Glue

If Miss Betina uses this brand’s nail glue, you know that it’s an excellent nail glue option.

With superior holding power, the Kiss Pink Gel Nail Glue instantly bonds both natural and artificial nails. That means you can fix your broken nail extensions too!

This glue also sets in seconds and holds firm for extra-long wearing. You can even use it for nail art decorations.

Kiss Pink Gel Nail Glue retails for S$8.32 on Amazon.

Kiss Powerflex Maximum Speed Nail Glue

Another blessing from Kiss, the Powerflex Maximum Speed Nail Glue is patented with the PowerFlex technology and delivers a secure, long-lasting hold.

It dries in three seconds, which will be perfect for busy ladies in need of a super quick fix. However, do be mindful that since it dries this quickly, the nail glue isn’t recommended for novices.

Kiss Powerflex Maximum Speed Nail Glue retails for S$5 on LOOKFANTASTIC.

Nailene Ultra Quick Nail Glue

Raved as one of the top nail glues, Nailene’s Ultra Quick Nail Glue dries incredibly quickly (in five seconds or less) and keeps your nails in place for at least two weeks.

Some reviewers shared how powerful the nail glue is, lasting through activities like dishwashing.

Nailene Ultra Quick Nail Glue retails for S$9.91 instead of S$13.12 on Amazon.

Feature image credit: @denasnails/TikTok, @betina_goldstein/Instagram