Broken nails hack unlocked — and all you need is a tea bag

Name something more annoying than your nails breaking? Granted, broken nails are almost inevitable if you live a lifestyle that requires doing, well, most day-to-day activities, but if you're someone who loves having long, tidy and even nails, then you know how frustrating it all gets when one or two get broken. Not only can it ruin the look of your entire manicure, but it can also be pretty painful when it catches on fabrics and your hair. Just a bit of a nightmare. Fear not, we're about to put you on a pretty epic yet simple hack that can help you fix a chipped nail quickly and easily.

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 here this hack is here to save the day.

The hack itself involves using a tea bag to reinforce the damaged nail. Yes, you read that right, a tea bag. Any tea bag works, all you need is the mesh paper that the tea bag is packaged in. You then need to cut a small piece of a tea bag to fit over your broken or chipped nail. The tea bag should be large enough to cover the entire chip but also not so big that it extends beyond the edges.

How to fix a broken natural nail

For the tea bag fix Juanita says: “all you will need is a tea bag, nail glue, tweezers and a nail file or buffer.”

Wash your hands to make sure the nail is clean.
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.
Apply nail glue to the whole nail (that way it will be more even afterwards).
Using tweezers, you should also saturate the piece of tea bag in nail glue for extra security and apply it directly over your split nail while its still wet. Gently press down with the tweezers to make sure it is fully attached. Be sure to smooth out any wrinkles or bumps in the tea bag, and then allow it to dry completely.
Apply a second layer of nail glue over the strip if you want extra security. Leave to dry.
Once the nail is dry, use a nail file or buffer to gently smooth out any rough edges or bumps so it blends seamlessly to your nail bed. Be careful not to file too much or too hard, as this can cause the tea bag to come loose.
Dust nail, and go in with a clear nail polish or base coat over the entire nail for that natural finished look. And just like that, your chipped or broken nail is now reinforced and ready to go. You can go ahead a paint your nails as you wish.

This broken nails hack is a quick and easy way to fix a chipped nail without having to remove your entire manicure or resort to expensive salon treatments. It's also a great way to extend the life of your manicure and keep your nails looking beautiful for longer. So the next time you have a chipped or broken nail, try this tea bag trick and see the results for yourself.

How to fix broken 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.