The Quick-Fix Nail Product Runway Designers Always Keep On Hand (And You Should Too)

Perfectly manicured nails are necessary to keep yourself looking clean and well-kempt. There's no better feeling than waving your fingers around in people's faces after a nail appointment or clacking together a fresh set just to hear the sweet sound. Nail fashion has long since moved on from just the classic polished look and has become a way for people to express their uniqueness and creativity. 

We won't lie — damaged nails hurt like heartbreak, especially when you remember how much money and time you spent on them. While nails are usually made of durable material such as keratin for those of us who prefer our natural nails or even harder acrylic. However, your nails can keep breaking for a variety of reasons, mostly due to mishaps that occur during your daily activities. The last thing you want is to show up to a photoshoot, business meeting, or a date with a nail broken or missing from your set.

These days, a damaged nail should never be cause for too much alarm. Thankfully, the internet is abuzz with tons of resourceful fixes in case you happen to spoil your nails while on the go. Don't worry if you're in a tight spot where your nail is damaged and your next appointment isn't for another week. Save yourself the impromptu trip because this fix will literally hold you together.

Lead nail designer at Prabal Gurung, Gina Edwards, plugged us into her go-to nail product when she spoke to Fashion Magazine. She recommends keeping a bottle of glue handy in order to dab some over a nail tab covering up damage. According to her, nail glue is an "essential" tool for accidents that occur behind the scenes at fashion shows. Keeping a tube of glue in your purse just might save your nails and sanity one dark day.

Nail glue acts as a barrier to keep your nail intact and prevent any more surface damage until your next appointment. You can even file it down after application so that it can appear smooth. However, while it can be extremely useful in a dilemma, you do not want to make this a regular occurrence. This is because most nail glues contain acrylates which can damage your natural nails in the long run. Acrylate nail glue can be used generously on fake nails.

Depending on how critical your damage is, nail glue on its own might not be a cure-all, especially if your nails are natural. One interesting trick for fixing broken nails that's making its rounds across social media is dubbed "the teabag fix." Regrettably, no tea drinking is involved, but it just might be a great temporary solution to a broken nail. All you need is a fresh teabag, nail glue, tweezers, and a nail file — all of which can fit in your purse. 

TikTok creator @denasnails gave a walk-through on how she used this method to fix her broken nail after a gym accident. First, she filed down the broken edges, applied some glue, let it dry, and then filed it down once again until smooth. Then, she cut a piece of the teabag and glued it down on the broken part of the nail using tweezers, added more glue on top, let it dry, and filed the nail a final time.