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1
The Tea Bag Trick
Patch It With a Tea Bag
1
The Tea Bag Trick
Patch It With a Tea Bag
“In a pinch, you can do the ‘tea bag trick’—where you use a tea bag to bind the nail together with nail glue and a nail file or buffer,” Goldstein says.
2
The Silk Wrap Method
Try These Silk Nail Band-Aids
2
The Silk Wrap Method
Try These Silk Nail Band-Aids
These nail-shaped stickers made of super-thin silk will also work to patch a tear. “You bind it to the nail with nail glue, buff the top layer until smooth, and then I like to apply a thin layer of gel overlay to secure it,” Goldstein says. “Reapply until you’re able to cut your nail at the breakage.”
3
The Watchful Eye Approach
Keep an Eye on The Tear
3
The Watchful Eye Approach
Keep an Eye on The Tear
“If the tear is in the middle of your nail bed, I recommend only using sheer polish on top,” Goldstein says. “This way, you can monitor the condition of the nail, and make sure no water steeped through the break, which can cause ‘greenies,’ a.k.a. bacteria that can result in nail fungus.”
4
The Healthy Hand and Nail Routine
Make Sure to Hydrate
4
The Healthy Hand and Nail Routine
Make Sure to Hydrate
“Hydration is also key to fighting future breaks. When nails are dry, they get brittle and break faster. Therefore, it is important to always hydrate your cuticles, nails, and hands. I have a routine I do to help keep my hands and nails hydrated. I start with a good exfoliator or scrub. My favorite is the Osea Salts of the Earth scrub. I apply it to dry hands and scrub my knuckles, all the skin surrounding my nails, and any other dry spots then wash and dry. I follow by a mixture of 100 percent vitamin E oil and my favorite hand cream, the Chanel La Crème Main Nourish-Soften-Brighten.”
5
The Vitamin-Rich Strategy
Hydrate Your Way to Healthy Nails
5
The Vitamin-Rich Strategy
Hydrate Your Way to Healthy Nails
Not all Vitamin E oil is created equal. “There are a lot of synthetic versions of Vitamin E oil or, more often than not, it’s a mixture of Vitamin E oil with other oils. My go-to is Rejuvenaturals. I buy it on Amazon and it works wonders for all dry skin. I apply this religiously every night before I go to bed, and any time my hands are dry.”
Meet the Expert
Betina Goldstein is a celebrity nail artist who works with Zoë Kravitz, Camila Marrone, and Margot Robbie, among others. She also invented the Skittles mani and has her own artist-focused jewelry line, Doublemoss Jewelry.
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Editorial Fellow
Savannah Walsh is an Editorial Fellow at ELLE.com.
Fashion & Luxury Commerce Editor
Tatjana Freund is Hearst’s Fashion & Luxury Commerce Editor, covering beauty, fashion and more across multiple brands. Previously, she worked at ELLE.com and Marie Claire. She’s a fan of whiskey neat, podcasts that give her nightmares, and one time Zoë Kravitz laughed at a joke she made.
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