WATCH: How to fix a broken nail with a tea bag

There's nothing worse than breaking a nail just when you had them done. Try this handy tip to fix it yourself at home.

Picture: Delmaine Donson / Getty Images

TikTok is packed with beauty tips to solve all kinds of everyday problems, from frizz and flyaways to dry skin. Today, however, it’s a trick to repair broken nails that’s the current focus of interest among users of the Chinese social network.

Savvy professionals and nail art aficionados, such as @kuypernailart and Betina Goldstein, have shared a surprising tip for dealing with this everyday problem without spending a fortune. In fact, the solution is right at hand: a simple tea bag – and a little nail glue – is all that’s needed to repair a broken nail. This simple yet unexpected method falls in line with social media users’ current taste for creative and accessible solutions to optimise beauty routines.

ALSO SEE: Would you wear a R16 000 towel as a skirt? Balenciaga thinks you should…

If the tutorials shared on TikTok are to be believed, this beauty hack doesn’t require any special skills or know-how – in fact, it’s easy to recreate.

Tips to fix a broken nail at home

The first step is to buff the nail, then cut a small piece of tea bag, just big enough to cover the cracked area, and apply nail glue to the break. Then simply place the piece of tea bag over the broken section of nail with tweezers, and cover with another dose of glue. All that’s left then is let it dry, then file it down to a smooth finish.

MUST try beauty trend: Get the latest glass-skin look

You can then add a top coat or base coat to camouflage this DIY repair.

The material from which the tea bag is made creates a kind of protective barrier, enabling the nail to be repaired in no time. Be careful, however, not to use this method if the break is severe, as it could damage the nail in the long term. As is often the case, it’s best to seek the advice of a professional – or just cut the nail back – in the most extreme cases. The success of this tip is worth noting, however, as the #teabagnails hashtag has already garnered almost 9 million views on the Chinese social network.

Regularly filing your nails and moisturising them with a specific cream or oil are among the top beauty habits to adopt day to day to prevent nails from becoming brittle. You can also apply a nail hardener, or immerse them in a ‘bath’ of olive oil and lemon. And these are just a few of the tips that could save you hassle in the long run.