Why is it that every other time I get a manicure, I immediately get the urge to scrub the bathroom sans gloves, furiously type on a keyboard, or nervously bite my fingers—taking a chunk out of my freshly polished nails? If you're like me, you'd rather walk around naked (without polish, I mean) than with an imperfect paint job. I spoke with nail artist and blogger Jessica Washick about quick fixes for busted manicures:
Patch it up. The most obvious approach also requires the most discipline: Carefully apply a thin coat of polish to the chipped area (not the whole nail) before using topcoat to feather out the edges of the wet blob. This will ensure the patch blends into the rest of the nail.
Clip it. Chips commonly happen on the top edge of the nail, where the most contact from day-to-day activities occurs. With a nail clipper, snip off the chip without shaving too much length off of the nail, and adjust your other nails to match. Once you've eliminated the chip, paint on clear topcoat and wrap the polish along the tip of the nail, moving the brush left to right to left to "cap" it—manicurist speak for sealing. This may be the fastest solution, but it can actually shorten the life of your manicure, since painted nails that have been filed or clipped are vulnerable to more chipping because the seal at the tip of the nail has been broken.
Dress it up. One damaged nail is no reason to remove a whole hand of polish. Instead, grab a metallic or glitter formula and paint a few coats over the chipped nail, until the imperfection is no longer visible. Boom: a glam accent nail! Stripes, polka dots, or a colorful French tip are all good ways to cover up a (repaired) chip, and if you're feeling adventurous, a dab of superglue and a rhinestone will do the trick, too. So will a nail sticker and a quick swipe of clear topcoat.
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