How To Fix Nail Polish



There’s nothing worse than when a beautiful, fresh set of nails get ruined. unfortunately, with the busy, fast-paced society that we live in, there are so many different ways that your nail polish can easily get messed up. 

It is inevitable that you will experience this at one time or another. That is why we are here to guide you on how to fix your nail polish if it does get ruined. 

We will be discussing various nail polish hacks and tips on what to do to fix your nail polish when it’s ruined. 

What This Article Covers:

How Can I Fix a Damaged Manicure?

Chipping 

Since we use our hands so often and for so many tasks, it’s easy for nail polish to chip, especially less effective store-bought ones.

But, there’s no need to panic, as it can be fixed quite easily.

If it is a low grade, store-bought nail polish that has chipped, you can simply paint over it with the same color. If it is gel, there are two main options. 

The first option is that you can buff the nail surface to break down the top layer. This is to help the new coat you’re going to apply stick better. You can then paint over the whole nail with a color as close as possible to the original. 

If you don’t have anything close to the original color, you can cover up the chip with nail art or glitter.

If you’re wondering how to fix chipped gel nail polish, you can use similar methods.

Peeling Off

The peeling off of nail polish can happen over time, but if you are finding it’s peeling a day after your manicure you may be frustrated and wonder “why does nail polish peel off so easily”.

The main reason for this is the poor prep of the nail, so this needs to be fixed by a nail technician.  if you are doing it yourself, make sure you are taking the right steps with prepping your nails.

Another two reasons that may be adding to it are calcium deficiency or painting your nails too often. To fix this, incorporate more calcium in your diet (especially if nothing else is working to prevent peeling) and give your nails a breather before painting them again. 

how to fix old nail polish

Cracking 

If this is something that happens to you often and you are wondering “Why does nail polish crack?” you need to assess the application and preparation to fix it.

Make sure that your nails are clean, that you apply a base coat and a topcoat, and that you don’t paint the polish on too thick. This all should help to prevent cracks. 

If the cracks are already there, try painting an extra few layers of polish, or using nail art to fix it. 

Discoloration

We will be touching on how to remove hair dye from nail polish and how to keep white nail polish clean in this section.

Removing Hair Dye

Hair dye can be removed from nail polish by using hairspray or alcohol wipes to rub the hair dye off.

Cleaning White Nail Polish

If you find your white nail polish gets dirty or turns yellow, you can clean it with hairspray or alcohol wipes, or soak it in baking soda and lemon juice. 

Bubbles In Polish

If you start painting your nails and see bubbles in nail polish two things can help this. 

You can either put the bottle of nail polish in the fridge for 15 minutes, or you can rub the bottle in the palms of your hands. Both should help to eliminate bubbles.

How To Fix Nail Polish And Make It Useable Again

If you’re digging in your cupboard and you find a five-year-old bottle of nail polish, and you’re wondering “Can nail polish go bad?” The answer is yes.

But, it can also be fixed. If you see that the nail polish has gone thick and sticky, try adding some nail polish remover into it and mix it around. 

If the polish has gone dry and thick, try immersing it in hot water for 3 minutes, and then rolling it around between your palms for a few minutes.

how to restore nail polish

Tips To Make Nail Polish Last Longer

To save you the frustration of your manicure needing to be touched up a day or two after it was applied, below are some tips on how to make nail polish last longer.

Use Long Lasting Nail Polish

Have a look for good quality and the best long-lasting nail polish. This may be slightly more expensive, but it will stay on your nails much longer than a cheap drug store one will.

Don’t Cut Your Gel Manicure 

If you’ve had your manicure on for some time, you might be sick of how long your nails are and wondering “Can I cut nails with gel polish?” or “Can I file nails with gel polish?

If you want your polish to last long, then the answer is no. If you cut or file them, you will be breaking the gel seal, which means that your polish is more likely to come off.

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