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hhmusic -> RE: the best nail glue (May 16 2010 10:45:55)
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to answer some of the above, based on my particular experience, since some have asked:
i've tried pretty much every nail glue i could find. for me, this one is the best. it's cheap, about $3 for a little bottle (not the aluminum tube), and doesn't seem to clog the dispenser (if you keep it upright) or to dry out as badly as the tubes.
i didn't think of Ricardo's advice to always look for fresh glue, but that seems smart. he usually knows what he's talking about. and to keep it in a ziploc bag. i bet his grandma always knows what she's talking about. ya gotta respect the wisdom that comes with age.
i've found that applying self-adhesive silk or other kinds of cloth to the nail before the glue doesn't work as well, since the glue/cloth creates a layer on top of the nail which will eventually lift.
though it's counter intuitive, i've found that using the most flimsy piece of tissue works best -- not tissue paper, but face or toilet tissue. i split it into it's thinnest layer (there are usually 2 or 3), then tear a tiny bit just bigger than the repair. be sure that little bit is torn/frayed on all sides so that its fibers will spread out into the glue.
i then put a thin coat of glue to cover the entire crack or area of repair, then place the tissue into it and let it soak in. if there was not enough glue to saturate the tissue, i drop on a little more, then let it dry.
if i think the repair needs more strength, i'll repeat with a little less glue and another layer of tissue, and let it dry completely. takes a while.
if the glue is good, it will harden just like plastic, but married very well to the nail, and can be filed just like the nail. i know have a repair like this on the very tip of my thumbnail which has held for 4 weeks!
this seems to work well for repairs toward the end of the nail.
if i get a crack that runs across the nail, and far back in the nail, that would take a month or more to grow out, i resort to covering the entire nail with acrylic powder. this will lift off partially about every 7-10 days, and will need to be removed and reapplied, till the crack grows out to where it can be glued and eventually filed off. a pain, but i've found this is the only way to keep a nail if you get one of these far back cracks.
if you're not familiar, there's probably a you tube video of how to apply acrylic powder. if not, i recommend going to a nail salon to have it done to your thumbnail next time you get a big sideways crack. it'll cost about 10 bucks, but watch carefully how it's done, so you can do it yourself next time. (that's how I learned anyway, and met some very nice old ladies at the salon...)
good luck!
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