How to Fix Broken Beauty Products

Nail-Polish Bottle That Won't Open

Cause: Each time you remove the brush, you probably swipe it against the bottle's edge to get rid of the excess polish. Some drips down the outside and dries, and it's as good as glue. And no one has yet come up with a polish formula that sticks to nails but not glass.

Cure: As a first step, use a jar gripper or wrap a rubber band several times around the cap to give you a better grip. If that doesn't do the trick, run hot water over the bottle to loosen the dried polish, then try again.

Preventive tip: "When you finish polishing your nails, use a little polish remover on a tissue to clean around the rim of the bottle, then store the bottle upright," says Kristi Fuhrmann, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist.