Nail retouching doesn't need to consume hours of your editing time. Three simple techniques can handle most common nail issues: cleaning up cuticles and surrounding skin, extending nail polish edges with the clone stamp tool, and using liquify to reshape grown-out nails.
These methods work on separate layers with non-destructive editing, allowing you to create polished results in minutes rather than hours.
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Practical Tips
Follow these key steps for efficient nail retouching that maintains natural appearance:
- Always duplicate your background layer before starting and work on separate layers for each technique
- Use the spot healing brush first to clean cuticles and surrounding skin before addressing the nails themselves
- Clone stamp from the very edge of existing nail polish using small brush sizes to extend coverage naturally
- Create a 50% gray layer in soft light blend mode for dodge and burn corrections to fix any uneven areas
- Use liquify with small brushes and gentle movements to push back grown-out nails without disturbing finger shape
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