Posts by Lilly Delmage
Award-winning home salon owner: the 5 essential tips for success
Scratch Stars Home Nail Salon of the Year 2024 winner, Kirsty Brown of @paintbrushnails, shares her top tips for building a successful home salon… Having won the prestigious Scratch Stars accolade for her Stirling-based home salon, we asked Kirsty to share her top tips to inform and inspire nail techs who want to create their…
Read MoreSouth Devon tech: At 30 I decided to train as a nail technician – and I’ve never looked back
Having undergone a career swap at the age of 30, Devon-based nail tech Bonni Higson, the owner of Bonni File’n’Style in Dawlish, shares her story… After having children, Bonni decided to train as a nail technician. She says: “I enrolled at South Devon College and qualified at NVQ level 2 in 2016. After realising just…
Read MoreThe 3 top times of the year for business retail & how to capitalise on them
Public holidays often influence retail sales, but as a small business owner, how can you ensure you’re maximising revenue during these key events? Research reveals how… Business credit card experts from price comparison website, Money.co.uk, have analysed the average weekly sales and key retail transaction days over the past year – identifying the best days…
Read MoreWinter wonders: Must-have nail colour collections for the 2024 festive season
‘Tis the season of celebrations – and time to embrace joy, sparkle and eye-catching nail effects. From shimmering holiday hues to creative, winter-inspired designs, this season is all about embracing texture and decadent colour. Expect the staple hues to return – we’re talking forest-greens, ribbon reds, glittery golds and striking silvers. And nail brands have…
Read MoreThe experience of male nail techs in 2024: what’s it like?
Scratch reached out to male manicurists to better understand their experiences within the current beauty industry environment. Here’s what they said… Danny Manchip Instagram: @beausbeautybox Scratch Stars award winner & Beau’s Beauty Box owner, Danny, shares how being a man in the industry has impacted him: “If anything, these days I feel like I have…
Read MoreTexas nail tech: Clients have walked away from my services because I’m transgender
Texas-based nail technician, Dylan Michaud, shares how she refuses to let gender discrimination stand in the way of her career success… Having faced multiple clients refusing her services due to her gender, Dylan reveals her outlook on those experiences. She says: “Fortunately, I am very understanding that not everyone agrees with my lifestyle. That does…
Read MoreVTCT rebrand brings fresh energy to nail & beauty therapy qualifications
Vocational education company, VTCT, has launched its company rebrand – now known as VTCT Skills. For over 60 years, VTCT has worked to transform lives through skills, by offering a wide range of qualifications within the personal services to people sectors, including: Hairdressing & Barbering, Nail & Beauty Therapies, and Wellbeing & Holistic Therapy. The…
Read MoreHow a transgender nail tech changed his narrative by going self-employed
Utah-based tech, Finn Reilly, shares his experience changing his narrative as a trans nail pro by fostering a supportive network that allows his business to thrive. Alike many other transgender nail techs, Finn has experienced first-hand the discrimination within the industry. He shares: “I worked at a salon for a while, but my employer made…
Read MoreSeattle nail tech: “I came out as transgender to a colleague – I was fired the next day”
At his first salon job, Seattle-based tech, Sidney Simpson, came out as transgender and was fired the following day. Having worked just a week at his first salon job, the nail tech shared that he was transgender with a colleague – and just one day later, was fired. He says: “The salon claimed it was…
Read MoreSquoval nails: 7 on-trend manicures to use as inspiration
The squoval nail shape is a crowd-pleaser, merging the neatness of a square shape with the softness of an oval. Given away by the name, the shape is a square-oval hybrid. It replicates the shape of a ‘natural’ nail – creating a soft and subtle finish, which can be achieved on long or short nails.…
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