Family affair: Meet 3 sets of siblings finding success in the nail industry
By Rebecca Hitchon | 10 April 2025 | Brands, Feature, Salon & Spas, Tech Talk
Scratch puts the spotlight on brothers and sisters working together in the nail industry…
Glitterbels
While Annabel Maginnis will likely come to mind when you hear the word ‘Glitterbels’, there is a trio of siblings involved in the brand: Annabel’s husband, Elliott, and his brothers, Mac and Alex. It was unexpected for the brothers that they ended up working together, but they tell Scratch that they quickly came to realise that it made sense to combine their various skills.
L-R: Macauley Maginnis (financial director), Elliott Maginnis (co-founder & managing director) and Alex Maginnis (head of furniture production)
“We are lucky that we can work effectively both individually, and as part of a team,” reveals Mac. “We each have a different outlook, and that creates a strong dynamic for business growth. I’m very methodical and organised, Alex is smart and an expert carpenter, and Elliott is creative and has a good knowledge of market penetration.”
“We also completely understand each other and know how each other likes to work – Mac likes a quiet space, Alex prefers the sounds of machinery and I like both,” adds Elliott.
“The most important advantage of working with siblings is that from day one, trust is already there – and this is something that can take a long time to build usually,” says Alex.
“We can trust that if something needs doing, it will be done and because we speak outside of work, nothing is left unattended to. Being siblings gives you an edge on any other business, as you know each other inside out and can utilise each other’s skillsets,” he adds, explaining that this helps with managing challenges that arise.
“I just hope one day my eldest brother, Dain, who is a tattoo artist, can come and join the business, maybe offering Glitterbels tattoos,” laughs Elliott.
Millou Nails & Beauty
L-R: Kerry Snowball and Sophie Sanderson
A joint beauty career has always seemed on the cards for Millou Nails & Beauty sisters, Kerry and Sophie, even with a 20-year age gap between them. When Kerry was on extended maternity leave for her second child, she started face painting for children’s parties and Sophie, at the age of 12, helped her out.
Then when Kerry decided to make the move from having a home business to opening a salon space in Consett, County Durham. Sophie worked with her every Saturday, later training in beauty therapy at college. “I knew then we had the right working partnership and it’s grown from strength to strength,” reveals Kerry.
“We work at the same pace and skill level, but we like different treatments and that works well in the salon. We have the same level of expectation and our standards are the same, which is great while directing our team.”
Kerry explains that the best thing about working with Sophie is the strong and unconditional level of trust and loyalty for every aspect of their working relationship. “Challenges do arise when working together, as in every working relationship, and sometimes it can be fierier as we can be too honest, but we have learned to talk and not let things build up until an issue is too difficult to approach,” she adds. “We absolutely love working together and wouldn’t have it any other way!”
@millounailsbeautytraining44 / @sophie_millounailsbeauty
VODEX
It was inevitable that sisters, Natasia-Louise and Parris-Emily, would end up working together at beauty extraction company, VODEX. With their mother, step-dad and godmother all part of the business, the brand is a family affair through and through.
Natasia joined the team in 2015 and Parris in 2017 – although Natasia jokes that this was only their ‘official’ appointment, as the pair would help with the business alongside college and other jobs.
L-R: Natasia-Louise James (marketing office manager) and Parris-Emily James (salesperson)
“We always hear people say, ‘I don’t know how you can work with family’, but we all get along just fine,” she tells Scratch. “Don’t get us wrong, sometimes there are days where you could scream with frustration about something incredibly insignificant, but what family doesn’t have days like this?
“The only issues we really face as siblings are if one of us has beaten the other to an enquiry and hasn’t informed the other, or if we have a different opinion on something and both don’t back down – but that’s just general sibling rivalry,” she continues.
Natasia explains that the working relationship with her sister is an extension of their home life. “We probably take working together for granted; it means we get to spend more time together,” she says.
“A big benefit of us working together means that we can fill in for one another when we’re off work, so the business can keep running without disruption.”
*Originally published in Scratch’s April 2022 issue
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