TECH TALK: Catherine Marshall of Nail Tunes
By Callie Iley | 08 August 2020 | Feature, Tech Talk
Scratch catches up with nail tech, Catherine Marshall of Nail Tunes, about her experiences and journey in the nail industry…
“If I had to pick a nail colour to characterise my personality, I’d probably choose a light holographic green – one like The Gel Bottle Inc’s Amur. Subtle and sweet at times, but also bold and loud at others. A bit of a mix!
“I started doing nails as a hobby long before anything else, but I actually have a degree in film and I used to work in the industry, so if I wasn’t doing nails, I imagine I’d probably gravitate back towards doing that. However, I’m much happier as a nail tech!
“I love creating any sort of negative space design, although I don’t do them often. There’s so much you can do with negative space nail art, be it simple or bold!”
Who do you admire in the industry?
“I look up to so many people in the industry – my list could just go on and on! I follow lots of techs who are incredible at what they do. I’m constantly in awe of the designs that Isabel May Nails creates and her passion for salon organisation… She has so many great ideas! I have huge respect for the team at Navy Professional and everything it does. I admire the work created by Learnah Starbuck, Amy Rickaby, Katie Masters, Sarah Kane, Nails by Danni Moore (the inspiration behind the below red with cow print feature nails), Leanne of Nails at Bear, Jema Baynes… The list goes on!
What’s your advice for aspiring nail techs?
“Practise, practise, practise! I know it’s a common answer but it’s just so true. Never be afraid to take inspiration from other techs, just make sure you credit them when you do – it’s respectful and people love to see how others interpret their work! It brings the community together. However, it’s also crucial to not compare your work too harshly, especially if you’re new to nail art. It’s not always easy but getting that practise in will help. There is always something new to learn!”
What would you change about the UK nail industry?
“There’s definitely a stigma still held against nail technicians pricing across the country. In some areas for example, you see plain gels priced between £18 and £20, while in others they charge £30 and upward – which is how it should be, if you’re good at what you do and create high quality, long lasting nails. I think there are lots of techs out there who play their skills down through their pricing. It’s a hard one to amend, as you don’t want to lose business. However, the community within the UK nail industry is super exciting. I think that especially during lockdown, it was amazing to see techs pull together online workshops to share their tips and tricks for others to learn from. I love to see that so many talented techs are gaining teaching qualifications in order to offer one-to-one training courses.”
