EXPERT ADVICE
AI is changing the beauty salon game: here’s how it can help you stay ahead
Richard McCabe, aka the Lifestyle Salon Coach, shares how artificial intelligence can benefit your beauty business… Love it or hate it, AI is changing how businesses work – and that includes salons. Just like past tech revolutions, if you jump on board early, you’re more likely to come out on…
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A beauty business coach’s guide to goal setting for 2025
Beauty business and mindset coach, Zaara King, offers up advice for the new year… It’s time to consider how you wish to make your mark on the industry over the next 12 months. You get to choose how you show up, what you offer clients and how you make a…
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Why nail technicians should enter the Scratch Stars Awards: tips from a nail competition maestro
Bespoke nail artist, Jiak Hing, who has won the Scratch Stars Gel Polish Stylist of the Year accolade for three consecutive years, shares insight into the competition, what to expect on the day and the benefits of entering. Why did you decide to enter the Scratch Stars Awards? To…
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New year, new you: How nail businesses can plan for the year ahead
Session nail stylist, salon owner & educator, Marie-Louise Coster, shares her tips for reviewing the last year and preparing for the next, in order to achieve success… Here we are again, another year gone and a new one in front of us full of opportunity, possibility and hope. It is…
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4 updates to make to your beauty business in 2025
Kim Ford, global business & beauty education expert, shares ways to make the most of quiet spells to improve your business long-term… The beginning of a new year is a great time to focus on business administration, such as updating operational and legal documents, and to consider if your marketing…
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Introverted nail techs: how to grow your skills & clientele comfortably
Do you love the creative aspect of being a nail professional: perfecting enhancements and getting arty, but find it challenging to converse with clients and colleagues? You’re not alone. A need to recharge after client interactions or feeling most comfortable in quiet environments are signs of introversion. The word ‘introvert’…
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I’ve been a beauty pro for 30+ years: here’s how I set boundaries with clients
Session nail stylist, salon owner & educator, Marie-Louise Coster, shares her experiences with boundary-pushing clients… I imagine most of you went into the nail/beauty industry to make people happy. I also imagine that you expected clients to be grateful and courteous at all times. I don’t suppose you imagined that sometimes…
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2025 nail business planning: expert tips for new year success
Belinda Price, OPI UK&I education and capability manager & owner of Nailspa, Scratch Stars Nail & Beauty Salon of the Year 2024, shares advice… During the busiest season of the year for most nail and beauty professionals, it can be hard to see past 31 December. But as the dust…
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Are you thinking of having a salon spruce up before the festive rush? Take into consideration our top tips… Set yourself a budget Try to stick to it! Don’t forget to factor in little extras like finishing touches and delivery charges. Take measurements Before ordering anything, be sure you’ve taken…
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It can be a powerful marketing tool – yet sometimes a source of pressure to constantly be answerable to clients; so has social media become bittersweet? Scratch speaks to beauty business owners about how they balance social media marketing with their personal life and how to beat the digital burnout……
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Exercising your artistic arm and boosting your creative flair should always be a priority in such a visual industry, however, by offering advanced nail art services you can also bump up your prices and generate higher revenue per nail set. Not only this, but with demand from fashion-conscious individuals high,…
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Tomorrow (3 October 2018) marks National Boyfriend Day and, with male grooming continuing to rise in popularity, it is more important than ever to be inclusive of both male and female throughout your services. Inclusivity can be boasted through your salon interior, treatment menu, marketing and product choices, so it’s…
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New stats have revealed women are now, more than ever, opting for the minimalist look when it comes to make-up – with Cardiff being named as the UK city most likely to go bare-faced. The findings from product suppliers, Cosmetify.com, has revealed that almost one in five women in Cardiff…
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Cosmetify.com, beauty product suppliers, has revealed that less than two-thirds of women say they always remove products before going to bed. The research exploring beauty hygiene has shown that women in Nottingham who are the worst offenders, with almost one in five admitting to only occasionally taking it off before…
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