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Nail & beauty apprenticeships: salons share benefits, their experiences & advice

By Rebecca Hitchon | 11 February 2025

In a recent poll on Scratch’s Instagram, almost 80% of respondents shared that they’re considering taking on apprentices. Here, two UK salons share how they’ve reaped the rewards of the apprenticeship process.. Nailspa, West Yorkshire “As a business owner, I believe that when it comes to employees, you cannot beat…

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Self-employment help for nail techs: legal, financial & operational considerations

By Lilly Delmage | 5 February 2025

All the legal, financial and operational factors to consider before making those all-important choices… Deciding to become a self-employed nail tech is just the beginning, and we’re here to help you navigate it all. From choosing whether to work from home or as a mobile tech, to deciding which insurance…

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Top reasons to enter nail competitions & expert tips for success

By Guest Writer | 3 February 2025

Esteemed beauty business expert & CEO of PHAB Service Stars, Nergish Wadia-Austin, shares advice for budding nail competitors… The nail industry is vibrant, with competitions like the Scratch Stars Awards and Nailympia showcasing the best in creativity and artistry. Prestigious events like these are essential for any nail technician wishing…

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#SCRATCHSTARS18 – Top tips from a two-time winner

By Helena Biggs | 11 February 2018

Tammy Koslowski, owner of NAF! Salon, Glasgow – which scooped both the Nail Salon of the Year and Best Use of Social Media titles at the Scratch Stars 2017, reveals her top tips to take it to the top… Start early I think it took us around four weeks to write…

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How the local press can boost your beauty career

By Guest Writer | 19 January 2018

Tom Ferris, owner of Blackwell Ferris Marketing, reveals why you should be using your local newspapers and social media groups to spread the word about your services… The local press was a key way to getting exposure. Local press will be on board with many salon stories and events as it…

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PINTREST highlights growing interest in lash treatments and nail art

By Kat Hill | 16 January 2018

Pinterest has revealed its annual Pinterest 100 report, which sees a variety of trend predictions for 2018 identified by the social media platform. Including beauty and lifestyle forecasts, the report reveals an insight into consumer browsing habits on the social media platform. “Beauty is booming on Pinterest with a 75%…

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NHF warns pension change set to triple costs for employees

By Kat Hill | 11 January 2018

The National Hairdressers Federation, which supports the hair, beauty and barbering industries, is warning pension changes will triple costs for employers. Pensions auto-enrolment was introduced in April 2012 and has led to nine million workers saving into a pension for the first time.   Since auto-enrolment was introduced, the contributions for both…

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How to correctly remove nail enhancements that are lifting

By Katie Barnes | 9 January 2018

Salon owner, educator, former Scratch columnist and award-winning nail stylist, Katie Barnes, reveals how to correctly remove enhancements that have lifted What is lifting? Enhancements that lift away from the natural nail show a sign of service breakdown. This can occur with any nail coating but is often more common with L&P and…

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What is dark social & how can I get involved?

By Guest Writer | 21 December 2017

Tom Ferris, owner of Blackwell Ferris Marketing, reveals what ‘dark social’ is – and why you need to know about it… “It was so funny I just HAD to share it with you guys”. “Yeah but Marc never replies in the WhatsApp group, he always lurks in the background just watching”. This…

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