EXPERT ADVICE

Goal List

A beauty business coach’s guide to goal setting for 2025

By Guest Writer | 7 January 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

By Lilly Delmage | 3 January 2025

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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2025 Goals

New year, new you: How nail businesses can plan for the year ahead

By Marie-Louise Coster | 1 January 2025

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

By Guest Writer | 30 December 2024

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

By Lilly Delmage | 22 December 2024

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

By Marie-Louise Coster | 19 December 2024

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 Business Planning

2025 nail business planning: expert tips for new year success

By Guest Writer | 18 December 2024

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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Spread Christmas cheer sustainably: 3 ways to recycle festive items

By Guest Writer | 15 December 2024

Decorating the Christmas tree, wrapping gifts, and sending out greeting cards are some of the most cherished Christmas traditions, but after the festivities, how do you dispose of the excess? Gabriella Peace, marketing communications manager of UK Greetings, offers her take on how you can give your Christmas items a…

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How to maximising the social media offerings of your beauty business

By Guest Writer | 21 May 2017

Tom Ferris, owner of Blackwell Ferris Marketing, reveals how to make the most of your social media platforms and posts… “Read all about it!” used to be called on the streets – as that was how we used to be enticed to buy a newspaper and find out about the…

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Racefit

Consultants unveil beauty business analysing programme

By Kat Hill | 15 May 2017

Are you keen to give your business an edge? Beauty industry consultant, The Red Tree, has launched a 360-degree review to help beauty brands identify their key areas of weakness, gain valuable industry insight and expertise, and discover how to succeed in the challenging beauty industry. The signature RaceFit programme…

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South East named UK hair and beauty capital

By Kat Hill | 20 April 2017

New research from Direct Line for Business has revealed that nearly one in three hair beauty and nail businesses operate in the South East of England. The small business insurer found that there are nearly 29,000 of these businesses based in the South East – seeing one salon for every…

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Cidesco

Be safe in the workplace with CIDESCO’s top tips

By Helena Biggs | 11 April 2017

CIDESCO, the world standard for beauty and spa therapy, has announced ‘Health & Safety month’ to help raise standards in the industry and improve your wellbeing while working. “While there are laws and requirements that help us maintain health & safety standards, going above and beyond these will be noticed by…

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Parcel

Know the nail mail regulations

By Kat Hill | 24 March 2017

There were some recent changes made to the postal system that you need to know if you’re putting nail products through the post. Whether you’re posting out retail sales to clients or a just lacquer lover, failing to comply with the guidelines could even see your parcel disposed of. Save…

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How to take a great nail photo

By Katie Barnes | 14 March 2017

Salon owner, educator, former Scratch columnist and award-winning nail stylist, Katie Barnes, offers advice on making the most of your nail snaps… Taking good photographs of your nail work can increase your chances of being featured in publications and grow your clients and social media following. The quality of your photographs can show the difference between an amateur and professional nail technician. You don’t need…

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