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What is a nail habit-tic & can it be treated?

By Katie Barnes | 12 February 2025

When a client sits at your nail desk and presents you with a nail like the below, you may wonder whether it is a contraindication that you should not treat. This is habit-tic deformity. Most commonly seen on the thumbnails, this nail condition is usually a result of onychotillomania: a…

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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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Greenwashing

5 ways to avoid greenwashing as a small beauty business

By Guest Writer | 21 July 2023

UK Greetings details how small businesses can avoid greenwashing, a deceptive marketing technique where brands make misleading claims about their environmental practices… 1. Keep communication clear 77% of UK customers don’t understand what companies are claiming when they talk about sustainability. This can lead to confusion, such as customers believing…

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How to justify your nail treatment prices

By Guest Writer | 21 July 2023

Hair and beauty business coach, Maddi Cook of Boss Your Salon, shares top tips to elevate your offerings and enhance your profits… I’ve seen a trend in a particular type of content and want to unpack it with you. I do this from the perspective of a pricing expert who, trust…

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Are Your Gloves Protecting You Against Nail Ingredients

Are your gloves protecting you against nail ingredients?

By Katie Barnes | 18 July 2023

In a previous blog for Scratch, we explored what gloves are needed for nail technicians and covered thickness and how often these need to be changed. In this blog, we delve deeper into chemical permeability and how to know if your gloves protect you against the chemicals which you use…

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How to successfully edit your nail photos

By Katie Barnes | 17 July 2023

In a previous blog, I shared 5 top tips on improving your nail photos. In this post, I am going to share more about editing your nail photos. Editing images these days, including nail images is a controversial topic. Your nail images should show the quality and truth of your…

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Threads

5 ways to use the Threads app to benefit your beauty business 

By Guest Writer | 10 July 2023

Jon Morgan, CEO & editor-in-chief of consulting firm, Venture Smarter, shares how small businesses can utilise Meta’s latest social media app, Threads, to maintain a competitive edge… 1. Brand awareness  Threads is another opportunity for small businesses to increase visibility for their brand, with updates on products and services, plus…

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Ai

How AI can help your nail salon to thrive

By Guest Writer | 7 July 2023

Artificial intelligence (AI) allows content to stay fresh and exciting, helps with customer service and builds client relationships, to name a few benefits. And it is already doing many of these things through salon software, reveals Rikki Tronson, chief revenue officer at salon software company, iSalon, who shares expertise below.…

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