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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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Mino Vo Column Feb23

The importance of rules & questions in nail competitions

By Guest Writer | 23 March 2023

Every nail competition has its own set of rules, and rules can change from year to year. Ensuring that you read the rules and understand them perfectly is an imperative part of the competing process, whether you are new to competitions or a seasoned pro, shares multi award-winning nail aficionado,…

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Maddi Cook Boss Your Salon Mar23

Impostor Syndrome: What is it & do you have it?

By Guest Writer | 9 March 2023

Hair & beauty business coach, Maddi Cook of Boss Your Salon, shares top tips to elevate your offerings and enhance your profits. Boss Your Salon helps empower hair and beauty pros to price perfectly, set boundaries and grow without burnout, believing that business growth is for everyone. Maddi has worked…

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Cuticle Oil Nails

Here’s why nails may look dull after applying cuticle oil

By Katie Barnes | 7 February 2023

You’ve created a beautiful set of nails; you apply cuticle oil then go to capture a photo and notice that the glossy sheen has suddenly gone dull. So, what causes this? Firstly, ensure that your gel polish is fully cured. If it has not completely cured, then the shine will…

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Mobile Working

How to make the move to mobile nail work

By Guest Writer | 16 January 2023

Award-winning mobile nailist, Clare Woodcock of The Nail Club, shares practical pointers for starting nail work on a mobile basis… Do you want to make the move to working as a mobile nail pro, but you’re not sure how? As the Scratch Stars Mobile Nailist of the Year 2022, let me…

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nail tech at desk

Revealed: Key nail trends for 2023

By Chloe Randall | 6 January 2023

The nail industry is known to change and evolve all the time. However, particularly since the pandemic, trends and looks have changed as lockdowns meant people were left with little choice but to not have treatments while salons were shut and press-on nails were a must. As we head in…

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Bereavement

How to manage employee bereavement

By Guest Writer | 4 January 2023

How to manage employee bereavement Tina Chander, head of employment law at Midlands law firm, Wright Hassall, shares obligations and points to consider if an employee loses a loved one. As an employer, you may have to navigate a situation where a member of the team loses a loved one.…

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