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Nail Biting Picking

How to stop nail biting & picking: experts share treatment plans to break the habit

By Rebecca Hitchon | 18 February 2025

Finalists in the Scratch Stars Natural Nail Specialist of the Year category 2024 share tips for nail biting and picking clients… Why do people bite and pick at their nails and skin? “Nail biting, also known as onychophagia, and skin picking and biting, named perionychophagia, are habits associated with stress,…

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

By Rebecca Hitchon | 16 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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Nail techs: This is why thorough client consultations are so important

By Lilly Delmage | 16 February 2025

Scratch Stars Natural Nail Specialist of the Year finalist 2024, Tanya Jeskins, shares why thorough client consultations are the key to effective and safe nail services that keep clients returning. So, what exactly is a client consultation? Tanya explains: “It’s a professional conversation that takes place before every appointment, to…

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Is it ever OK to mix nail brands?

By Katie Barnes | 27 July 2021

You’ve probably heard that you aren’t supposed to mix nail brands – as in, a powder from one brand and the liquid from another or one gel polish base from one brand and the colour from another. But does it really make a difference or is it just an overcautious…

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What Instagram’s updates & changes mean for your business

By Katie Barnes | 13 July 2021

Video content is big, and almost every social media app is working towards prioritising video content. TikTok has been dominating the social media scene, Facebook introduced more video content for creators last year and now Instagram is focusing more on video, so it looks like these changes will trend for…

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7 tips to help grow your nail Instagram profile

By Guest Writer | 8 July 2021

Anna Khanna, founder of social media management company, Socialista, which helps beauty businesses improve their social media reach, shares advice for growing your Instagram profile… 1.  Give your followers value This will not only place you as an expert in your field, which will draw in clients, but will also…

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Revealed: The nail technique you need to know about

By Emma Hobday | 4 July 2021

Serbian nail artist, Bojana Kostka, has added a new technique to her arsenal of patented nail designs – the ‘Casting Technique’. It offers a speedy way to produce extreme nail enhancements, offering pros more time to embellish, create and style.   About Bojana Kostka Bojana started doing nails professionally in…

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12 steps to help perfect gel polish application at the cuticle zone

By Katie Barnes | 1 July 2021

Achieving a close and neat cuticle application with gel polish can be a nail tech’s nemesis but with just a few simple steps you can master a photo perfect cuticle application your clients will love. To achieve this with the gel polish brush alone can prove difficult even for the…

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How to handle beauty client complaints

By Guest Writer | 23 June 2021

Tina Beaumont-Goddard, director at the National Hair & Beauty Federation (NHBF) serves up support and advice for handling client complaints… As a business owner, it is your responsibility to deal with complaints in a timely, effective manner and have working knowledge of the client’s consumer rights. Take complaints seriously, stay…

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