EXPERT ADVICE
Home gel kit dangers & 6 ways to prevent allergies at the nail desk
Many people turned to DIY nail kits during the coronavirus lockdown. They may have been visiting a nail pro for months, years or even decades – before suddenly, the luxury of a nail appointment was gone, and some saw a solution in home application of gel polish. DIY home kits…
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Self-employment help for nail techs: registration & tax essentials
Are you keen to take the leap into self-employment? Here’s a guide to the registration and tax essentials you need to know… For nail technicians working in salons who seek greater control over their careers, self-employment often feels like a natural next step. It offers professional and creative freedom, aiding…
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AI is changing the beauty salon game: here’s how it can help you stay ahead
Richard McCabe, aka the Lifestyle Salon Coach, shares how artificial intelligence can benefit your beauty business… Love it or hate it, AI is changing how businesses work – and that includes salons. Just like past tech revolutions, if you jump on board early, you’re more likely to come out on…
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A beauty business coach’s guide to goal setting for 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
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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New year, new you: How nail businesses can plan for the year ahead
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
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
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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The idea of reopening after such a long period of time away from the nail desk can be daunting, especially with clients eager to finally have their nails done. However, it is important not to get burnt out within the first two weeks of reopening; structure your diary accordingly to…
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Are you ready for the return to work? Scroll down for our checklist to help prep you and your business for reopening. Treatments offered by nail & beauty professionals are classed as ‘close-contact services’ and foster specific government guidelines that must be followed to ensure safe working practice. You have…
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In a previous Scratch post, I discussed the purchasing of genuine, safe PPE and how to use and remove it correctly. Lack of nitrile glove use or using the wrong nitrile gloves can cause issues that our industry is far too aware of due to allergies. The Covid-19 pandemic has…
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Are you ready for the return to work? Here, we recap PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to help prep you and your business for reopening. Treatments offered by nail & beauty professionals are classed as ‘close-contact services’ and foster specific government guidelines that must be followed to ensure safe working practice.…
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For many nail technicians and salon owners, lockdown has given them the gift of time. Time to either learn new nail techniques, how to improve their business, or simply, going back to basics. Here are some techs who share how they have up-skilled their nail techniques during this time… “For…
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Champion nail artist, international educator & distributor, Hazel Dixon, founder of HD Professional Nail Systems in the UK, talks candidly about the controversy surrounding UV/LED lamp usage & how she’s successfully addressed the issue with her nail brand. by Hazel Dixon After the success of my HD gel…
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