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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Educator, former Scratch columnist and award-winning nail stylist, Katie Barnes, reveals how to file various nail shapes for your client… When filing nail shapes on enhancements, it is important to remember that the way your form is fitted and how you build the product is paramount for the correct shape and longevity of the…
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Ria-Jaine Lincoln, an accountant that specialises in helping beauty businesses, shades 10 points to consider to help navigate challenges in 2021 and aim for success… The start of a new year is usually the time when people focus on their business and personal goals. Many speak of starting new diet…
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Globally renowned scientist and nail expert, Doug Schoon, explores the safety concerns surrounding UV nail lamps… The facts that I will outline below demonstrate that UV curing nail lamps are safe, despite attacks by the misinformed media, fear-mongers and TV celebrity doctors. This controversy started in 2009 when two dermatologists…
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You don’t have to be a teacher to create tutorials for your customers. There are two kinds of tutorials: short ‘how to at home’ demonstrations for consumers and more in depth, factual lessons for professionally trained techs, taught by qualified teachers. They serve different purposes and offer different results. Owing…
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The first UK lockdown saw nail professionals turn to a variety of means to generate cash flow, including creating press-on nails for clients & sending by post. Thanh Vu, managing director of four Dream Nails salons, reveals points to consider if you’re thinking of turning to press-ons during lockdown… Press…
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A snowflake nail polish design to get you in the spirit of the festive season, by Sophie Harris-Greenslade, aka The Illustrated Nail. This design uses striping tape, so you don’t need a steady hand or to be an expert in the nail art game to create it. You will need:…
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