EXPERT ADVICE

Katie Barnes Canva Allergy

Home gel kit dangers & 6 ways to prevent allergies at the nail desk

By Katie Barnes | 11 January 2025

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

By Lilly Delmage | 11 January 2025

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

By Guest Writer | 10 January 2025

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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Goal List

A beauty business coach’s guide to goal setting for 2025

By Guest Writer | 7 January 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

By Lilly Delmage | 3 January 2025

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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2025 Goals

New year, new you: How nail businesses can plan for the year ahead

By Marie-Louise Coster | 1 January 2025

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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Woman Laptop Business

4 updates to make to your beauty business in 2025

By Guest Writer | 30 December 2024

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

By Lilly Delmage | 22 December 2024

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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Hand Cream

Helen Burton-Ward on maintaining nails & your business

By Sophie Nutt | 5 June 2020

Scratch Stars Natural Nail Specialist of the Year 2019 and CND education ambassador, Helen Burton-Ward, shares her advice to maintaining clients’ nails and your business while salons remain closed due to Covid-19… Many of us will have lost a huge chunk, if not all, of our income and will have been inundated…

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Silicon Practice Hand Lead

How to care for silicone practice hands

By Guest Writer | 4 June 2020

Theresa Foddering shares her maintenance advice for silicone practice hands… With salons closed and nail professionals in isolation, there has been one hot commodity in lockdown: the silicone practice hand. We all rushed out to buy one, but soon realised they require much more TLC than expected. So how do you keep…

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How to boost retail sales during & post lockdown

By Guest Writer | 4 June 2020

Beauty brand consultants and founders of Buzz Beauté, Denise Dente & Jessica Quick, discuss how to up the ante on your retail during and post lockdown… Denise Dente Jessica Quick Service revenue has been deeply impacted by the reduced number of consumers, the need for social distancing and concerns over public…

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Social Media

5 tips for nailing social media etiquette

By Sophie Nutt | 29 May 2020

Sweet Squared‘s marketing manager, Rachel Horrocks, shares her top tips for appropriate social media etiquette… “Do thank and encourage your clients to upload post-treatment selfies/nailfies or any pictures of them interacting with you via socials (following tutorials, etc) – you want the exposure and the more people that show off…

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You Got This Reopen

How to prepare for an influx of clients post-lockdown

By Scratch Staff | 28 May 2020

Beauty brand consultants and founders of Buzz Beauté, Denise Dente & Jessica Quick, reveal how to prepare for reopening your business after lockdown… Grey hair, uni-brows, broken nails – the list goes on! Like the sound of a supersonic jet breaking the sound barrier, consumers are going to bolt to…

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Self Care

Are you struggling with lockdown? Here’s some self-care tips

By Scratch Staff | 28 May 2020

Janan Saher, director of Aviva Day Spa in Luton, reveals why it’s important to focus self-care at home during lockdown and serves up suggestions to promote such care… The world is a pretty surreal place these days because of the global panic around coronavirus (COVID-19). Are you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious or stressed?…

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