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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Accounts expert & qualified nail tech, Ria-Jaine Lincoln, shares need-to-know business news & accounting advice for those in the beauty industry… The closure of businesses and lockdown presents an extremely difficult time for all, so it is more important than ever to understand and manage cash flow over the next…
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Scratch puts the spotlight on the esteemed educators at Beauty2trs, the online platform for nail classes… This month: Hazel Dixon reveals how to apply & perfect crystal application About Hazel “For many years we’ve been able to follow Hazel Dixon’s journey,” comments the Beauty2trs team. “It was not difficult, as she was…
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As a nail professional, your clients come to you not only for your knowledge and skill, but also because of the experience. The friendship between technician and client becomes a big element of a client’s loyalty. Nail technique and skill is what may initially draw a client to your business,…
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Dr Kuldeep Minocha, GP & cosmetic doctor at London-based Tempus Clinic, reveals 7 ways to stay healthy at home during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. 1. Keep hydrated You and your family must all keep well hydrated by drinking plenty of clear fluids, warm or cold, it doesn’t matter. If…
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A staggering one in four women* will experience abuse from a partner or ex-partner at some time in their life, and two are killed each week. “They may be our clients, colleagues or our family and friends, so recognising the signs, offering a kind word and providing information on how…
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Rigorous hand washing and sanitising during this coronavirus pandemic can leave your hands feeling dry and sore. Author and skin healing expert, Hanna Sillitoe, offers Scratch readers some hand-saving tips that mean no one has to suffer or compromise on hygiene. Regularly and thoroughly washing your hands is one of…
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