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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Sharon Sandhu, category manager for nails at Salon Services UK & Ireland, reveals three ways to ensure nail looks keep in the best shape while on holiday… At this time of year, many clients will be escaping for an annual summer break of sun, sea and carefree days on the…
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The perfect form fit is one of the most important elements when it comes to a well-structured sculpted nail enhancement. The correct placement of the nail form is essential but an often overlooked component of the form fit is the symmetrical closure of the wings. Without this, it will be…
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Session stylist and Scratch columnist, Robbie Tomkins, invited you to ask him any questions about the session world. Here, he answers those questions with the help of session techs Michelle Humphrey and Michelle Class. Kaycie Kyle asks: What career level do you need to be at to start session work? RT: I started…
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Finding an ideal candidate and offering them the job is not the end of the salon recruitment process. Retaining staff is an ongoing responsibility and ensuring their happiness is key to the. There is no ‘one size fits all’ formula formula to retaining staff, so it might take some trial…
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Margaret Dabbs, foot expert and CEO of Margaret Dabbs London, shares her advice on how to take care of feet in this heatwave… How can heat negatively affect the heat? The warm weather can cause feet to swell as the veins dilate in an attempt to keep the body cool,…
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Becoming a nail technician is often a career choice that is snubbed and looked down upon. It is often perceived as ‘just painting nails’. Anyone that has ever tried to paint nails well, will appreciate that this is a skill in itself. This element is just the tip of the…
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