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Nail Biting Picking

How to stop nail biting & picking: experts share treatment plans to break the habit

By Rebecca Hitchon | 18 February 2025

Finalists in the Scratch Stars Natural Nail Specialist of the Year category 2024 share tips for nail biting and picking clients… Why do people bite and pick at their nails and skin? “Nail biting, also known as onychophagia, and skin picking and biting, named perionychophagia, are habits associated with stress,…

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Nail & beauty apprenticeships: salons share benefits, their experiences & advice

By Rebecca Hitchon | 16 February 2025

In a recent poll on Scratch’s Instagram, almost 80% of respondents shared that they’re considering taking on apprentices. Here, two UK salons share how they’ve reaped the rewards of the apprenticeship process… Nailspa, West Yorkshire “As a business owner, I believe that when it comes to employees, you cannot beat…

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Nail techs: This is why thorough client consultations are so important

By Lilly Delmage | 16 February 2025

Scratch Stars Natural Nail Specialist of the Year finalist 2024, Tanya Jeskins, shares why thorough client consultations are the key to effective and safe nail services that keep clients returning. So, what exactly is a client consultation? Tanya explains: “It’s a professional conversation that takes place before every appointment, to…

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How to close a nail form correctly to ensure a great enhancement

By Katie Barnes | 5 August 2019

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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Your session styling questions: answered!

By Sophie Nutt | 1 August 2019

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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How to keep staff happy

By Sophie Nutt | 25 July 2019

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 shares 10 ways to look after feet in the heat

By Sophie Nutt | 24 July 2019

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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What it takes to become & remain a successful nail technician

By Katie Barnes | 23 July 2019

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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NHF/NBF on the importance of patch testing

By Kat Hill | 23 July 2019

Caroline Larissey is the NHF/NBF’s director of quality & standards, reveals the importance of patch testing within any beauty business… “Allergy alert and sensitivity testing are vital to protect your clients, your reputation and your salon business. “Having an approved and reliable patch testing system in place when providing lash…

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