EXPERT ADVICE

Lilly Web Newsfeature Lead 1200x800px 70

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…

Read More
Ai Richard Mccabe Piece

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…

Read More
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…

Read More
Lilly Web Newsfeature Lead 1200x800px 62

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…

Read More
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…

Read More
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…

Read More
Lilly Web Newsfeature Lead 1200x800px 60

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’…

Read More
Mlc Client Boundaries Header

I’ve been a beauty pro for 30+ years: here’s how I set boundaries with clients

By Marie-Louise Coster | 19 December 2024

Session nail stylist, salon owner & educator, Marie-Louise Coster, shares her experiences with boundary-pushing clients… I imagine most of you went into the nail/beauty industry to make people happy. I also imagine that you expected clients to be grateful and courteous at all times. I don’t suppose you imagined that sometimes…

Read More
Katie Barnes Nails Encapsulation

How to ace encapsulation in L&P & gel nails

By Katie Barnes | 2 April 2019

Encapsulation, also referred to in the nail industry as ’embedding’ is the action of enclosing something in or as if in a capsule, for example in-between two layers of nail products like L&P or gel. The possibilities of what you can encapsulate are endless; from conventional nail items such as…

Read More
Natasha Lee Photo Blogger

Top tips for taking a perfect nail photo

By Scratch Staff | 26 March 2019

Scratch Stars award-winning blogger, Natasha Lee, reveals her top tips to perfecting an attention-grabbing nail design… The two biggest things that can make or break a business, in my opinion, are word of mouth and social media presence. You need to make sure that both are positive, and it’s crucial…

Read More
Beautylab Skincare

Why you should add skincare treatments to your salon menu

By Kat Hill | 26 March 2019

BeautyLab skincare expert, Samantha Kendrew, reveals some top tips for introducing skincare to your in-salon offering – just in time for Mother’s Day… Created to meet skincare demands, the BeautyLab range consists of sophisticated salon treatments and a complementary retail line. “The BeautyLab Body treatments are ideal for a relaxing…

Read More
Hi Brow Compact Model

Beautiful brows for mature clients

By Kat Hill | 26 March 2019

With Mother’s Day this Sunday, have you consider showcasing your brow styling skill to meet any client needs? Create a bespoke brow look for clients of all ages with these tips from Lash Perfect expert, Emma Apps… “Naturally, eyebrows tend to become sparser as we age,” explains Emma Apps, Hi Brow…

Read More
Annual leave rights for staff

Annual leave rights for staff

By Kat Hill | 23 March 2019

Do you know what rights you and your staff member have when it comes to annual leave? The NHF/NBF serves up advice for beauty business owners… Everyone who is employed in the UK is entitled to paid leave, whatever their role or the number of hours worked. It’s vital to know what the law…

Read More
Mothers Day Child

How to make your beauty business appeal to new & expectant mums

By Scratch Staff | 15 March 2019

Helena Linsky, co-director of Q61, reveals how to make your beauty business mum-friendly… For Mother’s Day promos and across the entire year, it’s important to consider how you can implement in-salon initiatives that are mum-friendly. Mum-to-be and new mum clients tend to have slightly different needs to your other clients,…

Read More