HEALTH & WELLBEING

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How to avoid stress when clients offload at the nail desk

By Guest Writer | 2 April 2025

Suzy Reading, psychologist & wellness expert for the British Association of Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology (BABTAC), shares top tips for managing mental stress from being a soundboard for clients… “The energetic and emotional toll of listening to clients’ problems needs to be recognised and addressed as part of basic training,”…

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Living as a nail tech with endometriosis: ‘I was heartbroken & scared of losing my nail business’

By Lilly Delmage | 31 March 2025

Scratch chats to Andover nail tech, Jo Bennett, about her experiences suffering with chronic condition, endometriosis. Endometriosis is a condition which targets the uterus, causing tissue, similar to the lining of the uterus, to grow outside of it. Common symptoms include, but aren’t limited to, severe pelvic pain and extreme…

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Why do I have white spots on my nails? Causes & treatment for leukonychia

By Lilly Delmage | 28 March 2025

Have you noticed white spots appearing on your nails? This could be leukonychia – here’s everything you need to know… What is leukonychia? This refers to discolouration, which often appears as white dots or lines on the nail. According to book, Milady’s Art & Science Nail Technology, the cause of…

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4 ways to reassure clients about the safety of your nail services

By Helena Biggs | 14 April 2023

You’ve spent hundreds of pounds on products, hours of time on training courses, and provide nail services that make your clients feel happy. So it hurts to constantly have to defend your profession from mainstream media cries of ‘UV nail lamps could cause cancer’ or ‘gel polish services cause allergies’.…

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Workplace wellbeing: advice & support for nail businesses

By Rebecca Hitchon | 3 November 2022

Scratch explores three ways to boost employee wellbeing in your nail business… 1. Team togetherness “Positive workplace wellbeing is crucial, as a team’s attitude is what drives a brand to grow,” explains Elissa Newton, Lecenté educator & owner of Derry salon, The Nail Lady. “Staff not being in harmony or…

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Mental health training options to help beauty businesses support employees

By Rebecca Hitchon | 10 October 2022

Scratch highlights different coaching providers to help support employers’ understanding and management of staff mental health matters. VTCT Believing in an industry that recognises the importance of their workforce’s mental wellbeing, awarding and assessment organisation, the Vocational Training Charitable Trust (VTCT), added Mental Health Awareness to its range of vocational…

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What is the function of the free edge of the nail?

By Katie Barnes | 21 September 2022

To understand the function of the free edge or nail tip, we must firstly understand how and why the nail grows. The function of the nail is to protect the outermost bone of the finger or toe, the fingertip, and the surrounding soft tissues from injuries. The fingertips contain a…

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Mental health awareness: How the nail sector has saved me from my struggles

By Rebecca Hitchon | 9 May 2022

Sheryl Cooper, owner of nail art supplier, Enchanted Essence, and home salon, Nails By Sheryl, opens up about how getting involved in the nail industry boosted her mental health and how she champions mental wellbeing in her businesses. In 2016 I had my daughter, Isla, and within six months I…

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The FNP reveals findings from its first nail industry allergy survey

By Guest Writer | 25 April 2022

Marian Newman BEM, chair of The Federation of Nail Professionals, shares findings from the FNP’s first allergy survey… A large part of the nail sector is aware of an ‘allergy epidemic’ that we and our clients are suffering from. Acrylate based nail coatings have been available and used since, at…

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