HEALTH & WELLBEING

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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’…

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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…

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Drew Sallows Tech Talk

Insights from a trans nail tech: what I want you to know

By Rebecca Hitchon | 19 November 2024

Drew Sallows of @t4tnails feels fortunate to have been surrounded by love throughout their nail career: working in accepting salon spaces, while being able to do the job that they adore. “I always knew I wanted an artistic career, and spent a lot of time watching content by Cristine of Simply…

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Texas nail tech: Clients have walked away from my services because I’m transgender

By Lilly Delmage | 18 November 2024

Texas-based nail technician, Dylan Michaud, shares how she refuses to let gender discrimination stand in the way of her career success… Having faced multiple clients refusing her services due to her gender, Dylan reveals her outlook on those experiences. She says: “Fortunately, I am very understanding that not everyone agrees…

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Asher Maynard Trans Tech Talk

Trans nail tech: A client prepaid for appointments to help fund my top surgery

By Rebecca Hitchon | 16 November 2024

“Not only have I received allyship from other nail techs and my clients, but I’ve been given tangible support through my transition,” says Asher Maynard, a transmasculine and non-binary nail tech based in Seattle, USA. The pro has received so much support, that one client prepaid for her appointments to…

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How a transgender nail tech changed his narrative by going self-employed

By Lilly Delmage | 15 November 2024

Utah-based tech, Finn Reilly, shares his experience changing his narrative as a trans nail pro by fostering a supportive network that allows his business to thrive. Alike many other transgender nail techs, Finn has experienced first-hand the discrimination within the industry. He shares: “I worked at a salon for a…

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Logan Cullen's Tech Talk

How I’ve dealt with trolls & found community as a transgender nail tech

By Rebecca Hitchon | 14 November 2024

From a young age, Logan Cullen found joy in creating nail looks. But joining the nail industry professionally has seen the transgender tech have to navigate challenges… “When I was younger, I saw the first Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movie and wanted to be Peter Parker – I couldn’t understand why no…

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Pedicure

Pedicure tips: how nail techs can safely support clients with diabetes

By Scratch Staff | 14 November 2024

According to charity, Diabetes UK, approximately 6% of the UK population suffer from diabetes. Learning about the condition and how to take extra care with clients who have it is key to making diabetic clients feel safe and able to enjoy their nail experience. Here, we explore how the condition…

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How to support beauty clients & staff through the menopause

By Rebecca Hitchon | 18 October 2023

October marks World Menopause Month, designed to encourage awareness of the signs and symptoms of the menopause. Awareness has been shown to be particularly crucial, after a study published in journal, BMC Women’s Health, revealed that menopausal women are the fastest growing demographic in the workforce – and you will…

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Community

5 tips for creating a successful nail community

By Rebecca Hitchon | 13 October 2023

Being part of this industry can be lonely – around two-thirds of beauty professionals are self-employed, and while clients provide chit-chat throughout the working day, the focus of these conversations is likely on them. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people in the sector – whether virtually or physically – is paramount…

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3 ways to support beauty clients with breast cancer

By Guest Writer | 11 October 2023

The Jennifer Young Training School, which specialises in oncology therapies, skincare and well-being for cancer patients, shares how you can support nail and beauty clients with breast cancer… October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month – a time traditionally swathed in pink and dedicated to awareness of breast cancer symptoms. With…

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Mental Health Emily Harris

Devon nail tech & mental health first aider on how to prioritise wellness in the salon

By Rebecca Hitchon | 10 October 2023

“While holding clients’ hands – quite literally for hours at a time, they can open up, allowing you to celebrate the ups in their lives, but also the downs,” says Emily Harris, owner of North Devon business, Vanity Nails & Tanning. The passionate pro is a qualified mental health first…

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Sustainable Suppliers

3 steps to choose a sustainable supplier for your beauty business

By Guest Writer | 13 September 2023

Charlotte Scallon, head of sustainability & regulation at waste management company, Biffa, offers a three-step strategy to help businesses understand how to choose a sustainable supplier… Choosing a sustainable supplier that helps you meet your goals can be challenging, but the process should be energising, not daunting. Our three-step strategy…

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Are Your Gloves Protecting You Against Nail Ingredients

Are your gloves protecting you against nail ingredients?

By Katie Barnes | 18 July 2023

In a previous blog for Scratch, we explored what gloves are needed for nail technicians and covered thickness and how often these need to be changed. In this blog, we delve deeper into chemical permeability and how to know if your gloves protect you against the chemicals which you use…

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