THE LATEST NEWS & FEATURES

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Revealed: the 10 UK cities offering the best value for money manicures

By Lilly Delmage | 9 January 2025

Research by Capital on Tap has revealed the UK’s hotspots for ‘high-quality yet low cost’ nail services. Credit card and spend management platform for small businesses, Capital on Tap, has compiled The UK Beauty Report, analysing the cities that offer the best value for money in terms of self-care services.…

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vegan cosmetics

Veganuary: How to tell if your nail & beauty products are vegan-friendly

By Scratch Staff | 9 January 2025

Are your clients calling for vegan and cruelty-free products? Scratch explores how to tell if your nail and beauty products fit the bill… The global vegan cosmetics market is anticipated to reach $24.79 billion in 2028, according to research by Fortune Business Insights, and a whopping 82% of all new vegan items…

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Sammy Macdonald Victoria Beckham Nails

Get to know the Scottish nail stylist who led nail looks for Victoria Beckham

By Helena Biggs | 8 January 2025

In Sammy Mac’s two decades in the nail industry, she’s won numerous awards, opened a thriving nail salon chain and led multiple teams backstage at Fashion Week events. So what’s left on the career tick list for this Scottish nail pro? “Leading the nail team for the 2024 Victoria Beckham…

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Green Nails

50+ green nail designs that are trending right now

By Scratch Staff | 8 January 2025

Green nails have been dominating our Instagram feeds, and show no signs of going anywhere anytime soon! Check out our roundup of trending designs below…

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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…

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Unique salon décor: The Birmingham nail salon featuring a piano as its reception desk

By Lilly Delmage | 6 January 2025

Founder of Birmingham-based nail studio, Icey’s Beauty Lounge, Aysana Druga, shares the story behind the salon’s impressive entrance… In 2015, Aysana and her husband spotted a piano in the window of a charity shop. She recalls: “We had no idea where it was going to go at the time, so…

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Tgb Jan 25 Scratch Snap Prize

Share your minimalist nail art for a chance to WIN over £400 worth of The GelBottle Inc products

By Rebecca Hitchon | 6 January 2025

The January Scratch Snap competition is open! Scratch Snap is a monthly, online nail art challenge that invites nail pros to create a salon-style nail design in line with a theme. Simply snap a pic of the design on yourself, nail tips or a client – and you could be…

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Slither into the Year of the Snake in style: 15 nail art ideas to celebrate Chinese New Year

By Lilly Delmage | 5 January 2025

Chinese New Year 2025 is celebrated on January 29th, welcoming the Year of the Snake. Thankfully, the nail industry is no stranger to snake-inspired designs, from snake-skin prints and hand-painted characters to 3D creations. However, if you’d rather steer clear of animal motifs, embracing the colours of the event is…

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Inclusion Orange Cut Out

The importance of creating accessible salon spaces for clients & staff

By Abi Hassan | 12 November 2024

Abi Hassan, owner of Canterbury-based salon, Hot Wheels Nails, explores key considerations for nail techs and employers when creating accessible salon settings to suit clients and staff… As a salon owner or an independent nail technician, it is important to consider ways in which your environment could be more accessible. Transparency…

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Christmas Nails Pic

How & why nail techs should practice self-care this festive season

By Guest Writer | 10 November 2024

Fiona Fox, owner of Dorset salon, Ulu Beauty, provides training to beauty pros on areas including mental health awareness, safeguarding, equality and diversity. Here, she explores the importance of self-care for nail techs during the festive season and simple self-care fixes. For many, Christmas is a time to look and…

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Squoval nails: 7 on-trend manicures to use as inspiration

By Lilly Delmage | 9 November 2024

The squoval nail shape is a crowd-pleaser, merging the neatness of a square shape with the softness of an oval. Given away by the name, the shape is a square-oval hybrid. It replicates the shape of a ‘natural’ nail – creating a soft and subtle finish, which can be achieved…

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Dani Bailey Heat Spikes Piece

Heat spikes in gel nail services: why they happen & how to avoid them

By Dani Bailey | 9 November 2024

What is a heat spike? Why can a burning sensation be felt by clients when a gel product is curing? Dani Bailey, nail educator & recipient of The Shooting Star Award at the Scratch Stars Awards 2024, explains… In August, Scratch posted an opportunity on Instagram for people to send in their…

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60 poppy nail design ideas for Remembrance Day

By Scratch Staff | 8 November 2024

Remembrance Day falls on 11 November and presents an opportunity to honour members of the armed forces that have died in the line of duty, with the poppy being a symbol of remembrance. Here, we share nail designs to mark the occasion…

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Cost Cutting Canva

5 ways your nail & beauty business can save money

By Katie Barnes | 7 November 2024

We are all feeling the pinch, so check out money-saving solutions for your nail and beauty business… 1. Be economical with your products Let’s use a nail file as an example. When you consider how much of a nail file you use in each service, it is rare that you…

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