SALON & SPAS
Unique salon décor: The Birmingham nail salon featuring a piano as its reception desk
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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From DIY nails to owning a home salon: how one tech turned her passion into a business
Bedfordshire-based nail tech, Jodie Day of @talonsbyjodie, started her nail journey simply wanting to learn how to do her own nails, however she enjoyed the training so much that she decided to turn it into her career. Jodie began her training in 2021 while pregnant, seeking a creative outlet. She…
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Award-winning home salon owner: the 5 essential tips for success
Scratch Stars Home Nail Salon of the Year 2024 winner, Kirsty Brown of @paintbrushnails, shares her top tips for building a successful home salon… Having won the prestigious Scratch Stars accolade for her Stirling-based home salon, we asked Kirsty to share her top tips to inform and inspire nail techs…
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South Devon tech: At 30 I decided to train as a nail technician – and I’ve never looked back
Having undergone a career swap at the age of 30, Devon-based nail tech Bonni Higson, the owner of Bonni File’n’Style in Dawlish, shares her story… After having children, Bonni decided to train as a nail technician. She says: “I enrolled at South Devon College and qualified at NVQ level 2…
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The Suffolk nail tech who transformed her lockdown hobby into a thriving salon business
Jemma Cornell, behind JC Nails, started her nail journey during lockdown in 2020 and four years later, has transformed her hobby into a full-time career. The Suffolk-based tech felt she needed something to ‘keep her busy’ during the challenging Covid-19 period, and decided training in nails was the answer. She…
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How a part-time job at a nail brand inspired an employee to become a nail tech
Ellie Toms’ part-time job at nail brand, Lecenté, inspired her career change to become a nail technician. Here’s her story… The now tech ‘fell in love’ with the brand’s products, so much so that it inspired her to become a nail tech so she was able to use them. The…
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10 Halloween-ready salons to give you inspiration
Halloween offers a perfect opportunity to have some fun in the nail space, so take inspiration from salons that have got clients in the spooky spirit with themed décor… 1. Beauty by Joan, Wisconsin, USA 2. Hope HQ, Manchester, UK 3. Hush Salon, Leeds, UK 4. Revel Salon, New York,…
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I visited TGB Spa in Brighton for a luxury pedicure – & here’s how it went
Nail brand, The GelBottle Inc, has opened its much-anticipated TGB Spa: a sanctuary for beauty treatments in the bustling city of Brighton. I was invited to explore the space and indulge in a Luxury TGB Gel Pedicure – and it didn’t disappoint. I arrived at Brighton train station and I tapped…
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Stacey Cox worked in banking for 15 years, but was seeking more flexibility around her family. The lockdown gave Stacey the push she needed to start her new nail business. “My studio was built in November, and we opened May,” she explains. “My husband Mark played a big role in…
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Before having her children, Kirsty Lamb was working as a mobile tech – but then made the move to open a home salon to fit her job around family life. “Being mobile was without a doubt hard work, but I knew if I wanted a career in nails, I had…
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After previously working as a mobile beautician, Danielle Bridges decided it was time to open up her own salon during the first Coronavirus lockdown. “I found it hard lugging all my equipment around so I decided to take the plunge. I couldn’t find anything suitable around my area, so I…
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In 2018, Ashley Wilson purchased a neglected convenience store to renovate into her own salon, taking on a big job to extend the property and adding walls to create separate rooms. “I was pregnant with my first baby at the time of purchase, however this didn’t stop me getting involved…
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Halo VIP Lucy Woodward works from a cabin in her home, valuing the privacy the space affords her and her clients. “I work alone in my space which I love, I manage my own appointments and have no one to rely on,” she explains. “My clients know anything they say…
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Dolled Up was established in 2013 by salon owner, Emma Hayes, who took the plunge into the beauty world after being encouraged by her friends. She’d been painting their nails in her spare time, around looking after her two young children, and they recognised her natural skill. “My assistant, Kate…
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