SALON & SPAS

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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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From DIY nails to owning a home salon: how one tech turned her passion into a business

By Lilly Delmage | 9 December 2024

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

By Lilly Delmage | 2 December 2024

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

By Lilly Delmage | 29 November 2024

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

By Lilly Delmage | 7 November 2024

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

By Lilly Delmage | 30 October 2024

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

By Scratch Staff | 27 October 2024

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

By Lilly Delmage | 24 October 2024

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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The Beauty Barn At Heage

Salon in the Spotlight: The Beauty Barn at Heage, Belper, Derbyshire

By Kat Hill | 23 December 2020

Originally an outbuilding on Lucy Jerrom’s family farm, this salon studio opened its doors in September 2019. “My dad, who’s a builder, and brother, who’s a joiner, renovated the building for me,” Lucy smiles. “I’ve very lucky!” Nestled in the Derbyshire countryside, The Beauty Barn at Heage offers an idyllic…

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Natalie Walker

WINNER ANNOUNCED: Scratch Snap December

By Kat Hill | 21 December 2020

The winner of Scratch’s monthly nail art challenge has been announced as Natalie Waker. In a showcase of talent, techs stepped up to the Scratch Snap challenge for December & created some nail designs inspired by The Sky at Night in the bid to win a prize. Judged by Scratch‘s…

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Salon in the Spotlight: The Nail Box, Derby

By Kat Hill | 16 December 2020

Offering her clients a sunny spot for nail appointments, Carol-Ann Beresford used Lockdown 2.0 in November to create a new nail studio. “I started my nail journey 12 years ago as an employed trainee nail technician,” Carol-Ann explains. “After years of hard work, I took a leap of faith to…

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Salon in the Spotlight: Megan’s Other Place, Ledbury

By Kat Hill | 9 December 2020

Specialising in creating bold and bright hair colours, Megan Long turned her attention to the world of nail design when she opened a new, second salon location. Megan’s journey into the world of hair and beauty started with Megan’s Place, a studio offering specialist hair colouring and hair treatments. In…

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Salon in the Spotlight: Nails by Sarah Astles, Wallasey Village, Wirral

By Kat Hill | 2 December 2020

After closing the doors to her high street salon during the first lockdown, Sarah Astles set about creating a new salon in her garden, ready to reopen in July. Now, Sarah works from a pretty pink cabin and hasn’t looked back. “My husband and I built the cabin ourselves, so…

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Salon in the Spotlight: Palm Salon and Spa, Cambridgeshire

By Kat Hill | 25 November 2020

Located in an old telephone exchange office, Palm Salon and Spa offers the residents of Melbourn in Cambridgeshire the ideal setup to escape day-to-day life with indulgent nail and beauty treatments. “I took over the Exchange back in February this year,” smiles owner, Francesca Roughan. “When I took it over, it…

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