TECH TALK
Get to know the Scottish nail stylist who led nail looks for Victoria Beckham
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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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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I’m a Scottish nail artist working in London. Here’s what I miss most…
“If anyone from outside Scotland asks me, I say I’m from Glasgow, but as Scottish folk will read this, I’m actually from Livingston,” smiles Becki Menzies. The nail pro lived in Scotland for 28 years before moving to East London in 2023, where she works within tattoo space, Soteria Studios.…
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Why nail technicians should enter the Scratch Stars Awards: tips from a nail competition maestro
Bespoke nail artist, Jiak Hing, who has won the Scratch Stars Gel Polish Stylist of the Year accolade for three consecutive years, shares insight into the competition, what to expect on the day and the benefits of entering. Why did you decide to enter the Scratch Stars Awards? To…
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Introverted nail techs: how to grow your skills & clientele comfortably
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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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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Lover of detailed, hand-painted nail designs, Wolverhampton-based Yasmin Hodge of Gels by Yas takes a stand against the stigma she’s faced as a disabled nail tech, opening up about her experiences in the industry. Regularly painting her own nails with polish or getting her nails done professionally, Yas decided to…
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After launching Get Press On Nails, a marketplace for nail artists to sell their own press-on nail designs for free, Rebecca Orme shares her goals of creating a bustling marketplace for press-on nails. Rebecca Orme discovered her passion for nail design as a child and enjoyed painting her own nails…
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After leaving her job as a horse riding instructor due to a life-changing diagnosis of an invisible illness, Lauren Mitchell of Phenomenail Wales opens up about how becoming a nail technician helped her regain confidence and purpose. “I had acute onset Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension, known as IIH, so I went…
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The nail industry has often been described as ‘one big family’, but for many nail brand owners, techs, and educators, it really is a true reality. Due to the fun, loving nature of the industry and the many family run businesses which are passed down, many people in this sector…
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Lover of all things pink & sparkly, Jamiyla Deniran, known as Jamy, shares an insight into her life working from a tattoo studio in Hackney & reveals her plans for her future in nails Jamy’s nail journey began as a teenager when she began recreating nail art she had seen online.…
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Lover of seasonal nail styles and minimalist designs, Jodie Richards of Beauty Haven by Jodie, shares her career story with Scratch and reveals her hopes for her future in the nail industry. Leaving school at 16, Jodie knew that she wanted to pursue beauty since her early teens. “I went straight…
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