TECH TALK
Unique salon decor: 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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I was visited by a Scratch Stars Award-winning mobile nailist. Here’s my experience
Here’s what happened when Stella Angelova, Scratch Stars Mobile Nailist of the Year 2024, paid Scratch’s deputy editor, Rebecca Hitchon, a visit… Stella of Stella A. – Nail Artist is based in Swanley, Kent, and travelled six miles to my home in Orpington. It was a gloomy and wet day,…
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I met Olivia Annice, the tech behind Olivia Annice Nails, at university in 2020. Her nail business has since flourished, and I have also joined the nail realm: working at Scratch as a news & features writer since July 2024. We met up to work at Olivia’s first nail event…
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Do you know what neurodiversity is? Half of beauty pros identify as neurodivergent and 27% work with a neurodivergent team member, so it’s likely you do. The Brain Charity states: ‘some people’s brains simply work in a different way. For at least 20% of the UK’s adult population, these differences…
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Influencers and co-hosts of The Girls Bathroom podcast, Sophia and Cinzia, selected Lindsay Heigh as the nail tech for their tour manicures, sending an influx of followers to her social media accounts. Fashion and lifestyle influencers, Sophia Tuxford and Cinzia Baylis Zullo, well-known for their trendy manicures amongst their 420,000+ YouTube subscribers, sought a…
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Psoriasis is a ‘condition that causes dry, scaly and sometimes itchy or sore patches on the skin,’ according to the NHS. Here, two nail techs share their experiences with psoriasis… “I suffer from seasonal psoriasis on my fingers and hands (mostly during autumn and winter) and psoriatic arthritis,” shares Fie…
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Scratch Stars Educator of the Year 2024, Melanie Lewendon, shares her top tips for finding the best nail courses to extend your skills.. Continual professional development is critical in any industry, the expert educator explains: “Techniques and products are constantly evolving, and it’s essential to stay updated. This not only…
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Luxury press-on nail artist, Kassie Payne, shares what sparked her passion for creating portrait nail artistry and her social media journey, and reveals the journey to launching own range of nail products… Kassie joined the world of nails as a means of income. She says: “The first three years I…
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