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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Scratch speaks to renowned nail tech and educator Anna Lee about her industry journey, bridging the ethnicity gap and launching Creative Academy London Anna began her journey in the nail industry in 2004, where she enrolled on a part-time nail course at her local course, for ‘something to do.’ Anna’s…
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Scratch chats to Ravi Uppal of Nails by Ravi about nail trends and the importance of not comparing yourself to other techs… The Gel Bottle‘s Builder in a Bottle has to be my ultimate favourite product to use – it’s life changing! Before using it, I thought it was just…
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Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis being the technical term) is surprisingly common and can affect the whole body or just certain areas, like the hands (palmar hyperhidrosis). It’s normal to sweat if you get hot or do exercise, but you may be sweating excessively if you’re sweating when your body does not…
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Thanh Vu, managing director of four Dream Nails salons, reflects on the challenges – and opportunities – that have been presented to her businesses since reopening after lockdown… Since reopening, the most challenging aspect for our boutique salon business has been staffing issues. We adhere to strict Covid-19 precautions for…
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Scratch speaks to three devoted nail techs, Samantha Courage, Carly Wright, and Annmarie Jones, about their challenging experiences with clients, and their top tips for how to avoid these situations in the future… Samantha’s story Samantha Courage of Samantha Courage Beauty had a new client who booked in for a…
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Scratch chats to Nikol Nikolova of Triple N Mobile Salon about launching her own educational platform for nail techs and her excitement at winning the Scratch Stars Award for Mobile Nailist of the Year 20/21… I’ve done my own nails since I was little. My mom owned a salon and…
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