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 learns more about the career story of talented nailist, Shelley Richards of Elite Nails… Shelley began her career journey in 2015 following encouragement from her sister, Lee-ann Moore. “Lee-Ann is a nail tech and she signed me up to a government funded course for Level 3 Nail Services,” Shelley…
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Scratch catches up with nail tech, Lucy Sibley, to learn more about her industry journey… Lucy entered the nail industry at the end of 2018 after her youngest daughter became unwell. “I needed a career that was flexible but that also fulfilled my creative personality,” she explains. “Now I work part…
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We want to see the nail designs trending on your social media pages! Cheryl Shanks, of Polished Nail & Beauty Lounge, says marble French tips have been popular recently. “This design is so popular as it’s so versatile: you can use various colour combinations and glitter outlines to complete the…
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We want to see what you’re wearing on your nails! Elizabeth Jones, of Nail Art by Elizabeth, wears a super cute Peter Rabbit-inspired design. “My inspiration for this nail design was the illustrations from Beatrix Potter and the Tales of Peter Rabbit. I absolutely loved these stories as a child…
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1.Tell us about your training… I started my nail training in 2008 after I had completed my beauty therapy training. I enrolled on a NVQ Level 3 in artificial nail structures, which covered acrylic, hard gel and silk. The course was for a year and then I have done various…
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Scratch catches up with nail tech, Holly Phillips, to learn more about her industry journey… Holly Phillips works as a self-employed nail tech from a studio in her home in Cambridgeshire. “After qualifying as a beauty therapist 12 years ago, I got a job as a full-time nail tech,” she explains.…
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