TECHS & SALONS
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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.…
Read More
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…
Read More
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’…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
The story behind Ella Vivii’s introduction to the nail industry is a heart-warming one. Her mum, Charlotte Burgess, owns a nail and beauty salon, educates and is a session stylist, so Ella grew up around nails. “But I was always more interested in fashion and studied Styling & Production at the…
Read More
Wanting to create a space for herself and her clients to unapologetically be themselves, Tan Adams drew inspiration from tattoo shops for her salon’s alternative styling. “I want my space to feel like a haven for people who struggle to fit into mainstream spaces. Growing up, I was convinced that…
Read More
Are you struggling to calculate your outgoings and wondering why your sums are leaving you short each month? Try the handy pricing calculator and course from Maddi Cook, a salon business expert & owner of Boss Your Salon. Maddi, a finalist in the 2023 Scratch Stars Awards for Services to…
Read More
Consisting of 20 nail professionals, the OPI Education Team is a close-knit group of passionate educators based across the UK, working on a full-time and freelance basis. “As a team, we all very much admire and inspire each other, whether it be creative talent, business acumen, approach with students, attitude,…
Read More
Gaining her NVQ level 2 and 3 in beauty therapy in 2013 at Nescot College in Epsom, Surrey, Lisa Wathen went on to work in a range of spas, training with Elemis and ESPA Skincare, before continuing her education with HD Brows, The GelBottle Inc, and a local independent trainer close…
Read More
Scratch Stars Polish & Paint Artist of the Year 2023 & runner-up in the first-ever World’s Star Nail Artist (WSNA) competition, Kamila Borowiec, shares her industry journey, future goals and experience of juggling both competitions… After Kamila’s nail technician moved to another country, she struggled to find the same quality…
Read More