TECHS & SALONS
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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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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Award-winning company, The Hand and Foot Spa, has opened a nail bar in Selfridges, Birmingham. Launched by Donna Haar-Jørgensen in London nine years ago, The Hand and Foot Spa scooped a Scratch Star owing to its stunning decor and commitment to hand and foot care. The arrival of the nail…
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With its pretty wallpaper and fresh feel, A Little TLC Nail Studio in Guildford started life as quite a different environment – one not as welcoming, as owner Tina Campbell explains. “A year ago, the salon was a dirty garage but now it’s my stunning salon. “I offer all aspects…
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Salon owner, educator, former Scratch columnist and award-winning nail stylist, Katie Barnes, susses out the waterless manicure… The traditional method of dipping your fingers into a bowl of water while getting a manicure has become somewhat dated, with many techs now offering a waterless ‘dry’ manicure service. Waterless manicures are becoming increasingly popular, particularly with…
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The award-winning Hand & Foot Spa is looking for looking for franchisees for its mobile service, as well as both technicians and managers. The company, which was awarded the 2012 Scratch Star for Nail Salon of the Year: Independent for its Chelsea flagship, is expanding to meet demand. Delivering quality treatments to clients’ homes,…
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Home-based nail tech, Siobhan Galloway, details her love for the job and the impact that social media has had on her business. When and why did you choose to become a nail tech? I’ve always been interested in nails for as long as I can remember. When I started working…
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With Valentine’s Day creeping up, we’re seeing a flurry of red and pink nail designs on social media, but these enhancements by Ruth Monro of Little Blank Spaces really caught our eyes. The talented tech sculpted her enhancements using CJP L&P in Birthday Suit and coated in a delicate pastel…
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