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…
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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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Offering a one-stop salon for nail, beauty and aesthetics treatments in a contemporary central London salon location, Mayfair Aesthetics & Beauty shares its journey since its establishment in 2001. Since opening in 2001 offering nail and tanning services to clients, Mayfair Aesthetics & Beauty has developed and grown its business…
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Without an artistic background, East London-based tech, Tammy Fontaine, shares that when completing her training in 2006, she never believed she’d have the patience for nail art. “Nail art didn’t come naturally to me,” she remembers. “I trained in basic manicures and pedicures at college, gaining my NVW Level 2…
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With a background in finance and a BA Honours in Business Management, Jo Simpson’s passion for nails and nail art remained as a hobby until 2019, when a serious infection led her to re-evaluate. “I had a long recovery and a few stays in hospital, which really made me reflect,”…
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Following the success of the opening of its first UK venue in Manchester, Phenix Salon Suites expands its franchise with the unveiling of its Birmingham site for self-employed beauty professionals. Covering 6,400 square feet, the workspace features a custom-built mezzanine floor, an exclusive colour bar, air conditioning in each suite,…
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2019 winner of The Great Scratch Shoot Out, Nina Lewis, shares her thoughts on the importance of entering competitions and why you should enter this year’s The Great Scratch Shoot Out… What are your thoughts on industry competitions? Why are they so important? I believe you need tenacity when entering…
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Having had dreams of entering the beauty industry for as long as she can remember, Kasey Beasley remembers watching nail art videos on YouTube and having her mum and sisters model for her practice. “I knew I had to do this as a career,” she shares. “When I left school…
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