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
Transforming her lifelong love for nails into a blossoming career, Megan Freeman, shares her earliest memories of visits to the salon and her hopes for the future of Corner 21… Accompanying her mother to salons as a child, Megan remembers sitting and watching in awe, and can still recall the first…
Read More
Lockdown encouraged long-time beauty lover, Charlotte Holden, to take the steps to finally pursue her dream job in the nail and beauty industry. Noting her love for nails and making others feel good about themselves, tekking is the perfect fit for Charlotte, who began polishing and painting nails as a…
Read More
To mark Dementia Action Week, an annual awareness week run by the Alzheimer’s Society, Jade Barber has created a nail design to honour her grandparents and raise awareness of dementia. Here, she shares the powerful meaning behind the style. Jade is founder of Nail & Beauty Excellence, winner of L&P…
Read More
Base Coat Studio’s Instagram feed oozes clean girl aesthetic, with Elle Fishburn proudly displaying her minimalist nail styles and classic French designs. Elle thrives alongside the socialisation that working as a nail tech affords her. “I love getting to see so many people a day, and it’s even better when…
Read More
Marija Deniz is a nail artist from Sjaelland, Denmark, and one of the 21 shortlisted applicants in The World’s Star Nail Artist competition 2023. Get to know her, below… What’s your background in nails? I have had a passion for creativity and design since childhood, and the nail industry allows me to express…
Read More
At the age of 14, Andrea Martin undertook work experience at a salon and fell in love with the beauty industry. Eager to get her foot in the door of the industry, she committed to a Saturday job as soon as she was able, commenting: “I had no idea that…
Read More