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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Salon in the Spotlight: Nail Envy Stanley, Perthshire When Sarah Smith reached the age of 52, she decided to take the plunge and retrain as a nail technician, having always had a passion for nails. She qualified in February 2022, taking on her first clients in March in the spare…
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Chelsea Jephcote of Chelsea Nail Tech is a nail artist specialising in hand painted designs, based at Nuneaton salon, Inspired Nails Beauty & Aesthetics. Sitting down with Scratch, she divulges the details of her career highlights and shares her top tips for aspiring techs. “I would say my signature nail…
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Salon in the Spotlight: BW Beauty, Lincoln Laura Boucher-Walker trained in gel polish manicure in 2018, soon setting up her home salon. “After being open for a little while, I began having to turn clients away who wanted nail enhancements, so I decided to train in acrylic and acrygel to…
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Salon in the Spotlight: Afterglow Beauty Salon, Strood Chloe Radzik began her journey into the beauty industry in 2008, and Ami Ball in 2012. The duo have had a close friendship since 2016, deciding when lockdown lifted to team up and open a salon together. The doors to Afterglow Beauty…
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Founded by entrepreneur George Hammer, Urban Retreat Collective is another vine to the Urban Retreat business. It offers hair, beauty and wellness professionals the opportunity to run their own business independently, while also being part of a community. With various sized beauty suites and therapy rooms, nail, makeup and hair…
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Anime nail art enthusiast, Angela Griffin of Strawberry Milk Nails, reveals her go-to tools for creating detailed designs and her hopes for her future in the industry. “I love creating character nail art. Some of my most popular and recognisable designs are anime related,” Angela reveals. “However, I do love…
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