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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Jody Zimmerman decided to train as a nail tech when the global pandemic hit, affecting her career in the arts as a musical theatre performer. She explains how she came to the decision to retrain and how she has found the industry so far… “Training as a nail technician is…
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Scratch chats to Stacey Machin of Painted by Stacey about her life as a new nail tech, and how she created this pretty pastel Care Bears design. I qualified as a nail tech in September 2020, and got my certificate in gel polish before the lockdown of the same year.…
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Scratch chats to Ashlie Sellers of Lacquer Love about her future plans and how she created this dreamy opal design. I am a very new nail tech, having only been qualified since December 2019. I had previously attended art school and have a passion for the structure created with…
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Scratch chats with Michaela Phillips of Gelalicious about the most exciting parts of the nail industry and how she sources her inspiration for her nail work… I’ve always had a passion for nails since a young age. I would buy the Boots 17 range nail art pens and practise designs.…
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Scratch chats with Claire Stark of Claire Stark Nails about her career goals and top tips for aspiring techs. What is your all-time favourite nail product? My all-time favourite nail product has got to be my Navy Pro Tools. Who do you admire in the industry? Nail techs I…
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Scratch chats to Sophie Pritchard of Creative Claws about her love for hand painted nail art and how she created this jaw-dropping design. I’ve been doing nails since 2011. I found starting out in the beauty industry difficult, as it was so hard to get employment with such…
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