Posts by Rebecca Hitchon
Win an Artistic Nail Design prize: winter nail art contest
The January Scratch Snap nail art competition is open! Scratch Snap is a monthly, online nail art challenge that invites nail pros to create a salon-style nail design in line with a theme. Simply snap a pic of the design on yourself, nail tips or a client – and you could be in with a…
Read MoreHow to stop nail biting & picking: experts share treatment plans
Natural nail specialists share tips for nail biting and picking clients… Why do people bite and pick at their nails and skin? “Nail biting, also known as onychophagia, and skin picking and biting, named perionychophagia, are habits associated with stress, anxiety and compulsive disorders,” explains Lucy Price, Scratch Stars Natural Nail Specialist of the Year…
Read More40+ black tie sparkle nails – contest entries & winning design
The winner of the Scratch Snap nail art contest for December is Ryan Hobbs of @rocksta_ry. In a showcase of talent, UK&I techs created salon-style nail designs inspired by theme, Black Tie Sparkle, in the bid to win a Bluestreak Crystals prize. Entries were judged by Abi Middleton, director at Bluestreak Crystals, and Scratch editor, Rebecca Hitchon. The winner, Ryan Hobbs, has scooped Bluestreak Crystals’ Serinity Flatback Ultimate Mix…
Read MoreGerrard International acquires Jessica Cosmetics nail brand
Nail and beauty distributor & training provider, Gerrard International, has announced its acquisition of Jessica Cosmetics. The Hertfordshire-based company, founded by manicurist, Susan Gerrard, and her late husband, Ian, has been leading Jessica Cosmetics’ UK arm for the past 35 years, helping to make it the nailcare brand’s most successful market. The announcement follows the…
Read MorePantone unveils white hue, Cloud Dancer, as Colour of the Year 2026
Image credit: The Development PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer is Pantone’s Colour of the Year 2026. The global colour authority selects a shade each year that it sees to be influencing all areas of design, and that resonates with consumers and their attitudes. Pantone describes Cloud Dancer as a ‘lofty white whose aerated presence acts as…
Read MoreNail artists create ‘salon essentials’ on nails for contest – winner reveal
The winner of the Scratch Snap nail art contest for November is Casey Hayzelden of @luxebeautyy_x. In a showcase of talent, UK&I techs created salon-style nail designs inspired by theme, Salon Essentials, in the bid to win a VODEX prize. Entries were judged by Natasia-Louise James, marketing manager at VODEX, and Scratch editor, Rebecca Hitchon. The winner, Casey Hayzelden, has scooped a VODEX SalonAIR® Unit, with her choice…
Read MoreBeauty organisations partner with UK Government to tackle employee illness
More than 60 UK employers are joining forces with the Government to reshape how health issues and disabilities are managed in the workplace. This follows Sir Charlie Mayfield’s Keep Britain Working Review, which revealed that one in five working-age adults are out of the labour force (800,000 more than 2019). The cost of ill health…
Read More76 pink & black nail art designs: contest entries & winner reveal
The winner of the Scratch Snap nail art contest for October is Carla Brannan of @gelled_pretty. In a showcase of talent, UK&I techs created salon-style nail designs inspired by theme, Pink & Black, in the bid to win a Nail Order prize. Entries were judged by Bekka Costello, co-founder & CEO of Nail Order, and Scratch deputy editor, Rebecca Hitchon. The winner, Carla Brannan, has…
Read MoreNail techs with psoriasis reveal what life is like with the skin condition
Psoriasis is a ‘condition that causes dry, scaly and sometimes itchy or sore patches on the skin,’ according to the NHS. Here, two nail techs share their experiences with psoriasis… Fie Pederson, Denmark “I suffer from seasonal psoriasis on my fingers and hands (mostly during autumn and winter) and psoriatic arthritis,” shares award-winning nail artist…
Read MoreJerry Hall & Georgia May Jagger named British Beauty Week 2025 ambassadors
The British Beauty Council has announced actress & model, Jerry Hall, and designer, entrepreneur & model, Georgia May Jagger, as ambassadors for British Beauty Week 2025. Now in its sixth year, British Beauty Week celebrates the influence and innovation of the British beauty sector, and is hosting a variety of activations, with the theme: Future…
Read MoreNail & beauty pros: here’s 12 podcasts to listen to in 2025
We’ve scoured podcasting platforms for nail and beauty-related programmes to keep you company in the salon and beyond… Clawgasmic Nail Tech Talks Created as a source of inspiration and support for techs, each episode of Clawgasmic Nail Tech Talks features an industry guest, who shares expert insight and discusses their nail experiences. The podcast is…
Read MoreMenopause in the nail industry: How to support techs & clients
Pros share how to accommodate the needs of those impacted by the menopause on both sides of the nail desk… How techs can support themselves & staff By Emma Brock, OPI Nail Boss “I was diagnosed with Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) at 25. The worst symptom for me over the years has been brain fog,…
Read MoreNail brands supporting breast cancer awareness via pink product sales
Image courtesy of Glitterbels With October marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’ve rounded up nail brands showing support… Glitterbels Staffordshire nail brand, Glitterbels, has partnered with local cancer awareness charity, Pink Sisters & Misters, and is donating 20% of proceeds from its Think Pink collection to the organisation. Think Pink is a limited-edition Hema Free…
Read MoreProgramme launches to help beauty pros build successful careers as business coaches
Beauty business mentor, Layla Tourh, has launched certification programme, Coach The Coach™, to help pros make a difference via business coaching. Providing the ‘tools, strategies and mindset shifts you need to become a confident, qualified and deeply impactful business coach’, the six-week programme for beauty professionals and established educators blends online modules, live business coaching and an in-person assessment.…
Read MoreEllisons partners with HONA nail brand to distribute bestselling professional products
Welsh-born nail brand, HONA (Home Of Nail Art), has announced an exclusive partnership with UK hair and beauty supplier, Ellisons. Select HONA products can now be purchased via www.ellisons.co.uk, including its popular hypoallergenic gel systems: TrueBuild and TrueFoundation builder gels and TrueSculpt hard gel. Also available are Trial Kits and a curated collection of top-selling…
Read More