Pedicure

Pedicure tips: how nail techs can safely support clients with diabetes

By Scratch Staff | 14 November 2024

According to charity, Diabetes UK, approximately 6% of the UK population suffer from diabetes. Learning about the condition and how to take extra care with clients who have it is key to making diabetic clients feel safe and able to enjoy their nail experience. Here, we explore how the condition…

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Inclusion Orange Cut Out

The importance of creating accessible salon spaces for clients & staff

By Abi Hassan | 12 November 2024

Abi Hassan, owner of Canterbury-based salon, Hot Wheels Nails, explores key considerations for nail techs and employers when creating accessible salon settings to suit clients and staff… As a salon owner or an independent nail technician, it is important to consider ways in which your environment could be more accessible. Transparency…

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Christmas nails pic

How & why nail techs should practice self-care this festive season

By Guest Writer | 10 November 2024

Fiona Fox, owner of Dorset salon, Ulu Beauty, provides training to beauty pros on areas including mental health awareness, safeguarding, equality and diversity. Here, she explores the importance of self-care for nail techs during the festive season and simple self-care fixes. For many, Christmas is a time to look and…

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Dani Bailey Heat Spikes Piece

Heat spikes in gel nail services: why they happen & how to avoid them

By Dani Bailey | 9 November 2024

What is a heat spike? Why can a burning sensation be felt by clients when a gel product is curing? Dani Bailey, nail educator & recipient of The Shooting Star Award at the Scratch Stars Awards 2024, explains… In August, Scratch posted an opportunity on Instagram for people to send in their…

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Cost cutting canva

5 ways your nail & beauty business can save money

By Katie Barnes | 7 November 2024

We are all feeling the pinch, so check out money-saving solutions for your nail and beauty business… 1. Be economical with your products Let’s use a nail file as an example. When you consider how much of a nail file you use in each service, it is rare that you…

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Beauty Hunt Finances

A financial guide & checklist for nail & beauty pros

By Guest Writer | 6 November 2024

Vorke Kalusi, founder of beauty business resource, Beauty Hunt UK, serves up financial insight… Understanding finance terms Revenue: The money you make from your services. Expenses: The costs of running your business, such as supplies, rent and utilities. Profit: The money left after paying your expenses. Profit = revenue –…

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Hema gloves gel polish

HEMA: What is it, why is it used in nail products & is it to blame for allergies?

By Katie Barnes | 5 November 2024

What is HEMA? HEMA, also known as 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate or hydroxyethyl methacrylate, belongs to the monomer family and is used as an adhesive in nail products. Having an adhesive property in the product is important to prevent service breakdown. When alternative ingredients are used, using a coarser grit file can…

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Katie barnes half moon nail header

What it means to have half moons on your nails

By Katie Barnes | 2 November 2024

Fingernail half moons are the rounded, white shadows at the base of the nails. The industry term for this is lunula, which is Latin for ‘little moon’. The place where each nail begins growing is known as the matrix. This is where new cells are made that will make up…

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Want to successfully manage & motivate a nail team? Here’s how…

By Guest Writer | 31 October 2024

Explore strategies to successfully manage and motivate a nail team with business expert & CEO of PHAB Service Stars, Nergish Wadia-Austin.  Leading a team of nail technicians can be both rewarding and challenging, with managers often facing awkward situations that test their skillsets. Understanding how to address these issues effectively…

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Menopause Nails

How menopause affects nails & ways to manage symptoms

By Rebecca Hitchon | 30 October 2024

Menopause typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, and involves a decline in hormone levels – which affects various aspects of a woman’s health. But how does it affect natural nails? “Nail changes caused by the menopause are likely to be associated with low oestrogen levels and dry…

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Community chat: 4 networking groups for nail pros

By Lilly Delmage | 29 October 2024

Are you seeking some support from fellow nail techs? Do you want access to hundreds of tutorials to inspire your creativity? Do you have questions but you don’t know who to ask? The answer might lie within joining a nail networking group. Here’s four to have a look at… The…

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Adhd

ADHD: How to accommodate employees & clients in the nail space

By Scratch Staff | 28 October 2024

According to the NHS, ADHD affects 3 to 4% of adults and is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in the UK. There are multiple variants of the condition, so diagnosing ADHD is difficult and can take years of assessments. For people with ADHD, everyday tasks can often be…

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Nail Tech At Desk Red Hair Gloves

You’re more than a price tag: how to shine in the crowded nail industry

By Jo Tompkins | 22 October 2024

When you’re a solo nail tech, it’s so easy to feel pressure every time you see another nail tech promoting their services online. You find yourself questioning your prices, wondering if you should lower them, or doubting whether you can keep up. With every tech that launches a business, a…

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How to find a better work-life balance as a nail pro

By Guest Writer | 11 October 2024

Hair & beauty business coach, Maddi Cook of Boss Your Salon, shares top tips for nail pros to achieve a better work-life balance… Howdy nail bosses! Work-life balance is like a unicorn in this industry – often talked about, yet never seen. In fact, it’s one of the most common challenges…

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Nail tech and client

5 ways nail techs can prioritise their mental health when clients offload

By Guest Writer | 8 October 2024

Health psychologist, Dr Ravi Gill, explores how nail technicians can create a safe space for clients to offload while prioritising their own mental health. Nail appointments offer an opportunity for a person to sit still for an hour without the distraction of their phones: an act of self-care and perhaps…

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