I’ve been a beauty pro for 30+ years: here’s how I set boundaries with clients
Session nail stylist, salon owner & educator, Marie-Louise Coster, shares her experiences with boundary-pushing clients… I imagine most of you went into the nail/beauty industry to make people happy. I also imagine that you expected clients to be grateful and courteous at all times. I don’t suppose you imagined that sometimes…
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2025 nail business planning: expert tips for new year success
Belinda Price, OPI UK&I education and capability manager & owner of Nailspa, Scratch Stars Nail & Beauty Salon of the Year 2024, shares advice… During the busiest season of the year for most nail and beauty professionals, it can be hard to see past 31 December. But as the dust…
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Spread Christmas cheer sustainably: 3 ways to recycle festive items
Decorating the Christmas tree, wrapping gifts, and sending out greeting cards are some of the most cherished Christmas traditions, but after the festivities, how do you dispose of the excess? Gabriella Peace, marketing communications manager of UK Greetings, offers her take on how you can give your Christmas items a…
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Nail pros: Here’s how to handle clients ghosting you in the digital age
When someone stops replying to your messages without warning, it can feel like a gut punch – especially in business. You’ve poured time and effort into crafting the perfect message, shared your pricing and then… radio silence. But here’s the thing: ghosting is part and parcel of any business that…
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Why lifting can happen when using builder gel in a bottle & how to deal with it
Since the rise in popularity of builder gels in bottles, I have noticed an increase in issues. When gel polish came onto the scene, many techs added this service to their menu, but did not carry out training in this medium; assuming it was the same as previous services. It…
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The 3 top times of the year for business retail & how to capitalise on them
Public holidays often influence retail sales, but as a small business owner, how can you ensure you’re maximising revenue during these key events? Research reveals how… Business credit card experts from price comparison website, Money.co.uk, have analysed the average weekly sales and key retail transaction days over the past year…
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Return on investment: what it means & how to calculate it
Global business & beauty education expert, Kim Ford, explains what a return on investment means for your nail business, and how to calculate it. You may ask: what is a return on investment, or ROI? As an example, imagine you purchased a pedicure chair costing £1,000. How many clients have…
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Nail ridges: an expert shares causes & how to treat
Scratch Stars Natural Nail Specialist of the Year 2019 & CND™ education ambassador, Helen Burton-Ward, explores ridges on natural nails… There are many types of nail ridges, which can occur naturally or be inflicted by mechanical or environmental factors. Understanding how to correctly manage and treat them will help to maintain…
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The importance of creating accessible salon spaces for clients & staff
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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How & why nail techs should practice self-care this festive season
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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Heat spikes in gel nail services: why they happen & how to avoid them
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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5 ways your nail & beauty business can save money
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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A financial guide & checklist for nail & beauty pros
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: What is it, why is it used in nail products & is it to blame for allergies?
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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What it means to have half moons on your nails
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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