Health & wellbeing
Community spirit: How Yorkshire nail techs are promoting positive mental wellbeing for fellow pros
Following her transition from a role in the NHS to the nail industry, Natasha Katoro of By Natasha Katoro shares how she and her local support group are tackling high feelings of isolation amongst industry pros… Hoping to foster a sense of community to promote positive mental wellbeing for nail technicians, Natasha is actively involved…
Read More5 ways nail salon owners can support employee wellbeing
Scratch explores ways that salon owners can look after their employees’ physical and mental wellbeing… 1. Promote healthy eating & hydration Here are a few tips: Provide a fruit bowl/healthy snacks in the staff area for employees to help themselves to. Encourage regular food and drink breaks, with water stations available in the salon. Have…
Read MoreNail techs on menopause in the workplace & supporting menopausal clients
Two techs share how to accommodate the needs of those impacted by the menopause on both sides of the nail desk… Supporting yourself & staff: 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, as I’ve felt…
Read MoreHow to support beauty clients & staff through the menopause
October marks World Menopause Month, designed to encourage awareness of the signs and symptoms of the menopause. Awareness has been shown to be particularly crucial, after a study published in journal, BMC Women’s Health, revealed that menopausal women are the fastest growing demographic in the workforce – and you will likely have menopausal women making…
Read More5 tips for creating a successful nail community
Being part of this industry can be lonely – around two-thirds of beauty professionals are self-employed, and while clients provide chit-chat throughout the working day, the focus of these conversations is likely on them. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people in the sector – whether virtually or physically – is paramount to tackling loneliness and can…
Read More3 ways to support beauty clients with breast cancer
The Jennifer Young Training School, which specialises in oncology therapies, skincare and well-being for cancer patients, shares how you can support nail and beauty clients with breast cancer… October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month – a time traditionally swathed in pink and dedicated to awareness of breast cancer symptoms. With around 55,900 new breast cancer…
Read MoreDevon nail tech & mental health first aider on how to prioritise wellness in the salon
“While holding clients’ hands – quite literally for hours at a time, they can open up, allowing you to celebrate the ups in their lives, but also the downs,” says Emily Harris, owner of North Devon business, Vanity Nails & Tanning. The passionate pro is a qualified mental health first aider with MHFA England, using…
Read More3 steps to choose a sustainable supplier for your beauty business
Charlotte Scallon, head of sustainability & regulation at waste management company, Biffa, offers a three-step strategy to help businesses understand how to choose a sustainable supplier… Choosing a sustainable supplier that helps you meet your goals can be challenging, but the process should be energising, not daunting. Our three-step strategy can help you break down…
Read MoreAre your gloves protecting you against nail ingredients?
In a previous blog for Scratch, we explored what gloves are needed for nail technicians and covered thickness and how often these need to be changed. In this blog, we delve deeper into chemical permeability and how to know if your gloves protect you against the chemicals which you use daily. You’ve calculated the time…
Read MoreSPF: What is it & why do beauty pros need to know?
The topic of weather is often an ice-breaking conservation starter between nail & beauty pros and their clients. If you have clients who are hoping for sunshine this summer, it’s a prime time to bring up the topic of sun protection. More than one in three (35%) burn their skin every year in the UK,…
Read More4 items you should be sanitising alongside your nail tools
You clean, disinfect and sterilise your nail tools, but on what else should you carry out these processes? Any reusable items that come into contact with clients’ skin or nails must be sanitised, disinfected and sterilised, depending on your country’s regulations. Protocols referred to in this blog are applicable to UK legislation. Remember, single use,…
Read MoreHow to incorporate mindfulness into your beauty services
Salon System educator, Lisa Stone, who achieved a meditation qualification after using the practice to support her mental health, shares how mindfulness techniques can be used in your beauty business… We can spend so much time and money on ensuring our outward appearances look and feel great, that we forget to look after how we…
Read More9 ways to support employees during the cost of living crisis
Experts at employee engagement software company, Weekly10, have collated nine top tips for businesses to support staff during tough economic times… 1. Focus on employee engagement When employees feel connected to their work, peers and company mission, they’re more likely to find meaning in their work. They feel like they are contributing to a bigger…
Read More4 ways to help prevent allergic reactions in the nail space
An allergy in the nail industry is caused by repetitive skin contact of a nail ingredient that has been advised against skin contact. The contact of this allergen may not always be known or as simple as displaying on the hands from accidentally flooding the cuticle. If you or a client is experiencing any signs…
Read More4 ways to reassure clients about the safety of your nail services
You’ve spent hundreds of pounds on products, hours of time on training courses, and provide nail services that make your clients feel happy. So it hurts to constantly have to defend your profession from mainstream media cries of ‘UV nail lamps could cause cancer’ or ‘gel polish services cause allergies’. These stories don’t seem to…
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