Health
Alkaline water: the secret to glowing skin
Cold air and central heating play havoc with the skin; fortunately we know that hydration from drinking water, cares for skin from the inside out and is key to good health. But did you know that you can take hydration to a new level with alkaline water? According to new research, alkaline water is the…
Read MoreHow to align your beauty regime to the lunar cycle
Lunar expert, Jutta Russell, offers advice on aligning your beauty regime to the cycles of the moon… For thousands of years, experts have studied the mystery and magic of the moon, from how each phase can effect our behaviour, mood and even our menstrual cycles. But did you know, the moon can also be used…
Read MoreWays to help prevent & monitor beauty product allergies | The Beauty Bloggers
The Beauty Bloggers, aka Natalie Thompson & Rachel Jenkinson, share their patch testing tips & advice on preventing allergies in the salon.. Nat and Rach are ‘The Beauty Bloggers‘ and have over 21 years experience in the beauty sector between them. Their aim is to discuss real issues that beauty professionals face. Passionate and hard-working,…
Read MoreHow to find a good work/life balance as a nail tech
Nicole Dowling, educator at Pure Nails, shares her advice for finding the balance between work life and personal life… Many of us constantly strive to work hard and prove our worth, and many have a willing to work more to earn more. The hardest part of the job is often simply saying the word ‘no’…
Read MoreWhy you shouldn’t use an at-home gel polish kit
Salon owner, educator and award-winning nail stylist, Katie Barnes, unveils concerns surrounding DIY gel polish kits… Gel polish seems like an easy to use, harmless product – surely, it’s just like painting on a nail polish, isn’t it? Well, this is the attitude that is causing problems amongst some non-professionals, as they attempt to replicate professional services…
Read MoreMINDFUL MATTERS: The Power of Positivity
I’m so pleased to have been invited as a regular columnist & blogger for Scratch. The main reason for this being that I’ve seen first-hand how the past year has affected people within the nail industry and I want to do everything I can to try and help. Without dwelling on it too much,…
Read MoreWhy you should stop comparing your nail skills to others
Scratch magazine 2020 columnist, Sophie Dale of Nancy Loves Nails & Nancy Girl Apparel, shares why it’s time to stop comparing yourself to others… ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’. I constantly compare myself to others and it has really affected me. It’s poisonous, and no matter how experienced or whatever level you are at, we…
Read MoreMarian Newman BEM on… changes to nail product regulations for 2021
Marian Newman BEM, nail industry veteran and chair of The FNP, reveals the changes to cosmetic products that will be evident in 2021… Originally posted at www.the-fnp.com “We will be seeing a lot of changes in 2021 with regards to cosmetic products including nail products. This has some connection to the UK leaving the European…
Read More8 ways nail techs can keep motivated during lockdown 2.0
Tina Bell, head of education at Pure Nails, serves up key ways to keep your creativity flowing and spirits high during lockdown 2.0… Here we are, back in lockdown. Once again, I have packed up my salon, moved my nail desk onto my dining room table and taken over whole room – there are gel…
Read MoreSalon Chat: How to overcome the pressures of social media
Salon Chat hosts, Kelly Colley of Lavish Nails and Isabel Porter of The Beauty Garage, share their thoughts on the nail sector… I’m typing this out on a bank holiday Monday morning having already posted by ‘mandatory’ Instagram post. Mandatory I say because, without it, my posts won’t be seen, no one will interact with me and all…
Read MoreHow one therapist created hand care products for key workers
Beauty therapist, Beverley Braisdell, shares the story of fellow beauty pro, Emma Harvey – who has created a hand cream and serum for NHS frontline staff & key workers… When I saw what my amazing friend and former colleague Emma Harvey, of Spa Butterfly, Wigan, had created during her time in lockdown, I knew it…
Read MoreHere’s how The Massage Company has made treatments more accessible
We all know that beauty services are so much more than just aesthetics. Offering a chance to unwind, indulge or promote a sense of confidence and wellbeing, many of us are guilty of not making ‘me time’ a priority, which is so important for both mind and body. The Massage Company has understood this since…
Read MorePhorest Salon Software hosts sustainability & wellness event
On Sunday 3 November, Phorest Salon Software hosted Conscious Hair & Beauty; an event designed to look at the importance of sustainability and wellness within the industry. Held at the OXO2 in London, the event was aimed at getting salon owners from both the hair and beauty industry in the same room to learn and…
Read MoreLife Saving Wax: A new campaign calling on waxers
I was invited to Treatwell’s London head office for the unveiling of a very special new campaign: Life Saving Wax. The initiative was created by the online beauty booking platform with Public Health England’s Cervical Screening Saves Lives campaign. Treatwell is inviting its partnered salons and beauty professionals to ‘open up the conversation on screening’, utilising…
Read MoreTGB Insider: How to strike a balance between work & parenthood
The Gel Bottle Inc team offer advice for nail techs in the first in their blog series for Scratch… A work/life/family balance is something most of us pursue in our lives, but never seem to quiet nail down completely. In today’s world, we’re constantly bombarded by social media telling us we should be able to…
Read More
