How to elevate & promote pedicure services
Enhance your pedicure confidence and elevate your promotion of the service with top tips from footcare specialist, Denise Spragg, owner of The Sangha House. Feet, right? ‘Ugh, I hate my feet, and I couldn’t bear anyone touching them’ is something I hear so often as a pedicurist. In this article, I…
Brighton nail artist: mixed media allows me to create nail art with greater impact
Get to know Scratch Stars Mixed Media Artist of the Year finalist 2025, Sabre van Dijk, in an exclusive interview on her career journey and why she applied for the competition… Tell us about your nail journey… I’ve studied art for as long as I can remember: Photography at the University…
Doncaster nail & beauty salon owner: Offering waxing has elevated my business & filled my diary
Scratch Stars Educator of the Year 2022 & 2025 finalist, Michelle Brookes, shares how introducing waxing services has benefitted her salon… What do waxing treatments bring to a beauty business, and how do they complement nail offerings? Adding waxing treatments to a beauty business helps fill diary gaps. Most waxing…
Award-winning nail tech: How I’ve found success despite suffering with fibromyalgia
Kirsty Brown is the owner of Paintbrush Nails, Stirling, Scotland, which is the Scratch Stars Home Nail Salon of the Year 2024 & a finalist for 2025. Here, she shares about her experiences with fibromyalgia… Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition that causes widespread pain, fatigue and cognitive difficulties. It can be…
Powys nail salon: where rustic charm meets luxury beauty treatments
Jodie Evans, owner of Wales salon, Nail Envy, speaks to Scratch about the journey of building her thriving nail business. “Nail Envy is designed to feel like a luxurious home-from-home, combining rustic charm with modern elegance,” says Jodie. “The interior features brickwork, warm wood tones and plush velvet chairs –…
How your beauty business can reduce its environmental impact
Victoria Brownlie MBE, chief policy & sustainability officer at the British Beauty Council, shares guidance to support eco efforts in the beauty sector… While most people are committed to working more sustainably, I have noticed a real disconnect between where world leaders, governments, NGOs and big business see challenges, compared…
LGBTQ+ tech & drag nail artist: the nail industry allows me to embrace my truest self
Birmingham-based nail artist, Anthony Lloyd, shares about his LGBTQ+ journey and the important role nail artistry has played in it… My journey as a member of the LGBTQ+ community has been a positive and affirming one. I feel incredibly fortunate to have been raised in a supportive family environment, and…
I invited my salon team to create nails for Cannes Film Festival
The Nail & Beauty Lounge owner, Julie McCabe, takes us behind the scenes of her Cannes Film Festival experience, where she and her salon team delivered manicures and pedicures. The team at Poulton-le-Fylde-based salon, The Nail & Beauty Lounge, were called upon by owner, Julie McCabe, to provide the manicures and…
The history of nail colour & design: everything you need to know
Nail colour and design have become one of the most popular outlets for creativity and self-expression within the beauty industry. But where did it all begin, and how has it evolved over time? Here’s Scratch‘s deep dive into the history of the industry… 1920s & 1930s According to research revealed…
Award-winning Dorset beauty salon on the challenges & benefits of renovating period properties
Recently relocating to the town of Beaminster, The Painted Nail is a salon and academy comprising two period properties. “I felt it was time to relocate the business, as we had outgrown our previous space,” says owner, Toni Rodway. “After searching for a new property for months, I fell in…
How to accommodate nail clients with multiple sclerosis (MS)
Nail techs share advice for catering to clients with multiple sclerosis (MS)… What is MS? On its website, the NHS states: “Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord. It’s a lifelong condition that can sometimes cause serious disability, although it can occasionally be…
Social media nail expert: batch creating content is the best decision I’ve made
Scratch Stars Social Media Star of the Year finalist 2024 and 2025, Hannah Clayton, shares how batch creating content has changed her life… Social media is a job in itself. As a nail artist, mentor and content creator, I’ve often found myself scrambling in the morning to think of something…
OPI announces updates to its UK brand team
Global nail brand, OPI, has unveiled the three members of its restructured UK brand team. Jess Gregory has been appointed OPI’s associate brand director. In this role, she oversees and leads OPI’s brand strategy, and ensures an exciting product innovation roadmap for UK customers and businesses. She is also responsible…
Leicester nail tech: My maternal mental health struggles led me to the beauty industry
Nail artist & educator, Mika John of Contours by Mika, shares how poor mental health has impacted her life, and the positive impact of tekking… I first realised I was struggling with my mental health about seven years ago while working in hospitality, but I didn’t take action at the…
Nail techs, here’s how to diversify your skills to reap rewards
Scratch columnist & beauty business and mindset coach, Zaara King, shares advice for taking your next career step… Do you want to change your role or take a leap in a new direction? Many beauty professionals have been asking me how they can diversify their careers. I teach people to leverage their…
