A beauty business coach’s guide to goal setting for 2025
Beauty business and mindset coach, Zaara King, offers up advice for the new year… It’s time to consider how you wish to make your mark on the industry over the next 12 months. You get to choose how you show up, what you offer clients and how you make a…
Unique salon décor: The Birmingham nail salon featuring a piano as its reception desk
Founder of Birmingham-based nail studio, Icey’s Beauty Lounge, Aysana Druga, shares the story behind the salon’s impressive entrance… In 2015, Aysana and her husband spotted a piano in the window of a charity shop. She recalls: “We had no idea where it was going to go at the time, so…
Why nail technicians should enter the Scratch Stars Awards: tips from a nail competition maestro
Bespoke nail artist, Jiak Hing, who has won the Scratch Stars Gel Polish Stylist of the Year accolade for three consecutive years, shares insight into the competition, what to expect on the day and the benefits of entering. Why did you decide to enter the Scratch Stars Awards? To…
New year, new you: How nail businesses can plan for the year ahead
Session nail stylist, salon owner & educator, Marie-Louise Coster, shares her tips for reviewing the last year and preparing for the next, in order to achieve success… Here we are again, another year gone and a new one in front of us full of opportunity, possibility and hope. It is…
Renowned nail artist launches The Nail Nexus online education platform
Sara Cady, known among nail enthusiasts as ‘Glamourphile’, has launched The Nail Nexus: an online learning platform for industry enthusiasts who are keen to become nail professionals. The UK-based nail technician, artist & educator boasts over 10 years’ experience in the sector, and has worked in salons and from a…
4 updates to make to your beauty business in 2025
Kim Ford, global business & beauty education expert, shares ways to make the most of quiet spells to improve your business long-term… The beginning of a new year is a great time to focus on business administration, such as updating operational and legal documents, and to consider if your marketing…
Meet the microchip mani: beauty tech that turns nails into business cards
You may have seen articles about microchip or NFC nails and wondered what in the Black Mirror is going on. Let’s go back to basics – what is NFC? This is an acronym for near-field communication: a technology that allows the exchange of small amounts of data between two electronic…
Introverted nail techs: how to grow your skills & clientele comfortably
Do you love the creative aspect of being a nail professional: perfecting enhancements and getting arty, but find it challenging to converse with clients and colleagues? You’re not alone. A need to recharge after client interactions or feeling most comfortable in quiet environments are signs of introversion. The word ‘introvert’…
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…
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…
Willow Academy launches The E-file Society to connect nail techs & boost knowledge
Are you an E-file tech that wants to surround yourself with like-minded E-file users, while boosting your product understanding? Willow Academy Ltd has launched The E-file Society: a judgment-free community space to help pros do just that. “The Society allows Willow to share knowledge with our customers, and provides members…
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Scratch Snap December 2024 nail art comp
The winner of Scratch’s monthly nail art challenge for December has been announced as Carla Brannan. In a showcase of talent, techs created nail designs to fit theme, Unicorn Disco, in the bid to win a prize from Glitterbels. Entries were judged by Glitterbels CEO & co-founder, Annabel Maginnis, and Scratch deputy editor, Rebecca Hitchon. The…
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…
Christmas nail art: 16 festive winter wonderland manicures
This season, snowy, magical landscapes dominate nail canvases, boasting sparkling snowflakes, white-dusted fir trees and reflective icicles. As for a colour palette, work with whites, silvers, blues, greens and browns to encapsulate a snowy winter walk. Here’s 16 snowy woodland manicures to inspire your nail creations…
From DIY nails to owning a home salon: how one tech turned her passion into a business
Bedfordshire-based nail tech, Jodie Day of @talonsbyjodie, started her nail journey simply wanting to learn how to do her own nails, however she enjoyed the training so much that she decided to turn it into her career. Jodie began her training in 2021 while pregnant, seeking a creative outlet. She…
