Katie barnes half moon nail header

What it means to have half moons on your nails

By Katie Barnes | 2 November 2024

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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Want to successfully manage & motivate a nail team? Here’s how…

By Guest Writer | 31 October 2024

Explore strategies to successfully manage and motivate a nail team with business expert & CEO of PHAB Service Stars, Nergish Wadia-Austin.  Leading a team of nail technicians can be both rewarding and challenging, with managers often facing awkward situations that test their skillsets. Understanding how to address these issues effectively…

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How a part-time job at a nail brand inspired an employee to become a nail tech

By Lilly Delmage | 30 October 2024

Ellie Toms’ part-time job at nail brand, Lecenté, inspired her career change to become a nail technician. Here’s her story… The now tech ‘fell in love’ with the brand’s products, so much so that it inspired her to become a nail tech so she was able to use them. The…

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Halloween 2024: nail art to match the top 3 horror film character costumes

By Lilly Delmage | 26 October 2024

Still deciding on a Halloween outfit? Here’s the most popular horror character costumes for Halloween 2024 and accompanying nail art ideas. UK jewellery designer, Abbott Lyon, has analysed social media and Google data to detect the most popular horror movie character costumes for Halloween 2024. An important part of any…

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I visited TGB Spa in Brighton for a luxury pedicure – & here’s how it went

By Lilly Delmage | 24 October 2024

Nail brand, The GelBottle Inc, has opened its much-anticipated TGB Spa: a sanctuary for beauty treatments in the bustling city of Brighton. I was invited to explore the space and indulge in a Luxury TGB Gel Pedicure – and it didn’t disappoint. I arrived at Brighton train station and I tapped…

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You’re more than a price tag: how to shine in the crowded nail industry

By Jo Tompkins | 22 October 2024

When you’re a solo nail tech, it’s so easy to feel pressure every time you see another nail tech promoting their services online. You find yourself questioning your prices, wondering if you should lower them, or doubting whether you can keep up. With every tech that launches a business, a…

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Oct 24 Scratch Snap Winner

WINNER ANNOUNCED: Scratch Snap October 2024

By Rebecca Hitchon | 21 October 2024

The winner of Scratch’s monthly nail art challenge for October has been announced as Katarzyna Korzeniak. In a showcase of talent, techs created nail designs to fit theme, Wicked film, in the bid to win a prize from OPI. Entries were judged by head of education for OPI UK&I education & capability manager, Belinda Price, and Scratch…

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Menopause Woman Distressed

Best Practice Guide shared by BABTAC to help beauty therapists support menopausal clients

By Helena Biggs | 18 October 2024

A whopping 95% of women believe education and awareness of menopause needs to be improved*. Subsequently, the British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology (BABTAC) has released MENOPAUSE: A BABTAC Best Practice Guide. The 12-page guide serves to advise beauty professionals on how to treat menopausal clients effectively and comfortably.…

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84% of beauty professionals want to make their businesses more sustainable: Here’s how

By Lilly Delmage | 12 October 2024

The British Beauty Council has launched its Planet Positive Beauty directory for professional hair and beauty services, to help industry professionals who want to operate more sustainably. The portal is easy-to-use, and has been ‘designed to help demystify sustainability-related jargon’, simplifying steps for salons to take to become more environmentally…

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Vodex Nailympia Sponsor Spotlight

How a husband & wife joined forces to tackle fumes & dust in the nail & beauty industry

By Rebecca Hitchon | 11 October 2024

For Poala Taylor-Riddick, building her own brand had always been a pipe dream – but little did she know that a trip to a beauty salon would spark the idea for business success. While getting her nails done at the salon, Poala noticed its lack of ventilation and poor air…

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This stationery brand is helping nail techs to simplify, organise & grow their businesses

By Lilly Delmage | 11 October 2024

Sophie Cox is the founder of The Nail Story Co, a stationery company designed by a nail tech for nail techs, to add simplicity and structure to businesses. The Nail Story Co was launched in July 2023, a few years after Sophie had identified numerous challenges she faced as a…

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How to find a better work-life balance as a nail pro

By Guest Writer | 11 October 2024

Hair & beauty business coach, Maddi Cook of Boss Your Salon, shares top tips for nail pros to achieve a better work-life balance… Howdy nail bosses! Work-life balance is like a unicorn in this industry – often talked about, yet never seen. In fact, it’s one of the most common challenges…

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Essex Nail Tech

The Essex nail tech working over 4 job roles in her salon

By Lilly Delmage | 9 October 2024

Laura’s Nail Boutique in Silver End, Essex, is run by founder, Laura Wragg. She shares her experience working as a one-man band, having to fulfil multiple job roles at the same time… The home-based tech says: “It is just me in my business. I am a salon owner, nail artist,…

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Laptop Nails Booking

How a booking system can benefit a nail tech’s work-life balance

By Hannah Beth Clayton | 9 October 2024

Natural nail specialist & educator, Hannah Beth Clayton, shares how booking software has supported the day-to-day running of her business… Throwback to around four years ago, and I spent most evenings with a pen and paper, messaging clients back and forth to find an appointment for them. My husband would…

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Glitterbels Nailympia 2024 Brand Spotlight

The story of Glitterbels: the Staffordshire-born nail brand supporting techs worldwide

By Rebecca Hitchon | 9 October 2024

Professional nail brand, Glitterbels, has made waves in the industry since being founded seven years ago. The brainchild of Newcastle-under-Lyme nail artist, Annabel Maginnis, and her husband, Elliott, Glitterbels was established with a focus on providing high-quality, trendy acrylic powders to the UK nail sector. Since then, the brand’s offering…

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