An inside look: How Academy2 can change up your nail education journey
It’s been dubbed an ‘education epicentre’, combining online learning with in-classroom hours and masterclasses so you can learn nail skills – and more – at your own pace. Academy2 from award-winning nail & beauty training provider, Sweet Squared, is Habia accredited, and means that the company’s education programme is now…
Major beauty brands sign up to circular economy initiative
Beauty brands including Elemis, Unilever and NAF! Salon have signed up to a circular economy initiative, launched by Jo Chidley, co-founder of natural and sustainable personal care brand Beauty Kitchen. The circular economy model, named Re, will aim to prevent more than 100 million bottles from going to landfill in…
Salon in the Spotlight: GLOSS, Isle of Man
Jemma King and Rebekah Lockett are two sisters who decided to open up their own nail salon. “We opened our salon in our town centre of Douglas. We both nail technicians who have always dreamed of one day having our very own salon and finally, our dreams have come true,…
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Scratch Snap November 2021
The winner of Scratch’s monthly nail art challenge has been announced as Nicole Gutierrez. In a showcase of talent, techs stepped up to the Scratch Snap challenge for November & created nail designs inspired by ‘Sparkle & Shine’ in the bid to win a prize from The Gel Bottle. Judged by Scratch‘s…
NAIL TECH TALK: Aubrey Cycenas of The Glossy Spot
Scratch chats to Aubrey Cycenas of The Glossy Spot about challenging herself to create unique nail designs and the most exciting aspects of the industry… I’m a fully licensed cosmetologist, but I met my former mentor in hair school. She personally taught me the basics of nails, and I quickly…
Have you ever had a client try to haggle your prices? Here’s what to do if it happens
Negotiating prices. We’ve all been there – using vouchers at a restaurant, making use of Groupon deals, entering codes at checkout for online shopping – but asking for a discount at a nail salon can have a serious impact on business and should not be encouraged. Here Scratch chats to…
Salon in the Spotlight: Tara Nails & Beauty, Brantham, Suffolk
Tara Smith decided to embark on her journey into the nail industry following the birth of her third child. “When I qualified and started out within the industry, it wasn’t easy. I was faced with a lot of negativity and wasn’t sure of where to look for help and support.…
Want to grow your business? The Beauty Build coach is offering FREE 121 sessions
Zaara King, founder of The Beauty Build online community for beauty pros, reveals why she’s giving back in November 2021… November is National Gratitude Month and I love practicing gratitude, as it’s so powerful in maintaining and attracting positive energy. And this month, I want to give back. We’ve had…
CTPA urges beauty industry to cease packaging waste
The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) has issued a call to action for the beauty industry to end packaging waste from cosmetic products. In a stakeholder roundtable held by the organisation, it was concluded that the industry’s ultimate goal should be to cease packaging waste, with mainstream refill and…
Newcastle nail tech crafts pottery-inspired nails for Clarice Cliff film premiere
The Colour Room from Sky Cinema is a film following the life of Clarice Cliff, an English ceramic artist and trailblazer for Art Deco styling. Cliff, who was active between the 1920s and 1960s, created pottery famed for its individual style – known as ‘Bizarre by Clarice Cliff’ – which…
Get educated with the refreshed Georgie Smedley Group education programme
Georgie Smedley Group (GSG), formerly Nail Harmony UK, has carefully given its Scratch Stars award-winning education programme a refresh to suit the post-lockdown environment. Scratch’s Chloe finds out more and even tries out one of the courses herself… At the helm is newly appointed head of education, Kristina Manners, who…
NAIL TECH TALK: Nathalia Baker of Nat Baker Nails
Scratch chats to Nathalia Baker of Nat Baker Nails about finding inspiration for nail art and her best advice for aspiring techs… I always loved the beauty industry and really enjoyed painting my nails, for me this was the most therapeutic part of the day. In 2019, I had the…
The top 5 male celebs rocking man-icures
Man-icures aren’t a new concept, just think back to rock n roll legend David Bowie! However, they are certainly making a statement come back. After all, our bodies are just a creative canvas really, aren’t they? Here’s a list of male A-listers that think so too, some of which may even be releasing their own nail lines… 1. Harry Styles…
Nail & beauty pros: Should you still wear full PPE?
Some nail techs have always worn it, with others only introducing it since the Covid-19 outbreak. But should you always wear PPE? The short answer is yes. PPE has always been a requirement of COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) for nail techs. PPE can include items such as…
Mobile tech? Salon pro? Nail artist? Here’s a desk light to suit your needs
Working on tiny canvasses requires attention to detail & plenty of great lighting. But which lamp suits your nail tekking needs? Brighten your setup with a focus on the offerings from Daylight Company, founded in 1987 to help improve your work performance and efficiency… THE SLIMLINE Available as a table…
