Greater Manchester nail tech: Why I closed a bustling salon to open a home-based business
Nina of Wigan home salon, Nina Nicholson Beauty & Lecenté lead educator, shares why a huge career switch was the best decision she ever made… Nina Nicholson opened her first salon at the age of 18, and went on to acquire a larger premises a few years later. After building…
Read More
Staffordshire tech: Working from a home salon has been the best decision I’ve made
Katie Pritchard of Katie Lou Nail Artist and Educator opens her salon’s doors to Scratch and shares the benefits of becoming a home-based tech. Having been in the nail industry for 20 years, Katie has experimented with a variety of ways of working. She says: “I have worked as a…
Read More
Yorkshire salon: The beauty therapists dedicated to making women feel their best
Lisa-Marie Hoggard, owner of Lisa-Marie’s Hair & Beauty Lounge, shares how her all-female team empowers clients to feel their best. “My salon team consists of amazing women who make other women feel amazing,” shares Lisa-Marie. “It comprise five women: Sheree Kim Harrison, Elle Burrow, Kath Scaife, Jill Ralph and Patricia…
Read More
Manchester tech: I run my nail business from a shipping container
Laura Kelly, owner of House of Beauty Manchester, shares what it’s like to run her nail business from a shipping container. “I work from a shipping container yard in Ancoats, on the edge of Manchester city centre. It’s a really special place full of creatives, with a lovely community feel,”…
Read More
Lancashire tech: The local council didn’t recognise my nail & beauty salon as a valid business
Owner of The Nail & Beauty Lounge, Julie McCabe, shares the challenges she faced when trying to set up her business, as well as its growth and success… Julie McCabe was excited to open her salon after finding the perfect space. She details: “It is a former hair salon in…
Read More
Nail & beauty apprenticeships: salons share benefits, their experiences & advice
In a recent poll on Scratch’s Instagram, almost 80% of respondents shared that they’re considering taking on apprentices. Here, two UK salons share how they’ve reaped the rewards of the apprenticeship process… Nailspa, West Yorkshire “As a business owner, I believe that when it comes to employees, you cannot beat…
Read More
Ashford beauty salon: how exceptional customer service creates relaxing client experiences
Sarah Webb, owner of Bella’s Little Nail Boutique, takes pride in her standout beauty services, which place an emphasis on the client experience. Working in customer service for over 20 years, Sarah knows how to offer clients an exceptional appointment. She explains: “My clients receive a coffee and biscuits, and…
Read More
Get inspired: Nail pro, Lucy Price-Marshall, shares her journey to dominating the nail industry
Natural nail specialist, OPI educator, salon manager & multi-award winner, Lucy Price-Marshall, shares her career story and how she balances various industry roles… Tell us about your journey into the nail industry… While I was at school, I worked at my mum’s nail salon, Nailspa in Huddersfield, on Saturdays, assisting…
Read More
Scotland home salon: the pro offering a one-stop shop for nails, hair & beauty services
Emma Saunderson, the owner of Angus-based salon, GlamEm, has made a name for herself as a versatile beauty professional, offering an impressive range of beauty treatments from her home salon. Having trained as a nail technician in 2019 with Young Nails, Emma initially worked on a mobile basis. Though as…
Read More
Cardiff nail tech: Offering vegan nail services has attracted 75% of my clients
Coral Kendall (she/they) of vegan nail studio, Oh Lush Nails, shares why she believes it is important to offer vegan services, the products she uses and what techs can do to become more vegan-friendly… “As a vegan of seven years, I was always going to run a vegan studio,” reveals…
Read More
Cambridgeshire nail tech: how I created my dream salon space after 20 years
Dominique Sharpe’s Godmanchester nail business rebranded to The Nail Editor in May 2024, and the nail stylist moved into the professional studio she had longed for since qualifying as a nail tech in 2004. In the early stages of her career, the three-time Scratch Stars Awards finalist struggled to find…
Read More
Scratch Stars Award-winning nail salon owner: competition benefits & advice
Natasha Barker, owner of Scratch Stars Nail Salon of Year 2024, Niche Nails & Beauty, reveals advice for succeeding in the competition. The 2024 awards were not the salon’s first entry into the competition. Natasha explains: “I had entered the awards previously on behalf of the salon, and we had…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
Award-winning home salon owner: the 5 essential tips for success
Scratch Stars Home Nail Salon of the Year 2024 winner, Kirsty Brown of @paintbrushnails, shares her top tips for building a successful home salon… Having won the prestigious Scratch Stars accolade for her Stirling-based home salon, we asked Kirsty to share her top tips to inform and inspire nail techs…
Read More
Read the latest issue
