TECH TALK: Meet Sarah Kay Abbott, Scratch Stars Polish & Paint Artist of the Year

By Emma Hobday | 17 August 2021

Kirkaldy-based nail stylist, Sarah Kay Abbott, scooped the Scratch Stars Polish & Paint Artist of the Year title at the Scratch Stars Party 20/21 owing to her passion for the craft, incredible artistic skills and keen focus on client care. “I wasn’t initially going to apply, but I saw it…

NAIL TECH TALK: Jessica Smith of The Nail Club

By Callie Iley | 7 August 2021

Scratch chats to Jessica Smith of The Nail Club about growing up in a family of nail technicians and leaving an office job to pursue nails full time… Coming from a family of nail technicians, I have grown up watching my mum and auntie create such beautiful sets of nails.…

NAIL TECH TALK: Kimberley Sargent of Nail’d By Kimberley

By Callie Iley | 31 July 2021

Scratch chats to Kimberley Sargent of Nail’d By Kimberley about her journey into the nail industry and the importance of always improving your skills… During the first lockdown, I became obsessed with watching nail art tutorials on YouTube and TikTok, whilst always keeping up with the latest trends. I set…

NAIL TECH TALK: Jenny Boylan of Jenny Boylan Nail Artist

By Callie Iley | 24 July 2021

Scratch chats to Jenny Boylan of Jenny Boylan Nail Artist about working abroad and opening her own salon… I trained in a beauty academy in Drogheda County Louth. I trained in acrylic and gel enhancements, gel polish and fibreglass. After college, I continued to do add on courses. I did…

NAIL TECH TALK: Anna-Lena Pickel of Ena

By Callie Iley | 17 July 2021

Scratch chats to Anna-Lena Pickel of Ena about expressing herself through nail art and mental health… My training is the typical pandemic nail tech story. In Winter 2020, I got my certificate for manicure and gel manicure at Nails Pro Academy. It also started to become my therapy, my creative…

NAIL TECH TALK: Jess Swinburn of Beauty by Jess

By Callie Iley | 10 July 2021

Scratch chats to Burnley and Blackburn based tech, Jess Swinburn of Beauty by Jess, about being featured in her local news and the importance of utilising social media for business… I love everything about the nail industry. I did art as an A-Level, and have always had a creative side,…

NAIL TECH TALK: Camilla Vika Høgemark of Vegan Nails by Camilla

By Callie Iley | 26 June 2021

Scratch chats to Camilla Vika Høgemark of Vegan Nails by Camilla about her favourite nail trends and the importance of using vegan and cruelty free products… Art is something I’ve always been into, ever since I was a little kid. I studied Fine Art in college, and later graduated with…

NAIL TECH TALK: Kelly Bradford on her colourful career

By Chloe Randall | 25 June 2021

Kelly Bradford, owner of Kels Gels has had a varied career before becoming a nail technician four years ago. From being a service engineer, to cabin crew for British Airways, Kelly shares her story… I started working at Somerfield as a checkout supervisor at 16, followed by NatWest bank as…

NAIL TECH TALK: Oksana Smirnova, Scratch Stars finalist 20/21

By Lilly Delmage | 22 June 2021

Scratch Stars Gel Tech of the Year finalist 20/21, Oksana Smirnova, shares how she discovered her passion for nails, how it felt to be announced as a finalist and her next career steps… Tell us about your nail industry journey… I started my career as a nail technician in 2009,…

Meet the fathers that have found fame in the nail industry

By Helena Biggs | 19 June 2021

Scratch puts the spotlight on famous nail industry dads and finds out more about them from their children… SAMUEL SWEET, co-founder/CEO, Sweet Squared & his son, Dexter Samuel Sweet has always been creative and, showing a talent for artistry, he was invited to work at his great aunt’s salon and learn…

NAIL TECH TALK: Kat Crammon of Katz Klawz Luxury Nail Bar

By Callie Iley | 19 June 2021

Scratch chats to Kat Crammon of Katz Klawz Luxury Nail Bar about her transition from teaching assistant to nail tech and how she has grown her business since 2020… Before branching into nails, I was a teaching assistant. I competed the training when my son was young and it was…

Nail educator Rachel Lunn discusses the attitude towards nail education, the importance of elevating industry standards & the power of practice

By Alex Fox | 13 June 2021

Great expectations …by Rachel Lunn @rachel­.lunn_nails https://m.facebook.com/The-Nailroom-254269057922527/ @rachel­.lunn_nails I trained as a nail tech in 2003. Gel polish had not yet been born and the trend was pink & white acrylic enhancements, one colour polish or a manicure. Nails were just starting to grow into a more popular service that everyone…

My life as a dyslexic & dyspraxic nail technician

By Guest Writer | 9 June 2021

Jade Mullin, Owner of Jade Mullin Academy and Educator for Glitterbels shares what it is like working as a dyslexic and dyspraxic nail technician… After having a long passion for nails I started training in nails in 2019. I am now qualified in hard gel enhancements, acrylic enhancements, gel polish and…

#NowTrending: Neon butterflies by Charlotte Edwards

By Callie Iley | 8 June 2021

Scratch chats to Charlotte Edwards of Charls Nails and Beauty about her future goals and how she created this neon butterfly nail design… I did my acrylic course at Northwest Training College with Diane Senogles. I started with only a handful of clients, and then thought something was missing, so…

NAIL TECH TALK: Kayleigh Bowser of Kayleigh Creates Nails

By Callie Iley | 5 June 2021

Scratch chats to Kayleigh Bowser of Kayleigh Creates Nails about her career change from teacher to nail tech… I have always loved painting my own nails, and before I got married, a friend took me to get a set of gels done. I was instantly in love with the shine…