EXPERT ADVICE

Onycholysis image

Onycholysis: what is it & how can it be treated?

By Jess Watts | 31 July 2025

Let’s talk the causes of onycholysis, aka nail separation, how to prevent and what to do when it’s presented at the nail desk… Picture this: you scrape your knee and pop a plaster over the top to help it heal. Three days later, that plaster has started to lift. At…

Read More
Nail salon client

How to elevate your beauty business by seeing it through clients’ eyes

By Marie-Louise Coster | 30 July 2025

Session nail stylist, salon owner & educator, Marie-Louise Coster, discusses the importance of understanding clients’ perspective… When was the last time you walked through your business as if you were an existing or new client? We all need to walk through our businesses, whether physically or virtually, on a regular basis…

Read More
Nails and file

The nail hyponychium: what is it & why does it need protecting?

By Jess Watts | 25 July 2025

Not all heroes wear capes… but sometimes they deserve a little appreciation. Here are some key facts about the hyponychium – your underappreciated nail protector. Akin to how we fill the cracks in between shower tiles, the crevices of our nails also need sealing to protect the nail bed and…

Read More
Aug 25 low res scratch cover

Read the latest issue

Vlog laptop (1)

How & why you should vlog

By Scratch Staff | 20 September 2018

Natasha Lee, nail tech and award-winning YouTuber, reveals why video is vital to your nail business… In the ever-changing social world, video takes the forefront on every social media platform. Algorithms give preference to video, which is why you may see many still picture quotes on Facebook produced as a…

Read More
Marketing stock image

How to maintain professional etiquette in your marketing

By Sophie Nutt | 20 September 2018

You might be putting your energy into social media marketing, advertising, or using a variety of methods to encourage new business – but are you fully utilising this by maintaining professional etiquette? Competition in the beauty industry is rife and, although you may be a dab hand at nail services,…

Read More
Money girl

How to boost salon retail sales

By Scratch Staff | 19 September 2018

Techs – it’s time to use your nail and beauty knowledge to turn up the heat on product sales and increase revenue. DAVE HORTON, director of ABT, serves up his top retail tips… One of the most overlooked, and easiest to rectify, areas where beauty and nail businesses lose money…

Read More
Ruth atkins

Hygiene How-To: Lash Treatments

By Kat Hill | 18 September 2018

Ruth Atkins, Salon System expert, breaks down each component your lash treatment to ensure ultimate hygiene… The Client  After preparing the client onto a freshly papered couch with fresh towels, sanitise your hands using an isopropanol-based hand sanitiser or chlorhexidine gluconate solution, which is an antimicrobial agent. Thoroughly rinse hands…

Read More
Shutterstock 1018104376 copy

How to pack your mobile tekking kit

By Kat Hill | 11 September 2018

Mobile techs – carrying around a full salon set up is no easy feat, so be wary of the strain this may cause. Even though you’re on the move, hygiene, as well as health and safety, should be paramount to your service as a professional. A streamline kit with miniature…

Read More
Jan soar salon photo

The importance of a well-lit workstation for nail technicians

By Sophie Nutt | 6 September 2018

As a nail professional, you rely on your vision for precise product application, so make life a little easier and prevent strain with adequate task lighting. Hannah Robertson, Nail Harmony UK South West educator, explains, “If you don’t have great light to work in as a nail tech, you can…

Read More