EXPERT ADVICE

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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…

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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…

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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…

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Doctor

7 ways to stay healthy at home

By Scratch Staff | 25 March 2020

Dr Kuldeep Minocha, GP & cosmetic doctor at London-based Tempus Clinic, reveals 7 ways to stay healthy at home during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.   1. Keep hydrated You and your family must all keep well hydrated by drinking plenty of clear fluids, warm or cold, it doesn’t matter. If…

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How to spot domestic abuse signs in clients

By Zoe Wickens | 24 March 2020

A staggering one in four women* will experience abuse from a partner or ex-partner at some time in their life, and two are killed each week. “They may be our clients, colleagues or our family and friends, so recognising the signs, offering a kind word and providing information on how…

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Hanna sillitoe hand washing

Coronavirus: how to soothe dry & sore hands from frequent hand washing

By Zoe Wickens | 21 March 2020

Rigorous hand washing and sanitising during this coronavirus pandemic can leave your hands feeling dry and sore. Author and skin healing expert, Hanna Sillitoe, offers Scratch readers some hand-saving tips that mean no one has to suffer or compromise on hygiene. Regularly and thoroughly washing your hands is one of…

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11 top tips for businesses during the coronavirus outbreak

By Sophie Nutt | 20 March 2020

Beauty business expert, Liz McKeon, says that now is the perfect time to work on your business. Below are her top 11 tips to navigate your way through coronavirus… Don’t be an ostrich by burying your head in the sand 2020 is a different world now – you need to…

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Coronavirus: Still London owner shares advice to techs facing salon closures

By Sophie Nutt | 20 March 2020

Shelly Elson, founder and creative director of Still London, explains why she made the decision to close the salon doors from Tuesday morning and shares advice to fellow techs facing similar difficulties… Closing any business is heart wrenching, even on a temporary basis, and the decision to close Still London…

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Keep calm

4 ways to stay in business

By Scratch Staff | 19 March 2020

Now is the time to keep calm and remain professional, says Marian Newman. Here, the nail industry icon shares ways to stay in business during the current uncertainty…  “It may feel like Armageddon is descending fast, but it will pass. The UK is a first world country and a relatively…

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