HEALTH & WELLBEING

Ctpa allergy guidance

Artificial nails: 7 steps to reduce the risk of allergy

By Guest Writer | 29 April 2025

Caroline Rainsford, director of science at the Cosmetics, Toiletry & Perfumery Association (CTPA), shares practical ways to reduce allergy in the nail space… Acrylate monomers, which are the starting materials in liquid & powder (L&P) and UV/LED gel nail systems, can sometimes cause allergic reactions if they touch the skin.…

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6 essential tips for nail techs to protect their physical health

By Lilly Delmage | 28 April 2025

Swiss beauty brand, Mavala, offers its top tips for beauty professionals to protect their physical health and wellbeing whilst working demanding roles… In the beauty industry, technicians play a crucial role in boosting the wellbeing of clients. However, Mavala has noticed the little focus shed on the wellness and self-care…

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Gel irritation theresa foddering

Nail techs, here’s the difference between irritant & allergic contact dermatitis

By Guest Writer | 25 April 2025

Award-winning salon owner, educator & industry consultant, Theresa Foddering, aka The Naildresser, explains the difference between irritations and allergies… In the nail world, we see a lot of terms to describe skin reactions: itching, redness, swelling, irritation, but the real question is: do we fully understand what’s causing these issues?…

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6 ways to manage dry & brittle nails affected by menopause

By Scratch Staff | 29 October 2021

The menopause can be a challenging time for women, with many lacking confidence and feeling undervalued. Looking good on the outside can give the confidence boost needed to feel good on the inside, and having strong and healthy nails is a great place to start. Menopause is so much more…

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How nail art saved my mental health: Bridgend nail tech opens up about her battle

By Emma Hobday | 22 October 2021

Dani Bailey of Broadlands, Bridgend, has suffered with anxiety and depression since she was a teenager. She has always managed it relatively well through exercise, which came naturally to her in her previous role as a personal trainer, but a pitfall in 2018 saw some struggles present themselves. “I started…

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4 powerful hand mudras and how to use them

By Emma Hobday | 23 September 2021

Scratch chats to James Divine, palmistry teacher, author and founder of The Divine Hand Palmistry about the meanings of mudras, and how you can use them in everyday life… First of all, what exactly is a mudra? “A mudra is a Sanskrit word meaning to seal, mark, or gesture. It…

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Nail techs, here’s how you can prevent hand & wrist pain

By Scratch Staff | 21 September 2021

Scratch sources advice for those that suffer with hand and wrist pain, so you can stop feeling the strain… Samantha Sweet, co-founder of Sweet Squared, shares that repetitive strain injury and carpal tunnel syndrome will always be a likelihood for pros, due to the nature of the job. “Filing is the…

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4 ways to empower your nail business’ employees

By Guest Writer | 7 September 2021

Lucy Pastorelli, founder of Lucy Pastorelli Tools, shares how she empowers her team… 1. Create inclusion. Everyone has an opinion, and we always make sure that we listen to each member of staff – whether they’ve been employed at LP for five weeks or five years. Each point of view…

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salon system brow event

My experience of Salon System’s dual lash & brow lift system

By Chloe Randall | 29 July 2021

To celebrate the launch of Salon System‘s new dual treatment lash & brow lift system, I headed to 58 South Molton Street in London to experience a brow lamination myself. With the brow lamination and lash lift becoming increasingly popular with customers, Salon System has created a two in one…

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