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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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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How to find a good work/life balance as a nail tech

By Guest Writer | 22 January 2021

Nicole Dowling, educator at Pure Nails, shares her advice for finding the balance between work life and personal life… Many of us constantly strive to work hard and prove our worth, and many have a willing to work more to earn more. The hardest part of the job is often…

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Why you shouldn’t use an at-home gel polish kit

By Katie Barnes | 13 January 2021

Salon owner, educator and award-winning nail stylist, Katie Barnes, unveils concerns surrounding DIY gel polish kits… Gel polish seems like an easy to use, harmless product – surely, it’s just like painting on a nail polish, isn’t it? Well, this is the attitude that is causing problems amongst some non-professionals, as they…

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MINDFUL MATTERS: The Power of Positivity

By Alex Fox | 9 January 2021

  I’m so pleased to have been invited as a regular columnist & blogger for Scratch. The main reason for this being that I’ve seen first-hand how the past year has affected people within the nail industry and I want to do everything I can to try and help. Without…

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Why you should stop comparing your nail skills to others

By Guest Writer | 22 December 2020

Scratch magazine 2020 columnist, Sophie Dale of Nancy Loves Nails & Nancy Girl Apparel, shares why it’s time to stop comparing yourself to others… ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’. I constantly compare myself to others and it has really affected me. It’s poisonous, and no matter how experienced or whatever…

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Marian Newman BEM on… changes to nail product regulations for 2021

By Guest Writer | 16 December 2020

Marian Newman BEM, nail industry veteran and chair of The FNP, reveals the changes to cosmetic products that will be evident in 2021… Originally posted at www.the-fnp.com “We will be seeing a lot of changes in 2021 with regards to cosmetic products including nail products. This has some connection to…

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8 ways nail techs can keep motivated during lockdown 2.0

By Guest Writer | 11 November 2020

Tina Bell, head of education at Pure Nails, serves up key ways to keep your creativity flowing and spirits high during lockdown 2.0… Here we are, back in lockdown. Once again, I have packed up my salon, moved my nail desk onto my dining room table and taken over whole…

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