MOVERS & SHAKERS
40+ black tie sparkle nails – contest entries & winning design
The winner of the Scratch Snap nail art contest for December is Ryan Hobbs of @rocksta_ry. In a showcase of talent, UK&I techs created salon-style nail designs inspired by theme, Black Tie Sparkle, in the bid to win a Bluestreak Crystals prize. Entries were judged by Abi Middleton, director at Bluestreak Crystals, and Scratch editor, Rebecca Hitchon. The winner, Ryan Hobbs, has scooped…
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British startup brand, Curated Beauty London, launches in award-winning ‘super salon’
British startup brand, Curated Beauty London – creator of skincare, haircare and wellness essentials for midlife women – has collaborated with Richard Ward Hair & Metrospa, with its products appearing in the luxury salon. Founded by Sam Grocutt, Ros Simmons and Natalie Ingham, Curated Beauty London’s products are for ‘women…
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Cosmetics industry body awarded for commitment to consumer protection
The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) won the Business Hero Award at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) Hero Awards, held on 2 December in the House of Lords. The award recognises businesses, individuals and initiatives that show a strong commitment to consumer protection, and go beyond statutory requirements…
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Nail brand, Hara Professional, has unveiled Wigan nail pro, Alyx Olivia Mills, as winner of its 2025 gel polish contest – and a prize worth £2,500. The search for Hara Professional’s Gel Polish Artist of the Year 2025 began on 1 September 2025. Techs from the UK and Ireland were…
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March will see the return of The Great British Beauty Clean Up (GBBCU): a nationwide collaboration between retailers, brands and professionals created by the British Beauty Council’s Sustainable Beauty Coalition, with the aim of reducing waste. Around 120 billion units of packaging are produced each year, and The GBBU is…
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Nail and beauty distributor & training provider, Gerrard International, has announced its acquisition of Jessica Cosmetics. The Hertfordshire-based company, founded by manicurist, Susan Gerrard, and her late husband, Ian, has been leading Jessica Cosmetics’ UK arm for the past 35 years, helping to make it the nailcare brand’s most successful…
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Hanukkah is the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights, which commemorates the rededication of a Jewish temple after it was taken back from oppressors. It celebrates a miracle which occurred over 2,000 years ago, when a small amount of oil for a lamp lasted for eight days. The holiday is celebrated…
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Image credit: The Development PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer is Pantone’s Colour of the Year 2026. The global colour authority selects a shade each year that it sees to be influencing all areas of design, and that resonates with consumers and their attitudes. Pantone describes Cloud Dancer as a ‘lofty white…
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4 December 2025 marks the final supermoon of the year. Coined the ‘Cold Moon’, the celestial event will be the largest luna of 2025, reaching higher into the sky than any other moon this year. Given the scale of the supermoon, horoscopes are rife with change and turbulence. How will…
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