MOVERS & SHAKERS

Beauty trends & innovations conference lead woman nails

Beauty Trends & Innovations Conference to offer insight & inspo to pros & brands

By Helena Biggs | 20 August 2025

Are you free on 24 September and want to level up your trends knowledge and accelerate the growth of your brand? The Beauty Trends & Innovations Conference is returning to London for its 13th year, welcoming over 40 beauty brands and retailers. These include L’Oréal, Unilever, Marks & Spencer, Amazon,…

Read More
Demitris zacharia collection

UCA graduate adds 5,000 false nails to fashion project

By Jess Watts | 19 August 2025

Demitris Zacharia recently graduated from UCA with a BA (Hons) in Fashion Design. His final major project, titled ‘The Good, The Bad and The Glamorous’, caught the eye of Scratch due to its unusual and innovative use of false nails. Demistris shares his inspiration and ideation, and why false nails…

Read More
Scratch snap contest aug 2025 fruity nails

99 fruit nail designs: nail art contest entries & winner reveal

By Rebecca Hitchon | 18 August 2025

The winner of Scratch’s monthly salon-style nail art contest for August has been announced as Emma Laverton of @failtefae. In a showcase of talent, UK&I techs created nail designs inspired by theme, Fruity Fingertips, in the bid to win a HD Professional Nail Systems prize. Entries were judged by Hazel Dixon, award-winning…

Read More
Aug 25 low res scratch cover

Read the latest issue

Cosmetics

Beauty & personal care sales to decline by steepest rate in 60+ years due to Covid-19

By Sophie Nutt | 6 April 2020

The U.S. cosmetics and toiletries market is on track to experience the sharpest decline ever recorded due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Kline has been tracking the market for 60+ years and, so far, the 0.8% drop in 2009 during the last recession is the biggest market dip ever reported. The…

Read More
Truro & penwith college

Truro & Penwith College scoops top award for beauty apprenticeships

By Scratch Staff | 6 April 2020

Truro & Penwith College has been recognised as the best provider of hair and beauty apprenticeships in the UK. The College scooped the Hair & Beauty Apprenticeship Provider of the Year accolade at the 2020 AAC Apprenticeship Awards, organised by FE Week and the Association of Education & Learning Providers.…

Read More
Magaret dabbs 1200

Margaret Dabbs London announces £27.7m partnership with Best World International

By Helena Biggs | 5 April 2020

Premium foot, hand and leg care brand, Margaret Dabbs London, has sold a minority stake of the business to Best World International (BWI) in a bid to expand its global presence. The British company, founded in 2004, develops medically-credible and premium cosmetic solutions for feet, hands and legs. It was…

Read More
Hand lotion

Coronavirus: Sweet Squared donates 200 bottles of CND™ hand lotion to NHS

By Sophie Nutt | 3 April 2020

Sweet Squared has donated 200 bottles of CNDTM Gardenia Woods Spa Lotion to the British Vogue Hands On Appeal. The Hands On Appeal sees brands coming together to donate much needed products to the NHS frontline battling Covid-19. Hand lotion is urgently needed for NHS staff, with many suffering from dry, sore hands due to…

Read More
Hair & beauty charity relief fund

Relief fund launches to aid workers in the hair & beauty sectors

By Helena Biggs | 2 April 2020

The official industry charity, Hair & Beauty Charity, has launched a Relief Fund to raise much needed funds during the coronavirus crisis. With thousands of hair, beauty and barber salons now closed and industry professionals unable to work, there has been an increase in requests for help from the industry…

Read More
Bank notes 1791583

National Living & Minimum Wage increases from 1 April

By Sophie Nutt | 1 April 2020

From 1 April 2020, the National Living Wage and the National Minimum Wage has increased, affecting beauty salons across the country. The new National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates are as follows: NLW (Age over 25s) – £8.72 per hour NMW (Age 21 – 24) –…

Read More