TECHNIQUE
Nail expert: the importance of parallel sidewalls for a beautiful nail finish
Award-winning nail technician & Katie Barnes Tool Range & Education founder, Katie Clark, offers insight… Parallel sidewalls start at the cuticle zone and end at the free edge. They mirror each other and help to give a nail enhancement a slim and slender appearance. The term, ‘parallel sidewalls’, is frequently…
Read More
What are brush-on builder gel & BIAB™ nails?
Brush-on builder gel is an ever-popular request at the nail desk – but what is it, and when should it be used? Brush-on builder gel is a more convenient variation of traditional builder gels, which are housed in pots. Packaged in a bottle with an integrated brush, the product allows…
Read More
How to stop nail biting & picking: experts share treatment plans to break the habit
Natural nail specialists share tips for nail biting and picking clients… Why do people bite and pick at their nails and skin? “Nail biting, also known as onychophagia, and skin picking and biting, named perionychophagia, are habits associated with stress, anxiety and compulsive disorders,” explains Lucy Price-Marshall, Scratch Stars Natural…
Read More
Read the latest issue
Angel Crystals, a UK distributor of Swarovski nail crystals, invited a select group of techs to a fun-filled workshop at which they jazzed up their nails with Swarovski embellishments. Scratch‘s editor-in-chief, Alex, joined me for the trip to Swarovski’s London HQ, at which we were met by Antony Arnold of…
Read More
We hear the myth time and time again – ‘Nail enhancements damage the nail’ – but the damage is usually caused by over-filing the natural nail before any nail products have been applied, or by incorrect removal. Over-filing of the natural nail is one of the most common causes of…
Read More
Yesterday, I was invited to Cobella Hair and Beauty Salon in the sumptuous area of Kensington, London, to try the brand new Sienna X Brows range and treatment. Recently, Sienna X revealed its very own brow tint range for techs and therapists to offer to their clients as an add-on to…
Read More
When an invite from HD Brows creeps into the Scratch inbox, I’m the first to snap it up – as the treatment tames my unruly, unshapely brows into sisters that look oh-so fabulous. I headed to London’s 1 Harley Street for an appointment with the brand’s international brow expert, Jamie…
Read More
With such an increased report in allergies and accidents occurring with nail products from not just home users, but ‘professional’ nail technicians, I believe that there needs to be a call for better education on the situation. Creating beautiful nails is an art but one of the most forgotten and…
Read More
Mastering cuticle application can be a tech’s nemesis, but it needn’t be. Of course, it takes practice but follow my top tips for perfecting your cuticle application with L&P and gel polish. Perfecting L&P cuticle application When working with L&P, ensuring the mix ratio is correct – especially around the…
Read More