TECHS & SALONS
Scratch Stars Educator of the Year 2025 shares secrets to nail industry success
Michelle Brookes is an award-winning nail technician & educator who won Scratch Stars Educator of the Year for the second time in July. She tells Scratch what makes a good educator, how her processes have evolved and what’s next for her career… “Winning the Scratch Stars Educator of the Year…
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Norwich nail tech: finding success with a rare neurological condition
I’m Jade Fox and I have Moebius syndrome: a rare neurological condition that is present from birth and affects facial muscles, speech, eye movement and mobility. I face daily challenges that most people never have to consider, and these obstacles have shaped nearly every part of my life. Unexpectedly, they…
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Step inside the nail salon & academy by the sea on the Isle of Wight
The Gel Art Academy is the passion project of Rebecca Evans, a tech with a love for nail art and education. The cosy salon is located in Rebecca’s home on the Isle of Wight and provides the ultimate relaxation spot for clients. “The space used to be the utility room…
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Read the latest issue
On deciding to open a salon, and after securing investment and budgeting, the first step is to look for appropriate premises in the right location for your client demographic. The next stage is then the most exciting…designing the salon layout and style. The salon’s design entails considering a host of…
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Scratch chats to Charlie Bishop of By Charlie B about her favourite nail designs and future goals… What is it about nails that has you hooked? I love how trends change all the time and how supportive people in the industry can be, even when you haven’t met. I adore…
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Kayley Cairns is a Scratch Stars Awards finalist in the Mixed Media Artist of the Year (sponsored by Magpie Beauty) and Nail Stylist of the Year (sponsored by OPI UK) categories 20/21. Here, shares her experience in the nail industry thus far, her lockdown endeavours and why she entered the…
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Best friends, Tammy Hobson & Shelley Riley, had a clear vision for their jointly-owned business, Serenity Beauty & Co – to create a beauty hotspot for the local community. “After working from home for several years due to childcare, I decided my home needed to be just that, so along…
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‘Be a flamingo in a flock of pigeons’. That sounds great doesn’t it! Yet how does, ‘be a pigeon in a flock of flamingos‘, sound? From my perspective, when being a pigeon one can create great inner strength. In each and every one of us there is some weakness, which…
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As we ease back into life from the quiet of lockdown living and more clients – both new and old – return to the salon, have you considered their noise preference by offering silent or sensory-aware appointments? Many may be experiencing anxiety surrounding their appointment. While many salons enjoy a…
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