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
Having been in the industry for over 20 years, Sammy MacDonald has grown her beauty business from the ground up. “My salon business opened on the 1 December 2016 with the Victoria Street branch,” reveals Sammy. “I took on half of the building as at the time I could not afford the…
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Scratch chats to Sophie Rogers of Sophie’s Beauty Bar about her nail training and how she created this dreamy pink design…. From a young age, I knew I wanted to work within the beauty industry. However, it wasn’t until October 2020, after I was made redundant from my job, that…
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For many nail technicians and salon owners, lockdown has given them the gift of time. Time to either learn new nail techniques, how to improve their business, or simply, going back to basics. Here, esteemed educator, Sam Biddle, shares her experiences and how lockdown has shaped her business… What positives…
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I’m Sabina, 29, a nail & lash technician based at Platinum Beauty in Littleborough, Greater Manchester. The first coronavirus lockdown meant I was unable to work in my hospitality job, which left me devastated. I had suffered ill health for some time and had been so happy to be working…
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Scratch chats to Frederica Waldron of EEKA Beauty about sourcing inspiration for nail art and the importance of self-confidence… What is your all-time favourite nail product? This is a hard question! I don’t think I can choose one favourite product, but I definitely have a few must-have products that I…
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Kara Kotsonis, owner of the award-winning NailSquad salon in Deal, Kent, shares her experiences of a business mentor… You may have heard the word ‘mentor’ banded around, but never really thought or looked into whether a mentor could be helpful for you or your business. If so, here’s the professional…
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