The importance of a logo for your nail business
Strong logo imagery on your high street shop front can differentiate you from local competition and can help etch your brand in an individual’s mind. For mobile technicians, having your logo on all promotional materials, business cards and social media will help to build a brand, helping clients to recognise…
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How to use lighting to advance your social media
Social media is a great way to attract potential new customers by sharing images of your clients’ nails. Lighting, however, can make or break the success of an image online and its impact on followers. Therefore, it is key to ensure you’re using great lighting to produce high quality images…
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How to select the perfect nude nail colour for your client
Barely-there hues are always in style and the sophisticated nude nail look continues to flourish across the runways, on celebrity fingertips and in the salon. Favoured by many for its ‘clean’ look and ability to complement any ensemble – without overpowering, nude nails will never go out of style –…
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How to perfect the application technique for Artistic Colour Gloss
Hone your Artistic Colour Gloss technique as Scratch probes Carrie-Leigh Allen, educator for Louella Belle, about the ideal application technique for Artistic Colour Gloss… “For the perfect application of Artistic Colour Gloss, ensure cuticle work is performed thoroughly, leaving no non-living tissue on the nail plate. Remove surface shine and file the…
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How to cater to bridal clients
Wedding season is here and there’s never been a better time to create bridal designs to impress. A client’s wedding day is a life-long memory so it’s important to make sure that your part goes as smoothly as possible in the run up to, on and after the big day.…
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How to tailor tanning treatments to clients
There is no ‘one tan fits all’ and the days of simply choosing between light, medium and dark shades have now passed. Inclusivity is key – and you may soon, if you haven’t already, start seeing clients seeking bespoke tanning services. After all, it’s unlikely you’d use the same treatment…
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Your gel polish questions: answered!
Hone your gel polish technique with advice from industry experts about the popular system, as they answer your pressing questions. “How can you tell when a polish is cured correctly and what does over curing mean for the service?” Charlotte Lowe, Jessica educator, says, “Over curing can occur more with…
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How to deal with common tricky client types
In the perfect world, ‘the customer is always right’, but sometimes you can be faced with a situation you don’t know how to handle. We asked the experts about the most common tricky client types to look out for and how to manage concerns… The late client Anna Germaine, director…
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How to rebuild damaged toenails
Educator and award-winning nail technician, Katie Barnes, reveals how to rebuild toenails to get them looking tip-top in time for the summer months – with a step-by-step photo guide and nail knowledge to boot Damaged, broken or bitten toenails can be an extremely common concern, but it is something your client…
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How to correctly remove nail enhancements that are lifting
Salon owner, educator, former Scratch columnist and award-winning nail stylist, Katie Barnes, reveals how to correctly remove enhancements that have lifted What is lifting? Enhancements that lift away from the natural nail show a sign of service breakdown. This can occur with any nail coating but is often more common with L&P and…
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Katie Barnes on why you don’t say ‘Chinese salons’
Salon owner, educator, former Scratch columnist and award-winning nail stylist, Katie Barnes, addresses the issue of non-standard salons and incorrect terminology – with a helping hand from CND educator, Anna Lee Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Many technicians and clients are guilty of referring to non-standard salons as ‘Chinese salons’, ‘Viet…
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How to prolong nail polish wear
Salon owner, educator, former Scratch columnist and award-winning nail stylist, Katie Barnes, assesses the demand for traditional lacquer – and how to make the most of a nail polish service… With the popularity of gel polish, traditional polish may be viewed as outdated by many techs, so is there still a call for it? Client preference,…
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How to store nail products correctly
Salon owner, educator, former Scratch columnist and award-winning nail stylist, Katie Barnes, offers advice on storing your nail products to get the most out of your purchase… It’s important to understand how long nail products last last, how to store them for optimum usage and safety and how to dispose of them when necessary.…
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