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Salon in the Spotlight: The Nail Shed, Manchester

By Callie Iley | 26 January 2022

In 2007, Sarra Birrell set up her salon in Cheshire, establishing a thriving nail and beauty business. However, lockdown had a negative impact on her business. “I took the very difficult decision to close after 14 years. As sad as it was, there was a silver lining – I had…

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Struggling to juggle all your roles in the salon? Here’s some advice…

By Guest Writer | 19 January 2022

Maddie Regan of 81 Rose Garden shares advice on how to effectively manage a busy salon… Working in a busy salon can be challenging at times. There are many roles to juggle and many things that need your attention but you must keep on top of customer service. Without clients, there…

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NAIL TECH TALK: Lucy Greenman of Nails by Lucy Greenman

By Callie Iley | 15 January 2022

Scratch chats to Lucy Greenman of Nails by Lucy Greenman about the importance of hard work and her future career goals… Everything about nails has me hooked! I think my favourite thing about nails is how much personality these tiny designs can hold. There’s nothing better than a client telling…

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Salon in the Spotlight: Nails by Jess Hales, Bures, Essex

By Callie Iley | 12 January 2022

In June 2021, Jessica Hales set up her beauty room within a salon in a village in Essex, giving up her full-time job as a beauty therapist to pursue her own business alone. “A lot of people questioned my choice of starting my own business during the pandemic, but for…

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Salon in the Spotlight: Mils Does Nails, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

By Callie Iley | 29 December 2021

Prior to April 2021, Millie Hegarty was doing nails from her home on a part-time. “I decided to begin working full time on a self employed basis. I started renting a room in a salon which was lovely, but I always knew I wanted to have my own premises, I…

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Salon in the Spotlight: Base Beauty, Stafford

By Callie Iley | 22 December 2021

Kate Meara quit her full-time job in a call centre in 2016 to take the plunge into the nail industry. “To be self employed with a few friends and family clients was terrifying at first. However, hard work and a love for the industry helped me to find my feet.…

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NAIL TECH TALK: Natalie Kirk of Nail Perfection by Natalie

By Callie Iley | 18 December 2021

Scratch chats to Natalie Kirk of Nail Perfection by Natalie about her nail journey and what she would like the industry to achieve in the future… I first started out in the nail industry in 2004 after my mum, who was working as a spa manager at the time, suggested…

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NAIL TECH TALK: Natalia Hudson of The Secret Garden Quorn

By Callie Iley | 11 December 2021

Scratch chats to Natalia Hudson of The Secret Garden Quorn about how nails has helped her mental health and her daughter’s impact on her career… There is so much that I absolutely adore about nails. When you take a clients hand, the magic begins – not only to give them…

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NAIL TECH TALK: Aubrey Cycenas of The Glossy Spot

By Callie Iley | 27 November 2021

Scratch chats to Aubrey Cycenas of The Glossy Spot about challenging herself to create unique nail designs and the most exciting aspects of the industry… I’m a fully licensed cosmetologist, but I met my former mentor in hair school. She personally taught me the basics of nails, and I quickly…

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Salon in the Spotlight: Wildflower Hair & Beauty Studio, Cheadle, Staffordshire

By Callie Iley | 17 November 2021

Holly Duckers opened Wildflower Hair and Beauty Studio in a renovated convenience shop in September 2019. “At the time of opening we were a team of four, two hairdressers, one nail technician and one lash and brow technician. Within a month of opening, I had taken on the first salon…

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NAIL TECH TALK: Taylor Bell of Islas Beauty

By Callie Iley | 13 November 2021

Scratch chats to Taylor Bell of Islas Beauty about becoming a beauty business owner and the importance of keeping up with industry trends… I love to create lots of random designs. I’ve always loved to create a different design for every one of my clients – not everybody has the…

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Salon in the Spotlight: Cutie Patootie Nails, Fife, Scotland

By Callie Iley | 10 November 2021

Claire Watters began her nail journey in 2017, after training in Glasgow. “I finally plucked up the courage to leave my job at Asda and started to take on clients at their home. After doing it mobile for a short time I decided to set up a room at home,…

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Salon in the Spotlight: CandyMani’s Nails & Beauty, Suffolk

By Callie Iley | 3 November 2021

Candice Muddeman began Candymani’s in 2015, working out of her dining room at home, offering gel polish to family and friends. “Last year in lockdown, we started work on a separate nail and beauty studio at the back of our house. We were lucky to have such a generous space,…

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NAIL TECH TALK: Victoria Nichol of Victoria Nichol Nails

By Callie Iley | 30 October 2021

Scratch chats to Victoria Nichol of Victoria Nichol Nails about the importance of self belief and making progress in her work… “I love that I can create something from nothing. Everything from shaping, filing, colour and the final design – the whole process is incredibly satisfying for me. “There is…

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Salon in the Spotlight: Little Birch Nails, Northern Ireland

By Callie Iley | 29 September 2021

Qualifying as a nail technician during the lockdown of 2020 around the same time as having her baby, Rachael Dorrity was initially unable to build a clientele. “Since restrictions have been relaxed, I decided to just go for it and start my nail journey. I’m so excited to see what…

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