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Brighton nail artist: mixed media allows me to create nail art with greater impact

By Lilly Delmage | 13 June 2025

Get to know Scratch Stars Mixed Media Artist of the Year finalist 2025, Sabre van Dijk, in an exclusive interview on her career journey and why she applied for the competition… Tell us about your nail journey… I’ve studied art for as long as I can remember: Photography at the University…

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Pinterest reveals the top 7 nail trends for summer 2025

By Lilly Delmage | 9 June 2025

Social media platform, Pinterest, has released another of its trend-identifying reports highlighting the top nail trends for summer 2025. Here are the ones to know: Cat eye nails A versatile style that can be adapted to the demands of any season, cat eye designs remain popular for summer 2025. In…

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Kirsty brown fibromyalgia

Award-winning nail tech: How I’ve found success despite suffering with fibromyalgia

By Guest Writer | 7 June 2025

Kirsty Brown is the owner of Paintbrush Nails, Stirling, Scotland, which is the Scratch Stars Home Nail Salon of the Year 2024 & a finalist for 2025. Here, she shares about her experiences with fibromyalgia… Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition that causes widespread pain, fatigue and cognitive difficulties. It can be…

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Powys nail salon: where rustic charm meets luxury beauty treatments

By Lilly Delmage | 7 June 2025

Jodie Evans, owner of Wales salon, Nail Envy, speaks to Scratch about the journey of building her thriving nail business. “Nail Envy is designed to feel like a luxurious home-from-home, combining rustic charm with modern elegance,” says Jodie. “The interior features brickwork, warm wood tones and plush velvet chairs –…

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Margaret Dabbs® London partners with MECCA for Australian launch

By Lilly Delmage | 4 June 2025

British luxury foot, hand and leg care brand, Margaret Dabbs® London, has announced its launch in Australia, at MECCA. Exclusively available at beauty retailer, MECCA, both in-store and online, the Australian debut marks another milestone in Margaret Dabbs® London’s impressive global expansion. The brand is available in over 54 countries…

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I invited my salon team to create nails for Cannes Film Festival

By Lilly Delmage | 3 June 2025

The Nail & Beauty Lounge owner, Julie McCabe, takes us behind the scenes of her Cannes Film Festival experience, where she and her salon team delivered manicures and pedicures. The team at Poulton-le-Fylde-based salon, The Nail & Beauty Lounge, were called upon by owner, Julie McCabe, to provide the manicures and…

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The history of nail colour & design: everything you need to know

By Lilly Delmage | 1 June 2025

Nail colour and design have become one of the most popular outlets for creativity and self-expression within the beauty industry. But where did it all begin, and how has it evolved over time? Here’s Scratch‘s deep dive into the history of the industry… 1920s & 1930s According to research revealed…

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Leicester nail tech: My maternal mental health struggles led me to the beauty industry

By Guest Writer | 28 May 2025

Nail artist & educator, Mika John of Contours by Mika, shares how poor mental health has impacted her life, and the positive impact of tekking… I first realised I was struggling with my mental health about seven years ago while working in hospitality, but I didn’t take action at the…

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Nail techs, here’s how to diversify your skills to reap rewards

By Guest Writer | 26 May 2025

Scratch columnist & beauty business and mindset coach, Zaara King, shares advice for taking your next career step… Do you want to change your role or take a leap in a new direction? Many beauty professionals have been asking me how they can diversify their careers. I teach people to leverage their…

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Hampshire nail pro on maternal mental health struggles & pressure to be a perfect mum

By Guest Writer | 25 May 2025

Andover-based nail artist & educator, Jo Bennett, opens up about feeling her lowest after having twins… When I was a new mum, I struggled to focus, my mood dropped significantly and I had no motivation, whether to take my twins out, work or even wash my face. I also had…

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Having a niche as a nail tech: is it important?

By Lilly Delmage | 24 May 2025

Whether your skills focus is natural nailcare, premium pedis or portrait painting, Scratch investigates the importance of identifying and capitalising on your expertise… What is a niche? ‘Niche’ is a business term used to describe a focused approach to offering goods and services, and tailoring them to a specific consumer…

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The nail techs who went from online friends to podcast hosts

By Lilly Delmage | 23 May 2025

Nail techs, Rachel Coast and Evie Glows, started out as online friends within a nail tech community, and have since launched their podcast, The Nail Files. Describing the podcast as ‘relatable, uplifting and a way to facilitate connection’, the duo is passionate about entertaining nail techs with relatable and humorous…

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My client’s nautical-themed manicure went viral on her cruise ship holiday

By Lilly Delmage | 18 May 2025

Manchester nail tech, Natalie Reay, and her client, Joanne Darby, spent over twelve months planning Joanne’s nail design for her cruise holiday – a style that unexpectedly found fame among cruise-goers, sparking conversations, connections and creativity. Imagine having ‘famous’ nails. This was the experience of Joanne Darby, who turned to…

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Saviour

Introducing Saviour™: an expert-built brand to support nail & skin health & repair

By Lilly Delmage | 16 May 2025

Nail expert, educator & Scratch Stars Shooting Star Award finalist 2025, Theresa Foddering, offers Scratch an exclusive insight into the launch of her brand: Saviour™. Where did the idea for Saviour™ come from? “Saviour™ was born from years of fixing, supporting and advising on the issues we see so often in our…

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Portsmouth nail pro: What I learned from mental health struggles during pregnancy

By Guest Writer | 15 May 2025

Laura Gilbert-Anderson of Basic Witch Nails shares her maternal mental health experiences and what they have taught her… I was diagnosed with a liver condition during my first pregnancy, so my baby and I had to be closely monitored. If test results weren’t good, it meant days spent at the…

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