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Coffin nails: 5 on-trend nail art designs to inspire your spring look

By Lilly Delmage | 7 April 2025

Coffin, or ballerina, nails are long, tapered and filed flat at the tip. The shape resembles both a coffin and a ballerina’s slipper, which inspired the interchangeable names. A popular shape choice, the coffin nail offers an optimal canvas for experimenting with nail art, seasonal colours and 3D designs. Here…

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Stiletto Nails

15 stiletto manicures to inspire bold & beautiful nail looks

By Lilly Delmage | 3 October 2024

The sharp stiletto nail shape holds its rightful place as one of the classics, with its tapered ends giving a claw-like finish. Boasting sophistication and oozing class, the long shape offers nail techs a larger area for intricate nail art, allowing them to unleash their creativity and giving clients more…

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Almond Nail

8 must-try almond nail ideas for your next trendsetting manicure

By Lilly Delmage | 16 September 2024

The almond nail; elegant, chic and practical. The universally-loved shape offers the perfect subtle finish, taking inspiration from –  you guessed it – the shape of an almond nut. Characterised by a rounded, oval shape, with a slightly tapered top, the flattering shape creates the illusion of elongated fingers and…

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Katie barnes nail shapes

How to file 5 different nail shapes for your clients

By Katie Barnes | 7 January 2021

Educator, former Scratch columnist and award-winning nail stylist, Katie Barnes, reveals how to file various nail shapes for your client… When filing nail shapes on enhancements, it is important to remember that the way your form is fitted and how you build the product is paramount for the correct shape and longevity of the…

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Amn pro series ceramic bits row

Cater to e-file needs with Americanails Pro-Series Ceramic Bits

By Sophie Nutt | 19 January 2019

Americanails has revealed its Pro-Series Ceramic Bits range to cater to every e-file need. Durable and easy to sanitise, this kit boasts a variety of bit shapes in hardwearing ceramic carbide. Available via www.americanails.com

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Rachael bubble flower

MANI MONDAY: Creative candy ball

By Sophie Nutt | 30 April 2018

Begin the week the right way with some nail inspiration this mani Monday! A new trend has caught our attention here at Scratch HQ and that is the ‘candy ball’ (also know as ‘bubble flower’) technique – seeing what appears to be a 3D flower encapsulated in a glass ball. Elegant and…

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Hannah leahy nails

WHAT I’M WEARING: Hannah Leahy, Too Glam To Give A Damn

By Sophie Nutt | 29 April 2018

We want to see what you’re wearing on your nails! Hannah Leahy, of Too Glam To Give A Damn, was inspired by a ceramicist on Instagram when creating her current nail look. “To create this design, I used the Magpie Beauty gel colour system. The original design was actually cream…

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Emma stanton nails

#TRENDINGTUESDAY Emma Stanton, Nails 2 Inspire

By Sophie Nutt | 24 April 2018

We want to see the designs trending at your nails desk! Emma Stanton, of Nails 2 Inspire, says that classic pastels making for sweet spring nails are popular with her clients at the moment. “I think this design has been so popular because it’s the classic pastel spring look, but…

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Nails by mei donald robertson

MANI MONDAY: Mini masterpieces

By Sophie Nutt | 23 April 2018

Begin the week the right way with some nail inspiration this mani Monday! Why not turn your client’s nails into literal mini masterpieces? Mei Kawajiri (@nailsbymei) took inspiration from an art piece and paid homage to its creator, Donald Robertson: one of her client’s favourite artists. Donald Robertson is a…

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Katie barnes hairline crack 2

How to identify the cause of a nail break

By Katie Barnes | 17 April 2018

Educator and award-winning nail technician, Katie Barnes, offers reasons why enhancements can break – and how to identify them The most common reason for the breaking of nail enhancements is due to wear and tear or trauma by the wearer, but a break can also be caused by unsuitable lengths…

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Jemma ball nails

WHAT I’M WEARING: Jemma Ball, Jemma Bailey Beauty

By Sophie Nutt | 15 April 2018

We want to see what you’re wearing on your nails! Jemma Ball, of Jemma Bailey Beauty, wears a fresh nail look using sugary sweet shade Candied from the new CND Chic Shock collection. “I created the nails by extending them with CND Liquid and Powder before using CND Shellac in…

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Diana pajeva trending tuesday nails

#TRENDINGTUESDAY Diana Pajeva, Diana’s Nail Art

By Sophie Nutt | 10 April 2018

We want to see the designs trending at your nail desk! Diana Pajeva, of Diana’s Nail Art, revealed that her clients are switching from geometric nail art designs to those including floral artistry made up of pastel cremes. “It’s the time of year when we usually see the first blooms…

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Corey jade stockwell nails

WHAT I’M WEARING: Corey Jade Stockwell, Nail Techniques

By Sophie Nutt | 8 April 2018

We want to see what you’re wearing on your nails! Corey Jade Stockwell, of Nail Techniques, was inspired by a recent purchase when she created this floral, water colour effect nail look. “I was inspired by a new top I bought in Norfolk on the way to Hazel Dixon’s extreme…

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Catriona leith nails

WHAT I’M WEARING: Catriona Leith, The Nail Studio

By Sophie Nutt | 1 April 2018

We want to see what you’re wearing on your nails! Catriona Leith, of The Nail Studio, created these nails featuring a combination of a matte white hue doused in gems for a girls night out. “These nails were created with gel polish, using Crystal Nails Xtreme Hard Gel in Cover…

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Gelish structure gel

Two new shades added to Gelish Structure Gel range

By Sophie Nutt | 29 March 2018

Now available in Translucent Pink and Cover Pink, as well as Clear, the Gelish Structure Gel range offers added strength to the natural nail thanks to its thick viscosity formula, while helping to correct uneven nail plates and fill ridges. The new additions boost nail appearance by helping to hide…

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