60 trending nail art ideas for February
February may be the shortest month of the year, but it delivers no shortage of nail inspiration. From romantic reds and soft pinks to winter neutrals and playful accents, browse our roundup of designs to nail February in style…
What are barcode nails? Trend guide, styles & inspiration
Nail trends come and go in the blink of an eye. From glazed donut finishes to polka dots, tartan prints and cat eye designs, there’s always a new look taking over our feeds. Now, a fresh twist on the magnetic effect behind cat eye nails is making waves on social…
A nail technician’s guide to protective gloves
Robert Giblett, nail industry safety expert & founder of professional nail brand, IKON.IQ, shares gloves insight for nail pros… Why do you need the right gloves? As a nail technician, your hands are your most important tools. Every day, you work with chemicals that can cause allergies and skin problems.…
10 times Megan Fox’s nail looks stole the spotlight
Alongside her acting career, Megan Fox is also known for her styling, in particular an array of stunning nail looks courtesy of her go-to tech, Brittney Boyce (@nails_of_la). Let’s take a look at some of her standout nail designs… Brittney Boyce has treated Fox to an array of jewel-encrusted talons,…
VTCT expands international learner support with language assessment
Beauty qualifications awarding body, VTCT, has launched the Vocational English Language Assessment (VELA), to benefit international learners. The AI-powered English proficiency test is designed ‘to support international learners, training providers and employers with a fast, reliable and accessible way to validate English language capability’. VELA works by evaluating four core…
How to manage maternity leave as a self-employed nail tech
Session nail stylist, salon owner & educator, Marie-Louise Coster, shares how she juggled her business and becoming a mum… A question I get asked a lot, as a working mum, is how I managed my maternity leave and return to work once my daughter arrived. Being self-employed has many benefits, but…
Champion nail tech calls on industry for support
Nailympia competitor, nail artist, brand developer & distributor, Katarzyna Kaczmarek of Poznan, Poland, is calling on the nail sector to help fund urgent medical attention requiring 500,000 PLN – just over £100,000. Katarzyna (Kasia), shares: “In August 2025, I was diagnosed with a malignant grade IV brain glioma (glioblastoma). From…
18 silly goose nail designs guaranteed to make you smile
Silly goose – arguably one of the best terms in the English language – is lovingly reserved for someone behaving in a comedically foolish and delightfully unserious way. In honour of all the silly geese among us, we’ve rounded up 20 goose-tastic nail styles that perfectly capture that unapologetically absurd…
Step inside a nail studio sanctuary in the heart of Somerset
After training in 2019, nail artist, Vienna Marchant, began her career in a small high street salon. “The building was literally falling apart, so I decided it was time to create my own space,” she shares. The Gel Studio – Vienna’s garden salon in Minehead – took four months to…
The 2016 nail trends making a 2026 comeback
Social media has fallen head over heels into a time warp. Users are embracing 2016-core, from shoelace chokers to Snapchat filters… but what are the 2016 nail trends that are making a comeback a decade later? The March 2016 edition of Scratch shone a spotlight on trending nail styles, and…
Important February dates for your nail & beauty business
Prepare your business for the month of February with our roundup of dates to note… All month: LGBTQ+ History Month On its website, LGBT+ History Month designates February as a time ‘to celebrate [the] rich and diverse history, herstory and theirstory’ of the LGBTQ+ community. Each year, the campaign adopts…
18 designs to make your Chinese New Year nails the ‘mane’ event
Chinese New Year begins on 16 February 2026, marking one of the most significant celebrations in the lunar calendar. The festivities are characterised by firework displays, cultural traditions and communal gatherings, culminating in the annual Lantern Festival. Each year is associated with one of the 12 zodiac animals, with 2026…
Latina beauty influencer launches capsule nail polish collection
Lights Lacquer – the nail colour and care brand founded by beauty influencer & YouTuber, Kathleen Lights – has unveiled the Core Collection. As trend cycles shift towards capsule classics and long-term staples, the collection echoes this with a line-up that offers ‘intentional colour, versatility and longevity’. Lights Lacquer was…
What are power clash nails & why are chaotic manicures trending?
The latest iteration of the mix ‘n’ match manicure, power clash nails are an anti-minimalist’s dream. But what are they, and how are they styled? What are power clash nails? Characterised by mismatched patterns and colour palettes, power clash nails thrive on intentional chaos. Each nail becomes a kaleidoscope of…
58 swoon-worthy vintage Valentine’s nail designs
Check out entries to the 21 January 2026 nail art challenge from Scratch, in which techs were tasked with creating a design to fit the theme: Vintage Valentine’s. Each nail style was submitted via Instagram or Facebook using #ShowScratch #CreativeChallenge. Follow Scratch on Instagram and Facebook for future Creative Challenges – launching every other Wednesday.
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