Meet the mums navigating nail careers alongside motherhood

By Scratch Staff | 30 March 2025

Learn about mums who manicure, as three mothers share their journeys navigating nail careers alongside various stages of motherhood…  Katie Turner of Radiant Nails, Devon Katie Turner has two children, one of whom has been diagnosed with autism, sensory processing disorder and pathological demand avoidance. “It’s always been a challenge…

CND™ co-founder steps down from role after 46 years

By Helena Biggs | 4 March 2025

Jan Arnold, co-founder of nail brand, CND™, has stepped down from the role after 46 years. It was 1978 when her father, Dr. Stuart Nordstrom, a practicing dentist, got the idea for a nail enhancement product, and subsequently launched SolarNail™ Liquid. This monomer formulation set a benchmark for liquid &…

Winners unveiled in Professional Beauty nail competitions at ExCel London

By Helena Biggs | 4 March 2025

Professional Beauty, in collaboration with The Federation of Nail Professionals (The FNP), hosted a nail competition at its spring event, 2-3 March at ExCel, London. Students and existing nail professionals were invited to participate in arena categories including Salon Nail, Gel Polish, Learn A Skill and Structure/Builder In A Bottle,…

20 nail products you’ll love for Valentine’s Day 2025

By Rebecca Hitchon | 31 January 2025

‘Tis the season of love, so we’ve rounded up 20 love-ly nail products – from gel polishes to nail lacquers and glitter – that will set hearts aflutter this Valentine’s Day…

Miami event gives global nail artists a platform for handiwork to be recognised

By Helena Biggs | 24 January 2025

Miami has long been a hub for creativity, fashion and vibrant cultural expression, and on 8 December 2024, as part of the Art Basel annual art fair, it hosted The Nail Art Exhibition. Curated by celebrity nail artist, Kleopatra Tsompani, and powered by Booksy, it featured work by 16 nail…

4 updates to make to your beauty business in 2025

By Guest Writer | 30 December 2024

Kim Ford, global business & beauty education expert, shares ways to make the most of quiet spells to improve your business long-term… The beginning of a new year is a great time to focus on business administration, such as updating operational and legal documents, and to consider if your marketing…

The importance of creating accessible salon spaces for clients & staff

By Abi Hassan | 12 November 2024

Abi Hassan, owner of Canterbury-based salon, Hot Wheels Nails, explores key considerations for nail techs and employers when creating accessible salon settings to suit clients and staff… As a salon owner or an independent nail technician, it is important to consider ways in which your environment could be more accessible. Transparency…

British Beauty Council secures investment to ‘support extraordinary & diverse beauty founders’

By Helena Biggs | 24 October 2024

The British Beauty Council has collaborated with Venrex, a London and New York-based venture capital firm to support ‘extraordinary and diverse beauty founders with exceptional drive, vision and ambition’ via the Venrex BBCo I fund. A non-profit organisation, British Beauty Council is dedicated to promoting growth within the British beauty…

Townhouse nail salon brand unveils partnership with skincare icon

By Helena Biggs | 16 October 2024

Multi award-winning nail salon brand, Townhouse, has partnered with Kate Somerville skincare to offer limited edition treatments from its Beverly Hills salon. The collaboration is the first in the US for Townhouse, which has secured three Scratch Stars Awards and boasts over 40 salon locations. Renowned for its nailcare treatments,…

UK brand, Nails.INC, announces acquisition & sets sights on North America expansion

By Helena Biggs | 15 October 2024

London-based nail brand, Nails.INC, has announced its acquisition by Pacific World Corporation, with a goal to solidify its presence in the North American market. Pacific World Corporation is owned by Prospect Capital, a private equity firm based in New York. Renowned for scaling consumer brands, the strategic partnership aims to…

Top 40 announced in North America’s Star Nail Artist contest: Season 1

By Helena Biggs | 23 September 2024

An impressive 30,000 nail artists across Canada, the USA and Mexico expressed interest in the first season of North America’s Star Nail Artist contest, and the top 40 techs – who will compete for a grand prize – have been revealed. Powered by the team behind Scratch magazine and Nailympia…

Why are E-files & dust collectors so important to nail technicians?

By Katie Barnes | 16 September 2024

As a nail technician, ensuring the quality and safety of your nail services is paramount. Embracing nail tools such as E-files and dust collectors can significantly improve the efficiency and precision of your services, and the overall experience for both you and your clients. Here, I delve into the importance…

NAILYMPIA MEXICO 2024: The results

By Scratch Staff | 15 July 2024

The third iteration of Nailympia Mexico, Mexico City, was hosted by Dafne Fernandez on 6-7 July 2024 and welcomed 172 competitors – alongside a vibrant turnout of spectators and sponsors. The competitions were intense, with nine events running back-to-back over the two days. Participants from 14 countries: Italy, Paraguay, Chile,…

Celebrity manicurist, Julie Kandalec, announced as KISS Nails brand ambassador

By Scratch Staff | 10 July 2024

Fashion nail and lash manufacturer, KISS Products Inc, has announced celebrity manicurist, Julie Kandalec, as brand ambassador for its Salon X-tend LED Soft Gel System. As a renowned nail artist, educator & entrepreneurship coach, Julie offers expertise and inspiration for KISS, ranging from nail health to trends. In her role…

Want a self-levelling, vegan-friendly gel polish formula? Discover OPI GelColor’s Intelli-Gel

By Lilly Delmage | 4 July 2024

OPI has revamped its GelColor formula: now featuring Intelli-Gel technology. The formula uses a responsive gel molecule network to self-correct and self-level, offering nail professionals a helping hand in creating a flawless finish, so streaky brushstrokes can be a thing of the past. “It’s a really clever formula that is…