In need of support? Check out the Facebook group to empower beauty pros

By Emma Hobday | 30 August 2021

Beauty therapist Zaara King is a woman on a mission; a mission to help fellow pros avoid burnout and create a better balance between their work and personal lives. Zaara ‘learnt the hard way’ when it came to balancing her business with family time and continued development. Keen to share…

Charity supports cancer sufferers in lockdown with virtual nailcare workshops

By Helena Biggs | 18 January 2021

Cancer support charity, Look Good Feel Better, has launched virtual make-up, skincare, hair and nailcare workshops for those affected by the disease. The charity, which has been offering free confidence-boosting workshops across the UK for over 20 years, adapted its services in March 2020 owing to the pandemic, switching to…

Is your beauty course reputable? Here’s 8 ways to tell…

By Guest Writer | 11 January 2021

The team at Beauty Courses Online shares advice on choosing a reputable nail or beauty course… Unlike other industries in which poor practitioners can take some time to surface, a bad nail or beauty treatment is visible on a client straight away – so it’s hard to fake success. There…

Keen to enhance nail skills at home? Check out Edu-Mats

By Helena Biggs | 6 January 2021

Learn one stroke, fine line, mixed media skills and more with an exciting nail training innovation from Derbyshire tech, Melanie Lewendon. The celebrated educator and Scratch Stars 2020/21 finalist has created a series of ‘Edu-Mats’ packages, which each include access to an in-depth, online course and a reusable practise mat…

5 ways to improve your online nail & beauty tutorials

By Katie Barnes | 5 January 2021

You don’t have to be a teacher to create tutorials for your customers. There are two kinds of tutorials: short ‘how to at home’ demonstrations for consumers and more in depth, factual lessons for professionally trained techs, taught by qualified teachers. They serve different purposes and offer different results. Owing…

From stage to salon..training as a nail tech during covid-19

By Chloe Randall | 5 January 2021

Jody Zimmerman decided to train as a nail tech when the global pandemic hit, affecting her career in the arts as a musical theatre performer. She explains how she came to the decision to retrain and how she has found the industry so far…  “Training as a nail technician is…

Covid career changes: Why I decided to train as a nail tech during lockdown

By Guest Writer | 16 December 2020

Sophie Akerman decided to train as a nail technician during the Covid-19 pandemic after being forced to work from home gave her time to reflect on her career path. She shares with Scratch the highlights and the challenges of her nail journey so far. “I was fortunate enough to keep…

VTCT appoints new chair & vice-chair for board of trustees

By Helena Biggs | 11 December 2020

VTCT (Vocational Training Charitable Trust), which offers vocational and technical qualifications across sectors including beauty therapy, has appointed Jenny Sworder as chair and Isabel Sutcliffe as vice-chair of its board of trustees. VTCT has over 1,600 approved centres globally, with a market share of 54% within the UK hair, beauty…

Nail & beauty pros wanted to help shape National Occupational Standards

By Helena Biggs | 7 December 2020

The Hair & Beauty Industry Authority (Habia) and Skills Active UK are inviting professionals in the hair, beauty, spa, aesthetics and nail sectors to support the review of the National Occupational Standards (NOS). These standards are ‘statements of the standards of performance individuals must achieve when carrying out functions in…

How full coverage nail tips have grown my business

By Scratch Staff | 1 December 2020

Scratch chats to Millie Donovan, brand ambassador for SNA Professional & owner of MBeauty, about how the full coverage Quick Tips system has helped her business bloom. How have quick tips changed my business? I have been a nail tech for just under two years now and I first qualified…

Katie Barnes explores the value of online learning for nails

By Katie Barnes | 24 November 2020

Use your time wisely between appointments and during any ‘down time’ by broadening your knowledge and skillset through online classes. During times such as lockdown, online learning has proven really beneficial. There are many online classes available – from paid and free business mentoring and webinars to technical skill building…

Paulina Mucha shares her career story & passion for teaching

By Sophie Nutt | 4 September 2020

Nail artist, educator and competition judge, Paulina Mucha, chats to Scratch about her career story, passion for teaching and goals for the future…  My journey into the nail industry In 2015, I decided to move to London in the U.K. to become a nanny and study psychology. Soon, I learned about the popularity of…

CACI International re-opens its doors to training post Covid-19

By Sophie Nutt | 3 September 2020

CACI International has re-opened it’s doors to the head office to commence training once again after it was closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. CACI boasts the position of the UK’s number one equipment manufacturer and supplier of noninvasive aesthetic treatment systems, and supplied to over 10,000 of the world’s…

Sweet Squared launches free online SWITCH.2 classes for LashUs & wax:one

By Sophie Nutt | 2 September 2020

Sweet Squared has launched SWITCH.2; a series of free one-hour online classes for qualified lash and waxing professionals looking to refresh their skills and knowledge. The classes will take place this September and will provide an exclusive insight into the secrets behind the LashUs and wax:one brands. The SWITCH.2 series…

Lauren McBride hailed Nail Tech of the Year 2020 at the British Hair & Beauty Awards

By Alex Fox | 8 July 2020

Bournemouth-based nail tech, Lauren McBride, has been crowned Nail Tech of the Year 2020 at the British Hair & Beauty Awards. Having trained 17 years ago under CND educator, Jacqui Jefford, Lauren’s salon journey truly began as a Saturday girl at the age of 13, before she took up nail…