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Editor's Letter

February is traditionally a month focused on love and romance, with Valentine’s Day affording opportunities for nail art upsells and promoting retail products. It’s also a pertinent time to reaffirm your passion for the nail craft, and plan to do more of the things you love in the months ahead.

Amidst the bustle of business management, social media scheduling and treating clients, you may find yourself on an endless work loop; running through each day without pausing to take note of your achievements. This could lead to burnout, and potentially a loss of that all-important passion for your role. I spoke to beauty business consultant, Valerie Delforge, live on Instagram last month. She shared three key points to note for successful management of your salon or mobile business, and why it’s important to champion your achievements to stay positive in your role. Watch it back by scanning here

Purchase a planner or journal and spend five minutes at the start of each day writing down what you loved about the day before, and anything that made you feel good – such as praise from a client or a nice comment on social media. It will start your day on a happy note and be a good resource to look back on if you’re having a ‘down day’ or feeling despondent.

If you love to try new nail art designs, flick through this issue to discover inspiration and step-by-steps, or head to our website, which is packed with styles for all skill levels. Perhaps you’re ready to take the plunge and enter the Scratch Stars Awards, which opened for entry 1 February. It recognises the amazing achievements of nail businesses, teams and professionals in the UK and Ireland across 18 categories, and can give you the confidence boost or learning experience you desire to keep progressing in your role. For all the entry details, turn to page 28. I can’t wait to read about your success!

Until next month,

Do you need to renew or update your Scratch subscription? Call +44 (0) 1580 883 844

COVER CREDITS

Creative director, photographer, stylist & retoucher: Natalia Palmer www.nataliapalmer.co.uk @nataliaxpalmer

Nail stylist: Sophie Donaldson /sophiescosycorner @sophiescosycorner

Make-up artist & hair stylist: Rachel Hawkins www.llumosmakeup.com @llumosmakeup

Model: Pryscilla de Araújo @prys.araujo

Photography assistants:

Aung Thant Kyaw /aungtk01 @aung_thantkyaw Himangshu Barauah @infinity.visuals_

Follow Scratch:

#ShowScratch /scratchmag

@scratchmagazine

@scratchmagazine

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This article appears in February 2024

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This article appears in...
February 2024
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Editor's Letter
February is traditionally a month focused on love
Nail NATION
news & views
Creativity & The Climatalypse
A powerful environmental message connects a series of striking, nail-focused images, one of which features on this month’s cover. REBECCA HITCHON finds out more about the nail inspo & on-set photo shoot antics
THE SCRATCH scoop
The Scratch team offers an insight into its antics & unveils events & products from the nail & beauty realms
THE HOT List
Scratch scours the industry for the latest nail & beauty products to captivate clients & lend a helping hand to your services
2024 Scratch Stars Awards
Embrace the opportunity to join the elite group of salons & industry professionals that hold a Scratch Star title: a symbol of excellence in the UK&I nail sector
Love Struck
Capture the hearts of clients with 40 Valentine’s themed nail designs & products to express affection & artistry
Luxe LIFE
Elevate your mani/pedi services & indulge clients with TGB Spa; a refillable bodycare system with luxury aesthetic
BEHIND THE GRAM
Get to know social media nail stars as they offer an insight into their lives & share content creation tips
GEL GOALS: Mastered
Delve into the glories of the gel system & explore products to sculpt, perfect, aid artistry & more
Better Together
TAMMY KOSLOWSKI, founder & director of House of NAF!, spills the story of a collaboration that serves to empower young people as they journey into the beauty industry
Community culture
Explore how to use & navigate online nail forums appropriately with advice from their founders & leaders
NOTES FROM Nergish
Reach your goals & ensure success with advice from esteemed beauty business expert, NERGISH WADIA-AUSTIN
Enter the DRAGON
Embrace the Lunar New Year in style by brushing up on your knowledge of Chinese legends & channelling the spirit of the dragon through nail art
HIRING HELP
Are you seeking a new staff member but unsure how to nail the recruitment process? Check out REBECCA HITCHON’S roundup of advice
Through the Keyhole
Take a peek inside salon setups across the UK&I as Scratch unlocks each door
Love & Sparkles with Katy P nail artist
The World’s Star Nail Artist 2023 shares tips, techniques & insights into her soaring career
Nail SOS: Repairs & refunds
Scratch explores common causes & salon solutions to nail damage & the importance of having a clear policy in place for repairs
Power & Polish with OPI
Elevate your business & embrace new techniques with advice from the Scratch Stars award-winning OPI team
TECH FOR Techs
REBECCA HITCHON gets the scoop on high-tech launches, decodes hot topics & sources tech-savvy tips for your business
READERS GALLERY
Glasgow-based CND™ ambassador, MONIKA BANNATYNE, shares her sleek nail designs, preferred techniques & career highlights
FORD’S Thoughts
The Salon Hygiene & Safety Rating Scheme (SHSRS)
Boss the BLEND
Polish up your ombré application with tech tips, design inspiration & step-by-steps
Nailympia COMPETITION NEWS
Immerse in competition highlights, interviews & points to note from the Nailympia realm, with its global director, Alex Fox
Clear & Clarified
Does your treatment menu make sense to clients? Techs dish out advice to ensure clients choose the right service for their needs
SCRATCH PADS
A thrilling first chapter. Immerse in the story of Chapter1, a Cheltenham salon with a stylish interior & owner who champions the client experience
NAIL Clippings
The shimmering cat eye nail style has made a resurgence, helped by the launch of velvet effect nail products. Check out inspo from nail artists on Instagram...
Fingernails in Focus
Feeling peachy keen? Pros share nail designs inspired by Peach Fuzz, Pantone’s Color of the Year 2024
Looking for back issues?
Browse the Archive >

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