Through the Keyhole

Take a peek inside salon setups across the UK&I as Scratch unlocks each door

Candy Claws

Location: Chester Road, Birmingham

Millie Mills dropped out of university in 2019, determined to pursue her dream of becoming a nail artist. “I have always been interested in art and fashion, and a career in nails gives me the chance to explore both,” she shares. “I trained with the Little Beauty School in Birmingham and on qualifying, I purchased a set of nail brushes and continued to practice my application skills.”

Supported by her parents and partner, Millie converted her parents’ garage into the Candy Claws nail studio in 2021. However, late last year she was forced to find a new premises when they decided to sell the house. “Thankfully, I found a space quite quickly, but it needed a lot of work,” she reveals. “I swapped my nail brushes for paint brushes, and spent two weeks tearing out burgundy carpet and adding colour to magnolia walls.”

The former office space is within a Georgian building and directly opposite a train station: just 15-minutes from Birmingham city centre. “The décor of my studio reflects my personality and style, and is a mix of cool and vintage features,” Millie continues. “I bought an old locker from Facebook Marketplace and added a lick of paint and some artwork. I am a thrifty queen, so managed to secure a beautiful chesterfield sofa that is a focal point. The worn-out leather contrasts with my choice of zebra and flower-shaped cushions.”

Millie made her own nail desk and describes Candy Claws as ‘a safe space, with art and creativity at its core’. She specialises in nail artistry and loves working with chrome powders, charms and 3D elements. “Builder gel with detailed nail art is my most popular treatment, and clients tend to let me have creative freedom,” she details.

Another nail artist is joining Candy Claws imminently, and Millie hopes to one day create a warehouse-style setup featuring nail pros alongside tattoo artists, tooth gem specialists and hairdressers: ‘a one-stop-shop for everything!’

Instagram: @candyclawss

TikTok: @candyclawss

Nails by Sharon Gabrielle

Location: Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire

Following a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in her eye in March 2021, Sharon Goodway reflected on her 16-year job in the finance sector and decided that she wanted to pursue a creative career. She enrolled on a course with Bio Sculpture in June 2022 and once qualified, decided to hand in her notice and start her own nail business.

“I knew that if I could beat cancer, I could do anything, so was very excited to set up my nail studio and work flexibly to spend more time with my children,” Sharon shares. “I didn’t want to work on a mobile basis, so my brother suggested converting my garden shed into a nail space. It was full of broken paddling pools, tools and spiders, but my husband and father-in-law transformed it into a cosy salon in one month.”

Sharon offers Bio Sculpture manicures and enhancements, as well as Elim pedicures. “Many of my clients are mums, and the salon is a safe and inviting space in which they can relax,” she continues. “The walls are white brick, and each season I update a wreath to bring a splash of colour into the space. Pink is my favourite colour, so there are plenty of accessories in the shade; including roses on the shelves, soap and a fluffy chair cover.

“My salon is my sanctuary, and even if I’m not with a client, I can be found practicing nail art and perfecting my skills. My children have told me that they’re proud of me, which makes me love my salon and job even more than I thought possible.”

Facebook: Nails by Sharon Gabrielle

Instagram: @nailsbysharongabrielle