PRIDE MONTH: tech tales & tutorials

Scratch celebrates the LGBTQ+ nail community by sharing the personal & industry journeys of pros & Pride-inspired nail step-by-steps

June marks Pride Month: an event dedicated to celebrating LGBTQ+ voices, contributions and the progression of rights, as well as calling for greater equality. While these practices are vital year-round, the month puts the spotlight on the LGBTQ+ community to spread positivity and acceptance: something we wanted to do in Scratch’s June issue. Three LGBTQ+ nail techs have opened up about their personal and industry experiences, offered inclusivity insight and shared tutorials to help fellow pros embrace Pride through nail artistry.

Jake Wilde

Co-owner of Haus Of Wildes, Wigan, England

@jake_wilde23 & @haus_of_wildes

From a young age, I knew I was different. I didn’t feel the same about girls as the other boys at school. After talking to my best friend, I realised that I am gay. Little did I know that from that moment, life was about to get a lot harder. The bullying, name calling and abuse I experienced after coming out almost made me regret who I was. Luckily, I found creative freedom by studying art and textiles GCSEs, loving how I was able to express myself in different ways. People would judge my work before judging me, and my art put smiles on their faces.

After school, I moved to Wigan and things got easier. I met my amazing husband, Adam, who I have been with for eight years. I found new avenues of support, including by opening hair and beauty salon, Haus Of Wildes, with Adam in 2020. My clients have celebrated me so loudly that I don’t care about those who don’t accept me. I pride myself on the fact that the salon is a safe, zero-judgment zone for all. A person’s sexual orientation, gender, ethnicity or disability is never an issue; kindness is everything.

With my husband, Adam, on our wedding day.

What does Pride mean to you?

It means staying true to myself: my values, journey and everything I’ve overcome. It’s about not shrinking myself to make others comfortable, and feeling confident in my achievements – even if they aren’t visible to others. Pride is also about knowing my worth, refusing to settle for any less than I deserve and living in alignment with my truth, no matter who is watching.

Why are you proud to be part of the nail community?

I love that nails tell a story; they allow people to express themselves and bring joy. A career in nails has given me the opportunity to showcase my creativity and artistic abilities, and provided freedom in terms of work-life balance, which is extremely important to me. Being a beauty pro is about more than making clients look good; you are trusted to boost people’s confidence, and help them unwind and show off their personalities. I take pride in knowing my work helps people feel beautiful, empowered and seen. The nail community is full of creativity, passion and constant growth, and its members support, celebrate and learn from one another.

At Professional Beauty London 2025, where I won Booksy’s nail art contest. I have found support from events such as this and industry figures like Kirsty Meakin.

STEP-BY-STEP: Funky Pride rainbow

Kirsty Meakin Gel Polish in Ibiza £14.99 + VAT www.kirstymeakin.com

Step 1 Prep the nail. Apply two thin, full coverage coats of Kirsty Meakin Gel Polish in White Out, curing after each application in the Kirsty Meakin Cordless UV/LED Lamp.

Step 2 Decant drops of a rainbow of gel polish shades onto a palette, ready for painting. Your colour order should be: red, orange, yellow, green, blue then violet/purple, as showcased in the Pride flag. I placed Jessica Rabbit first, followed by Sham, Ibiza, Lime Light, Alex then Indie.

Step 3 With the Cassidy Detailer Brush, paint a curved line of each colour in the centre of the nail, to create the rainbow. Start with red at the top and work down to violet/purple. Flash cure each colour after application, to ensure the shades don’t bleed. When happy with the design, fully cure.

Step 4 Using black Kirsty Meakin Gel Polish, Void, paint separated curved lines in the white space around the rainbow, starting with those closest to the rainbow and moving outwards. Cure once happy with the lines.

Step 5 Apply a thin layer of Gloss Top Coat to the entire nail and cure for 60 seconds.

Step 6 Using White Out and the Cassidy Detailer Brush, paint over the curved white lines in the design, making sure to not go over any of the black, as this could result in shadowing. Dust over the nail with Kirsty Meakin Acrylic Powder in Glass Slipper, then cure.

Step 7 Using a nail dust brush, dust excess acrylic powder off the nail, revealing the finished result.

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“Pride is about knowing my worth, refusing to settle for any less than I deserve and living in alignment with my truth, no matter who is watching.”

Salem Victoria

Hand-painted nail art specialist in Tacoma, Washington, USA

@justthetip_tacoma

I have been fortunate that the people who find my art are typically members of the LGBTQ+ community, or are accepting and encouraging allies. I share that I am queer on social media, as I believe that positive representation inspires positive imitation. I have worked hard to curate an online presence that attracts other members of the LGBTQ+ community, because I want them to feel safe around me. It is important to me that queer individuals have people that they can look up to and be inspired by. By creating art that represents the LGBTQ+ experience in a positive way, it is my hope that it inspires others to express their art.

What does Pride mean to you?

Pride isn’t just a month: it’s existing with freedom to love and express love without fear. To be proud is to find strength in something, use it to uphold you, lift you, bring you peace and feel inspired by your belief in it. The things that bring us pride are the things that keep our heads up in times of judgment and dread. Pride propels us forward and gives us courage to make it through another day in a world that often tells us that we are ‘wrong’. I am honoured to have been born the way I am, with a soul so full of love and acceptance that it knows no bounds.

Why are you proud to be part of the nail community?

It is supportive, with peers taking the time to share their knowledge, techniques and uplift one another. I love the artistry of the nail craft and how there are truly no limits to what can be shown through a set of nails. The industry is also special as it is about self-care: clients visit pros to relax, vent, escape their responsibilities, and know that they are safe to exist without expectations. I am honoured to be a part of my clients’ self-expression, too.

“By creating art that represents the LGBTQ+ experience in a positive way, it is my hope that it inspires others to express their art.”

STEP-BY-STEP: Abstract bisexual Pride flag

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Step 1 Apply purple gel polish to a prepped nail and cure. Apply a matte top coat and cure.

Step 2 Pick up blue pigment powder with a round, firm brush and use patting, pressing and round movements to apply it randomly to the nail. Use the fluffy brush to remove any excess powder. Apply matte top coat over the nail with soft pressure, to avoid smearing the pigment, and cure.

Step 3 Repeat step two using purple pigment powder.

Step 4 Repeat steps two and three until you are satisfied with the intensity of the pigments.

Step 5 Using a thin liner brush (I opted for a 25mm brush) and white gel paint, paint long, curved lines in abstract shapes over the nail. Cure. Use a dotting tool to add pink gel polish dots throughout the design, creating balance.

Step 6 Ensure your liner brush is clean, then use it to pull through the pink gel polish: up, down, left and right. Cure.

Step 7 Add white gel paint dots to the design and repeat step six for these. Have fun with the placement and number of dots.

Step 8 Using a dotting tool, add tiny pink gel polish and white gel paint dots throughout the design, to add balance and fill any negative spaces. Cure after each colour application. Apply a matte top coat over the entire nail and cure.

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Tatiana Savostikova

Miami-based, award-winning nail artist & CEO of Nails BTCH.

@trifonovatati & @nailsbtch

My LGBTQ+ journey began a long time ago in Russia, and the community I have found as a result means everything to me. It champions freedom, love and self-expression that cannot be confined by rules. I believe that the nail industry should be more inclusive of trans and non-binary nail enthusiasts, as manicured hands have traditionally symbolised femininity.

Why are you proud to be part of the nail community?

I believe true style lies in details, and nails are a perfect way to showcase identity. Nail appointments are more than treatments – they’re moments of support and self-care. I’m proud to help students develop their talents and build careers through my Level Up course, which offers time-saving techniques to attract clients and avoid common mistakes.

“LGBTQ+ techs – prioritise yourself, embrace your uniqueness and proudly bring beauty into the world through nail artistry!”

STEP-BY-STEP: Blooming Pride flag

Step 1 Prep the nail and apply a white gel polish as the base shade. Cure. Mark out the shape of a heart in the centre of the nail using a fine liner brush and white gel paint. Cure.

Step 2 Add blooming gel around the heart shape, and apply the first gel polish shade in an outline around the heart, allowing the colour to spread. It’s important that the position of this initial colour is correct, as it creates the structure for the following shade applications.

Step 3 Paint around the coloured heart outline with a second gel polish shade, and repeat the process with the rest of your shades to create the Pride rainbow. Allow the blooming gel to spread the colours.

Step 4 Continue adding the Pride flag shades on top of the blooming gel, until the entire nail is filled and all colours have spread and created a gradient effect. Cure once happy with the design.

Step 5 Apply a top coat containing micro glitter to create a reflective finish and smooth the ombré. Cure.

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