BRAND WATCH

COPIED

5 mins

BRAND WATCH

JESS WATTS gets to know the names behind companies & brands attracting attention across the nail scene

Becci Hollis

MUSE

Shropshire-based pro, Becci Hollis, trained as a nail technician 11 years ago, and went on to open Blossom Salon in Shreswbury and Blossom Academy. Her training prowess saw her reach the finals in the Scratch Stars Online Educator of the Year category earlier this year, and now she has added another achievement to her list: launching tool brand, MUSE.

“The idea for MUSE came about when I saw the impact of high-quality equipment and tools on my students,” Becci shares. “After years of promoting other brands, I realised that I wanted to launch my own, with full control over the quality and products, and in line with feedback from customers and students. When I met my business partners, we were able to make this a reality.”

Becci strives for MUSE to be ‘inclusive, welcoming and friendly, while helping the nail community do amazing things’. To achieve this, she has focused on the support offered by the brand, sharing: “When you invest in a MUSE product, you not only get a product you can trust, you also receive support. We love to give advice to the nail community, alongside offering products that help pros with prep and application.”

MUSE launched with the MUSE EFile, a range of E-file bits and the Cordless Rechargeable HEPA Filter Dust Extractor. The latter is the brand’s most popular item. “We can’t believe the response to the dust extractor,” Becci shares with a smile. “Every time it comes back in stock, it sells out.” The brand’s range has expanded to include hand tools, nail brushes and a hygiene range. MUSE also offers training courses for E-file use, with a team of seven educators across the UK delivering education to techs.

“The MUSE team will continue to listen to nail pros and expand the range to meet their needs,” Becci affirms.

Browse the full range of tools and training courses at www.musefile.com

/musefile

@officialmusefile

Jojo Wickens

Leila Monroy

LePhine Pro

LePhine Pro is the passion project of nail professionals, Jojo Wickens and Leila Monroy – Scratch Stars Awards winners & co-owners of Light Elegance UK. They have been distributing Light Elegance products in the UK since 2023, and merged their product prowess and industry know-how to launch their own brand.

LePhine Pro has a clear mission: to deliver tools for nail techs that ‘combine thoughtful design, professional quality and everyday usability’. Jojo, a gel specialist with over 20 years’ industry experience, adds: “Our goal is to bring intentional, beautifully crafted tools to the hands of nail artists.”

Pronounced ‘Leh-feen’, the brand name is a meaningful reflection of its origins, combining the first parts of the creators’ names, with ‘Pro’ added to underscore the brand’s dedication to delivering professional tools to working nail stylists.

LePhine Pro has made its debut with the 3-in-1 Magnet Tool: a sleek, hexagonal tool with an anti-roll handle and three magnets: a large round magnet, a straight bar and a small detail magnet for intricate effects. “The 3-in-1 Magnet Tool gives artists full control when working with cat eye gel products,” Jojo explains. “When held over the uncured gel at the desired angle, the magnetic particles shift, creating dimensional, light-catching designs with ease.”

The 3-in-1 Magnet Tool is just the beginning for Jojo and Leila. “We’re working on creating a wider range of professional tools with the same commitment to detail and design. Our next release caters to a gap in the market that we’ve been eager to fill since early this year,” Jojo teases. Though the duo remains tight-lipped about specifics, they are confident that LePhine Pro will continue to provide nail techs with the tools they need to thrive. “We’re highly selective with every product we create, so each release will come only when we’re confident of its quality and usability,” Jojo adds.

LePhine Pro products are available via www.lightelegance.co.uk @lephine.pro

Petra Janosikova

Nail Jam

Petra Janosikova is the creative force behind Nail Jam, a ‘professional UV gel brand created for nail techs who demand both safety and performance’. With 16 years’ industry experience, Petra draws inspiration from Eastern European beauty trends. Her nail journey began by following in the footsteps of a family member, and she embarked on a career that would eventually lead her to launch her own brand.

Starting with gel polish, Petra honed her skills before venturing into hard gel application when the service became popular in her home country of Slovakia in 2008. “In 2016, I decided to completely change my life,” she shares. “I left Slovakia with one small bag and moved to the UK.”

It was during her time working from her home salon in the UK that inspiration struck. “One day I had a thought: ‘what would happen if you could mix the formulas of builder gel and hard gel?’,” Petra says. This simple question sparked an idea that would eventually evolve into Nail Jam.

Petra had specific requirements for her products. Her priorities included the supplier being based in Europe, ensuring high-quality ingredients and employee conditions, and providing full transparency, documentation and testing from reputable laboratories in the EU.

Detailing what makes Nail Jam stand out, Petra cites: ‘formulas that are free from TPO, HEMA, IBOA and IBOMA’; ‘products designed in the UK and made in the EU, by specialists with over 20 years’ experience in UV gel manufacturing’, and ‘a thixotropic self-levelling texture, which is ideal for overlays, sculpted extensions, dual forms and toenail reconstruction’.

Nail Jam’s first products launched at the end of October and comprised ‘11 builder gels: six timeless core shades for every skin tone, and five holographic glitters for quick, stunning results’.

“Nail Jam is a small brand with a big heart,” Petra says. “We care about every customer who puts their trust in us, offering guidance, education and support alongside our products. We hope to expand our range with more products that are designed to be as functional as they are beautiful.”