SOME big names might have an assistant to man their social media output but when one of Leighton Denny's 30,000 Twitter followers sends him a message they can be sure the reply will come from the man himself.

The nail guru to the stars, who has worked with Kate Moss, Rihanna and Adele in the past, says the secret to his success is the personal touch.

All this from a man whose career started as a forklift truck driver before launching an award-winning brand 10 years ago that now sells in 25 countries.

With homes in London and Beverly Hills, he now regularly appears in magazines, is a favourite on QVC and was presented with an MBE by the Queen earlier this year.

And by keeping in close contact with his customers he has created mass appeal.

That was the thinking behind his trip to Glasgow recently to give a masterclass to beauty addicts at Pure Spa in Glasgow.

Those lucky enough to get a ticket saw hands-on demonstrations and had one-to-one consultations with the nail supremo, who recently launched his own fragrance and has a self-tan collection.

" I genuinely love doing these events and am criticised by industry experts who say, 'Why don't you do big halls?'," he says.

"Because it's not personal. I want to meet everybody. I don't want to stand there wearing a mike and my image is projected on a screen. That doesn't work for me. I've always been really personal and I think that's been one of the secrets to my success."

Among Leighton's top tips for perfect nails as the seasons change is hydration.

"My Slick Tips nail oil, enriched with vitamins and minerals, is a must. I always say: moisturise, moisturise, moisturise. It's the same with your skin and your hands, you find that everything dries out when the season changes.

"A lot of the time nails can be neglected or hidden under nail colours, so they need a little TLC."

He recommends using a crystal file to shape nails and seal the edges - the only way to prevent peeling or flaking.

Finish with a slick of colour from his new Welcome to the Funfair collection, a choice of six bold brights inspired by the catwalks, from electric blue and sky blue to bubblegum pink and a pastel nude.

In between product development and new launches, Leighton deals personally with comments and questions from his followers on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

"I like to do it myself, I don't have a PR who sits there pretending to be me," he says.

"It's like a focus group to me. On my Twitter account I have a focus group of 30,000 people and that is invaluable. When a new product hits the shelves I know by the next morning whether it's going to be a success or not."

Visit www.leightondenny.com. Pure Spa, 114 West Nile Street, Glasgow, www.purespauk.com