Are Beauty Awards Worth It? An Honest Look From a Multi-Award Winner

Quick answer: Some beauty awards are well worth entering, and some are not. The respected ones judge real evidence, test your skills in person and name their judges. When awards are decided by votes, or everyone who pays becomes a finalist, the title means less to clients and to the industry.

Why awards matter

Winning an award can change your career. It brings exposure, it builds trust with clients and it gives you validation for the work you do. Years ago, being "award winning" set a business apart. Now there are so many awards that the title carries less weight, which is why it pays to choose carefully.

I have won over 40 national awards across my career. I also use awards to plan my year. I read the entry questions and ask whether my business could hold up, and that helps me spot what to improve.

How to tell a respected award

• Who are the judges? Respected awards name their judges, and they are experts in the category.
• Is your evidence actually assessed? Look for a portfolio, case studies or photographs that are judged.
• Is there a skills test, interview or mystery shop? Seeing your work in person is the strongest test.
• Is everyone a finalist? If every entrant is shortlisted, the shortlist means very little.
• Do votes decide the winner? Votes reward the biggest following, not the best work.
• What does it cost? Check whether you pay to enter or to "claim" a finalist place, as well as the ticket price.
• Are you shortlisted for services you do not offer? If so, the research behind the award is thin.

The awards I rate most highly

Professional Beauty Awards

These are my favourite, and they are hard to win. I have been a finalist four times for Therapist of the Year, where judges watched me work in a trade test, graded me and interviewed me. In 2023, I won Educator of the Year after submitting detailed evidence and an interview with four industry experts. My one piece of feedback was to consider neurodivergent entrants. I have ADHD, and video interviews are not where I show my best.

BABTAC Awards

Entry was free and based on detailed evidence. Finalists then had a video interview and a skills check. I was over the moon to win my lash award, and the night was lovely. BABTAC does so much for industry standards.

Scratch Stars Awards

A full portfolio of evidence is judged, followed by a mystery shop. In 2026, I was shortlisted for Beauty and Nail Salon of the Year and Services to Industry. Read more in Scratch Stars Awards 2026: Why I Keep Entering.

The Skin Games

I have competed since 2019, and in 2026 I joined as a skin judge, so I have seen first hand the work that goes into judging case studies. Read about it in The Skin Games 2026, Dallas: From Player to Judge.

My experience with other awards

These are my own experiences at the time I entered. Processes can change, so check each award's current rules before you enter.

A local city centre award

One of my first wins. When I entered, it was judged by a single mystery shopper who visited reception and never tried a treatment. It still gave my salon a great boost in exposure.

The English Hair and Beauty Awards

Over several years, I was told I was a finalist in categories I had not entered, including make-up artist, which I had not offered for years. When I asked how it was judged, I was told nominations lead to a public vote, with supporting evidence used if it was close. I could not find details of the judges.

The British Hair and Beauty Awards

I won several of these, including an overall winner. When I first entered, they asked for a range of evidence. Later, as far as I could tell, everyone who entered became a finalist and was placed gold, silver or bronze, so I stopped entering.

The UK Hair and Beauty Awards (HBA)

In 2023, I entered five categories and did not place in the top 50 for any of them. From what I saw, social media exposure seemed to play a big part.

The English Business Awards

In their first year, my salon won its area for Salon of the Year, with free entry. The following year, finalists were asked to pay to claim their place. I have also had letters saying I am a finalist for barbering, which we do not offer.

Are awards worth entering?

Yes, when the process is robust. A respected award gives you a reason to review your business, a goal to work towards and recognition that clients and the industry trust. Choose awards that judge real evidence, and you will learn something whether you win or not.

FAQs

Are beauty awards worth it?

The respected ones are. Look for named judges, assessed evidence and a skills test or mystery shop.

What are the HBA awards?

The UK Hair and Beauty Awards, judged by category. In my experience in 2023, social media exposure seemed to play a big part.

Do you have to pay to enter beauty awards?

Some are free and some charge an entry fee, so check whether you pay to enter or to claim a finalist place.

How do I know if an award is legitimate?

Check who judges it, how your work is assessed, and whether every entrant becomes a finalist.