Beauty Competitions in the UK

Competing is one of the best ways to sharpen your skills and get noticed, and the UK offers beauty competitions for almost every discipline, from nails and massage to makeup, lashes and hair.

Early October is the high point at ExCeL London. Nailympia London puts nail technicians on stage, the National Massage Championship tests therapists' technique, and Salon International hosts hair and barber competitions, usually all on the same dates. Professional Beauty London adds more competitions each October. Students and young professionals aim for the WorldSkills UK national finals in Cardiff each November, including the Beauty Therapist and SFX Makeup for Film and TV finals. Makeup artists can enter Queen's Night in Coventry, which combines competition with education and awards. Colourists and stylists have the House of Wella TrendVision Award and the L'Oreal Colour Trophy, while Opal Beauty Games brings a competition day for lash and brow artists. Online contests such as the Global Makeup Awards and the OSCARS Online Global Lash, Brow and PMU Competition let you enter from your own studio.

Every beauty competition in the UK is listed below with dates, venues and who can enter, so you can plan your season.

Getting there

ExCeL London has its own stations on the Elizabeth line and the DLR, with direct trains from central London and Heathrow. Cardiff Central station has direct trains from London, and Cardiff and Vale College is a short taxi ride from there. Coventry is about an hour from London by train and close to Birmingham Airport.

Where to stay

Royal Victoria Dock hotels are next to ExCeL, which helps on an early competition morning. For Queen's Night, the DoubleTree by Hilton Coventry is the venue, so you can stay on site. In Cardiff, the city centre is compact and close to the college.

Tips for competitors

• Read the rules for your category carefully, including timings, products and model requirements.
• Practise against the clock until your routine feels natural.
• Book your model early and plan a back up.
• Arrive early to set up calmly, and enjoy the day; every competition is a chance to learn.