Criteria for Submissions

We strive to celebrate creativity, talent and excellence. We think the criteria should be simple to understand and inspire more professionals to submit their work! However, these are not guidelines. Any submission, no matter how artistic and beautiful, violating any of the following will be disqualified.  To enter your work for consideration, all hairstylist and hair colorist entrants must be licensed in the region they are applying.

  • ​Entries will only be accepted through this website.  Ensure you include the category you are entering at the TOP of your  submission, your professional name, city and state.  If you work in a salon, please include the salon name and location. If you have professional social media pages, please provide your handles.
  • All category submissions require a collection (separate looks) of three images. Not four or more, only three. You may use the same model, but the hair must be different (not the same hair from three different angles). Each FINAL image submitted for consideration must include both a BEFORE photo of the model, as well as a raw (before digital retouching) AFTER image, of the same.
  • Makeup category submissions must follow the same as the hair criteria above.
  • Entries for Hair Colorist of the Year must include a diagramed head sheet in addition to the above photo requirements. NO synthetic hair of any kind is allowed in this category.
  • Images MUST be:
    • 2000 (W) x 3000 (H) pixel dimension in size
    • 300 DPI
    • JPEG (.jpg) file
    • file size no larger than 5mb
    • anything else will not be accepted
  • Include the following credits: Model’s name, hairstylist, hair colorist, makeup artist, wardrobe stylist, photographer and digital operator if used. Failure to include credits will result in disqualification.
  • We welcome you to try something different – models of ANY age, gender, and ethnicity are enthusiastically encouraged.
  • ​Any licensed professional interested in applying for multiple awards is invited to do so however, a collection cannot be entered in multiple categories by the same entrant.  Each category must be a different collection for a single entrant. A collection may be entered in multiple categories if there were different professionals completing the work (for example, a hair colorist and a makeup artist may submit the same collection for consideration in there respective categories).

​This is meant to be a fun way to express your creativity and develop your eye. If it’s your first ever entry into an award category or program, celebrate your work with courage, confidence, and commitment to your craft!