FAQ's

The £18 entry fee covers administration, application processing, and judging costs later in the competition. It also helps support the ongoing running of our organisation, including our dedicated customer service team, submissions department, business development, and initiatives designed to benefit and support our finalists.

No, we have one transparent entry fee with no hidden charges. Plus, you'll get a full refund if you don't reach finalist status. While you can choose to attend our Red Carpet Event or purchase additional items, this is completely optional - many winners celebrate from home via our free livestream, having only paid the entry fee.

No. We receive thousands of applications every year, with only around 120 successful finalists per category. This number can vary, but achieving finalist status requires meeting strict professional industry standards. Being named a finalist is a genuine mark of excellence in the hair and beauty industry - it's not just a participation title.

Undoubtedly, industry challenges have been present in recent years, and our mission is to reignite the spotlight on the UK's hair and beauty sector by generating maximum event exposure - providing a platform for reputation rebuilding.

In short, the more exposure HBA gets, the more exposure, oppourtunitites and credibility our finalists get.

Our results are 100% genuine and can not be influenced or affected in any way.

Winners and placers are not notified before the night of the event, there are no tips or tricks, and everyone finds out the results together at our annual event.

Each year we deliberately change our criteria completely to allow for new winnings and placings - and to make sure it's not the same people winning every year.

Whilst our awards are highly scored on skill, other factors are brought into consideration too, including (but not limited to) - personal/professional journey, client care, hygiene, standards and community values.

Whilst some of these may be a disadvantage to you one year, another year this may propel you to first place.

In 2023 we introduced regional titles and placings.

Due to the volume of entries we receive, and the fact that we do not generate profit from our event it was not a sustainable process based on the fact that we want to keep our entry fee's low and affordable.

We also received a huge amount of feedback that it diluted the national recognition of our UK HBA titles.

For this reason we reverted back to our original process the following year that our HBA community know and love.

First of all, please check your spam folder.

You must be signed up to our marketing emails to allow us to contact you. If you haven't received any correspondence please email our dedicated customer service team on customerservice@hairandbeautyawards.co.uk.

Sometimes if you have purchased your entry with apple pay it can use your apple pay email. We also do get quite a few emails bounce back when mailboxes are full.

We have had many years experience to find the perfect formula for the judging process. Our process is designed to be thorough and fair. Each entry is reviewed by three independent expert judges who evaluate submissions based on category-specific criteria which is decided at the beginning of the HBA year (before entries open). To ensure complete impartiality, all entries are anonymised before judging, with names removed and replaced with numbers. The final decision is based on the combined average score of all three judges. This is to combat any potential bias and ensure all results are as fair as possible.

Our category-specific criteria is set at the start of each year and changes annually to allow for new winners and placings, before entries open. This ensures a fair and level playing field for all entrants - no one gets advanced knowledge or extra preparation time. It also helps maintain the integrity of the competition, as businesses are judged on their genuine, day-to-day excellence rather than specifically tailoring their work to meet known criteria.

Our judging panel consists of highly qualified industry professionals, each with a minimum of 10 years of hands-on experience in their respective categories. To maintain the integrity of the awards, our judges remain completely anonymous. This anonymity ensures they can make unbiased decisions without external pressure or influence. As independent experts, they specialise solely in evaluating entries based on merit, and unlike other awards programmes, they don't receive social exposure or public recognition for their role.

Protecting our judges' identities - especially at the scale of our competition- is absolutely crucial for maintaining the integrity of our awards. Unfortunately, past experiences have proven this necessity, including attempted bribes and a concerning incident where a judge was threatened at their home address. At HBA, there is no face to the brand because it's not about us - it's about our finalists, and that's exactly how we want to keep it. We want entrants to participate for the right reasons: because they care about the industry, not because they're chasing fame or connections. Our judges are paid professionals who focus solely on merit-based judging, without seeking social exposure or industry fame from their role. This strict anonymity policy ensures completely unbiased decisions while protecting their personal safety and professional integrity, keeping the spotlight exactly where it belongs - on celebrating your achievements.

At HBA, we prioritise expertise over celebrity status. Our judges are chosen based on their hands-on industry experience and professional knowledge, not their public profile. We believe that having qualified, working professionals judge your work ensures the most fair and merit-based decisions. Our anonymous judging panel focuses solely on the quality of entries, maintaining the integrity of the awards without being influenced by industry politics or social media following. While we do have celebrity hosts at our Red Carpet Event, the actual judging is left to industry experts who understand the technical excellence required in our field.

No. Finalist status is only awarded to entrants who meet all criteria. However, don't worry - our submissions team will contact you to assist you in obtaining the necessary documents. As these are standard requirements for UK hair and beauty businesses, we'll guide you through the process of gathering what you need. If you still don’t meet the criteria, you will receive a full refund.

If your finalist status is rejected, you will receive a full refund automatically.

Each first place winner receives a complimentary, highest-quality glass trophy, personally engraved in-house. For finalists interested in purchasing a commemorative finalist trophy from their participating year, please contact trophies@hairandbeautyawards.co.uk for pricing details.

HBA is an open community where everyone is welcome. We have a zero tolerance policy for bullying or clique behaviour. Our awards celebrate unity and excellence in the hair and beauty industry, not division. If you experience or witness any form of bullying or inappropriate behaviour, please report it immediately to hello@hairandbeautyawards.co.uk. We take all reports seriously and act swiftly to maintain our inclusive, supportive environment.