The Professional Beauty Awards 2020 will be an all-new standalone summer event. Make sure you’re recognised among the best in the business

T here’s a brand new format, venue and date for the Professional Beauty Awards 2020. To allow more time for networking, partying and, most importantly, getting ready for the big night, the Professional Beauty Awards will be a standalone summer event, separate from the shows or the World Spa & Wellness Awards.

New format

Taking place at London Hilton on Park Lane on June 28, 2020, the event will begin with a roundtable Salon & Spa Connect afternoon networking event, allowing finalists to meet in an informal setting and share challenges and solutions.

The evening part of the event will then see winners announced at a glamorous black-tie dinner, featuring a drinks reception, three-course meal, and professional entertainment.

There are also a host of exciting new categories, giving more of the incredible businesses and practitioners in the UK a chance to shine. With no separate Regional Awards this year, the standalone Professional Beauty Awards 2020 will recognise businesses on both a regional and a national level.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the thoroughness of the judging process. All entries are scored by independent industry experts, and finalists go through to a second round that involves either visits, interviews or trade tests.

Professional Beauty Awards 2020 categories:Regional salon categories

Giving more of the UK’s outstanding beauty salon businesses the opportunity for recognition, the four regional salon categories celebrate excellence in treatment and retail skills, customer service, therapist training and business success. Midlands & North West Salon of the Year North East, Scotland & Northern Ireland Salon of the Year South West & Wales Salon of the Year South East Salon of the Year

Regional spa categories

Recognising excellence in customer journey, treatment delivery, facilities and industry innovation, the four regional Spa of the Year categories are open to both residential and day spas. Previous regional winners include major names such as Pennyhill Park, Gaia and Seaham Hall. Midlands & North West Spa of the Year North East, Scotland & Northern Ireland Spa of the Year South East Spa of the Year South West & Wales Spa of the Year

National categories

Boutique Salon of the Year* Recognising the best beauty salon in the UK with three treatment rooms or fewer, this category shines a light on outstanding boutique salons. The winner will be the absolute best of the smaller salons that made the finals in their regional category.

Professional Beauty Awards 2020

Large Salon of the Year*

Awarding the super-salons, this category recognises businesses with four or more treatment rooms that consistently impress consumers and deliver an impeccable customer experience from start to finish. The winner will be the best large salon from all the regional categories.

Boutique Spa of the Year*

Achieving a consistently excellent service and results is no mean feat, and this category recognises exceptional spas with 10 treatment rooms or fewer. The winner will be the best boutique spa from all the regional categories.

Large Spa of the Year*

Running an outstanding spa operation with 11 treatment rooms or more means delivering excellence in facilities, service, training and innovation. The winner will be the best large spa from all of the regional categories.

NEW: Spa/Salon Leader of the Year

Showcasing the leading lights in the industry, this award is for an inspirational and innovative leader who runs a dynamic, motivated team, and a successful business.

NEW: Spa/Salon Team of the Year

Celebrating the amazing bonds formed within salons and spas, this award gives a boost to the whole team and recognises exceptional teamwork from every individual with a role in making the business both successful and fulfilling to work for.

Nail Salon of the Year

Celebrating the dynamic nails market, this award is the ultimate accolade for salons that do the majority of their business in nails.

Therapist of the Year

Regularly attracting a very high level of entries, this category recognises those special beauty therapists who have in-depth knowledge and a broad skill set, and really go the extra mile for their clients.

Employer of the Year

With recruitment tougher than ever, this award is for the salon, spa or clinic that demonstrates real dedication to supporting its employees and giving them rewarding careers within a strong and successful business. PB *National spa and salon categories cannot be entered directly. The winners of these four categories will be the highest scorers from all relevant regional categories.