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The North American Hairstyling Awards ® is the most prestigious professional beauty competition in North America and honors the salon industry’s top artists – who push the boundaries of skill and creativity.
For over 30 years,
thousands of talented artists have used NAHA as a platform to showcase their work to win a coveted NAHA award.
Join us in Anaheim, CA on April 2, 2023 for the NAHA 2023 award ceremony!
Don't miss the NAHA 2023 Finalist Announcement Feb 1, 2023 at 11am PT live on Facebook and Youtube!
The NAHA 2023 entry categories are here! Browse the categories, choose which one you think will highlight your talents and artistry the best, read through the rules and download release forms. Download the full entry brochure >
Avant Garde
Avant Garde is about breaking boundaries, elevating artistry and creating extraordinary looks.
The NAHA Avant Garde category recognizes hairstylists that create artistic, innovative, unique and experimental concepts that push our collective consciousness about what hair can do.
The NAHA Avant Garde category recognizes hairstylists that create artistic, innovative, unique and experimental concepts that push our collective consciousness about what hair can do.
Barber of the Year
Barbers demonstrate the ability to complement and highlight features through design, shape, styling, and grooming.
The Barber category showcases expertise, dedication and mastery in techniques that include the use of clippers and shears to create fades, tapers and other looks.
The Barber category showcases expertise, dedication and mastery in techniques that include the use of clippers and shears to create fades, tapers and other looks.
Editorial Stylist of the Year
Through their impact on fashion, media and culture, editorial and session hairdressers are some of the most revered stylists in the world.
The NAHA Editorial Session Stylist category recognizes artists who have an extraordinary ability to create innovative and award-winning looks for print and media.
The NAHA Editorial Session Stylist category recognizes artists who have an extraordinary ability to create innovative and award-winning looks for print and media.
Educator of the Year
They’re mentors and teachers. They influence trends through innovative methods and techniques. They cultivate excellence and change lives.
The NAHA Educator of the Year category recognizes those who make significant contributions toward elevating the industry’s professional standards of excellence, honoring those who inspire, lead and teach us to be the best at all we do.
The NAHA Educator of the Year category recognizes those who make significant contributions toward elevating the industry’s professional standards of excellence, honoring those who inspire, lead and teach us to be the best at all we do.
Haircolor
Using precision, skill and creative techniques, the NAHA Haircolor category honors artists who push color boundaries through precise color manipulation, placement, and application.
These highly skilled colorists display unrivaled artistry, consistency and creativity and continually leave us in awe of what is possible with hair color.
These highly skilled colorists display unrivaled artistry, consistency and creativity and continually leave us in awe of what is possible with hair color.
Haircutting
Top hairdressers use innovation, artistic vision and precision to define shape and elevate style.
The NAHA Haircutting category honors highly versatile hairdressers who use creative cutting techniques to define features and showcase their creativity through haircutting.
The NAHA Haircutting category honors highly versatile hairdressers who use creative cutting techniques to define features and showcase their creativity through haircutting.
Hairstylist of the Year
Honoring the best stylists in the industry, the NAHA Hairstylist of the Year category embodies excellence and artistry, and possesses a drive to elevate hairstyling, and impact global trends through their innovation, creativity, skill and techniques.
Artists in this category showcase their expertise across a multitude of technical skills acquired through the investment of time and experience in the industry.
Artists in this category showcase their expertise across a multitude of technical skills acquired through the investment of time and experience in the industry.
Inspiring Salon of the Year
The salon environment can be a place of community and belonging, a space of healing and empowerment. The best salons build a feeling of winning together when times are good—and sticking together when times are tough.
The NAHA Inspiring Salon category celebrates salon culture – whether it’s your salon environment or how your salon connects to the community.
The NAHA Inspiring Salon category celebrates salon culture – whether it’s your salon environment or how your salon connects to the community.
Makeup Artist of the Year
From runway, to film, to print - makeup has the ability to complete or transform an entire look, create a mood or define elegance.
Through creative application, artistry, vision and technique, the NAHA Makeup Artist of the Year category honors the best makeup artists in the industry.
Through creative application, artistry, vision and technique, the NAHA Makeup Artist of the Year category honors the best makeup artists in the industry.
Master Hairstylist of the Year
This invitation-only category honors the top artists, educators and artistic directors. The NAHA Master Stylist of the Year allows the very best of the best in the industry to showcase their top work of the year.
Student Hairstylist of the Year
Honoring the next generation of talent and innovation, the Student Hairstylist of the Year category showcases student stylists still in school who demonstrate outstanding vision, creativity, and artistry.
Styling & Finishing
From behind the chair, to session work, to the runway, the precision and details of Styling and Finishing is a vital component of every theme, trend or look.
The Styling and Finishing category honors artists who showcase mastery in creating polished finished looks.
The Styling and Finishing category honors artists who showcase mastery in creating polished finished looks.
Team of the Year
Through collaboration, diversity and commitment to a common vision, leading work is often achieved by highly creative teams.
The NAHA Team of Year category honors these teams that display world-class versatility, skill, prowess and consistency.
The NAHA Team of Year category honors these teams that display world-class versatility, skill, prowess and consistency.
Texture
The NAHA Texture category honors artists who revere and excel in styling every hair texture. This category showcases the art, beauty and versatility of the hairstyling craft required in today’s world and demonstrates expertise in styling coily, curly, and wavy hair textures.
For 2023, we are introducing an opportunity for an up-and-coming beauty pros to work with a multiple award-winning NAHA team to develop and shoot a collection for NAHA 2023 entry.
Congratulations Sarah Harris on being our NAHA 2023 Mentorship Winner!
Meet the other Finalists:
Arend Jackson
Brandi Fontenot
Emma Hancock
Guy McAdam
