Tips on Entering The British Hairdressing Awards From Previous Winners

Entries for the British Hairdressing Awards 2024, sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional are officially open, and the closing date for the first round of entries is Friday 28 June 2024.

The awards are known as the biggest in the business and are a worthwhile investment to catapult your work to the main stage. Winning a British Hairdressing Award can not only build your reputation as a hairdresser in the industry but also in your area. Here, we asked previous winners for some top tips on entering the awards. 

Tracey Ann Smith, Midlands Hairdresser of the Year

• Book the right team. You need a cohesive team who share your vision and are happy to execute what you need with no fuss. Teamwork makes the dream work.
• It's all in the face - a model is what sells an image so for me, it's super important they hit the brief with your vision and gel as a group to create the perfect collection. 
• Practice. It's not easy. Be prepared, or be prepared to fail. Set out a clear plan and practice relentlessly.

Take a look at Tracey's winning collection here. 

David Corbett, Scottish Hairdresser of the Year 

Stick to the four P's - similar to the world of marketing. My four P's are plan, prepare, practice, and try not to panic. 

• Plan your concept – flying by the seat of your pants on the day leads to everyone being confused. If everyone knows the plan, the day will run smoothly. 
• Prepare your concept and looks on a mood board and share that mood board with everyone involved in the shoot. It keeps the plan at the forefront of everyone's mind. 
• Practice your looks as much as you can before the shoot day because things do go wrong.
• Lastly, don't panic if they do go wrong! It happens every day in your salon life. You know you have the skills to change things up if you need to. 

Take a look at David's winning collection here.

Olivia Binch, Eastern Hairdresser of the Year

• Start off your shoot planning with a moodboard. Make sure to include the backdrop, makeup, clothing and most importantly your hair ideas! This really helped me get a clear vision of the route I wanted to go down. 
• Once your moodboard is complete, take the time to research photographers so you can get a feel for their photography style. Then you can secure someone who will be able to capture your vision, mood and aesthetic perfectly.

You can take a look at Olivia's winning collection, here. 

For more information about the British Hairdressing Awards 2024, sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional, click here.