The 11^th annual Australian Hair Industry Awards 2024 (Business) named their winners on Sunday, October 20, honouring Australia’s leading hairdressers, salons, specialist businesses, educators and professional products amidst a host of categories.

Perth’s Circles of Hair emerged as a major winner, with the titles of AHIA Australian Salon Business of the Year, WA/NT Salon Business of the Year, AHIA Business Director/Owner of the Year for Sharlene Lee and Salon Team Member of the Year for Ben Semple. Craig Hollywood of Short Back and Sidewalks was named as the pivotal Vidal Sassoon Humanitarian of the Year, while the AHIA Special Recognition Award went to Epic Hair Designs. Salon Direct Hair & Beauty Supplies won National Wholesaler of the Year, the L’Oréal Professionnel Education Team, Taylorweir Hairdresser and Barber Training, Bond Hair Religion and Bernadette Beswick won for education, while Cobelle Creative was named as the year’s best Salon Team and Bond Hair Religion’s Amber Bullock won Salon Manager/Co-Ordinator of the Year. State, product, design, marketing, customer care and beyond were all honoured.

“The AHIA Business awards were created to combine opportunities for individuals of all levels as well as categories for salons, specialist businesses, educators, and professional products,” shared Linda Woodhead, owner and founder of Mocha Group, which helms the awards. “They provide us with the unique opportunity to celebrate the most impressive business achievements and success on salon floors all across the country. We are committed to providing an exciting snapshot of the impressive quality of the Australian hairdressing industry and these winners are all testament to that.”

The Awards were hosted at The Star on The Gold Coast and included a choreographed opening performance as a modern homage to the Oscars opening show, blending aspects of Beyoncé, Dua Lipa and Katy Perry’s iconic pop moments. The performance reimagined iconic songs with original AHIA-themed lyrics. The event also partnered with Sustainable Salons, to donate 2,000 meals to OzHarvest, in lieu of table centrepieces. Other festivities included the After Party at Nineteen at the Star, sponsored by Be Crowned, complete with cocktails, music and a custom built 360 video and photo booth.

The awards’ judging panel consisted of international and national industry members, media, PR professionals and business specialists across architecture and finance, including such names as Alexandra Bilisi, Charlotte Grant-West, Faye Murray, Joanne Charlton, Kirstie Stafford, Narelle Lancaster and Nicole Healy. Sponsors included Redken, Kitomba, Sustainable Salons, Salon Lane, Fresha, Matrix, CPR, Schwarzkopf Professional, Goldwell, Kerasilk, L’Oréal Professionnel, Happy Hair Brush, Shortcuts, DNA Organics, EVY Professional, Comfortel, Hi Lift Professional, Alfaparf Milano Professional, Inspire Brands/Gamma+ and Wella Professionals.

Congratulations to the winners!

CARE, TREAT, STYLE AND ELECTRICAL PRODUCT AWARDS

BEST IN CARE
Sponsored by Hair Biz
Flower Colour Maintainer Shampoo and Conditioner by milk_shake Australia

BEST IN TREAT
Curl Wow Flo-etry Vital Natural Serum by Color Wow

BEST IN STYLE
Glow Smooth and Shine by Osis

BEST ELECTRICAL
Boss DigiForce Digital Hair Dryer by EVY Professional

Salon Team Member of the Year
Sponsored by Hi Lift by M&U Imports
Ben Semple – Circles of Hair

Salon Manager/Co-Ordinator of the Year
Sponsored by Wella Professionals
Amber Bullock – Bond Hair Religion

Sole Operator of the Year
Sponsored by Salon Lane
Nicole Kae

Business Director/Owner of the Year
Sponsored by Kitomba
Sharlene Lee – Circles of Hair

Best Business Performance of the Year
Sponsored by Sustainable Salons
Eco Heads

Salon Business Newcomer of the Year
Sponsored by Kerasilk
Privé Hair Organics

Best Eco Salon
Sponsored by DNA Organics
George & Ivy

Best Salon Design
Sponsored by Comfortel
Fon Salon

Best Marketing
Sponsored by Shortcuts
Rokstar

Best Customer Care
Sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional
Ms Monaco Hair Society

Salon Team of the Year
Sponsored by Goldwell
Cobelle Creative

Best In Salon Training
Sponsored by Matrix
Bond Hair Religion

Educator of the Year – Individual
Sponsored by Redken
Bernadette Beswick – Beswick Education Services

Educator of the Year – Organisation
Sponsored by Evy Professional
Taylorweir Hairdresser and Barber Training

Educator of the Year – Product or Equipment Company
Sponsored by Hair Biz
L’Oréal Professionnel Education Team

QLD Salon Business of the Year
Sponsored by Wella Professionals
Rokstar

NSW/ACT Salon Business of the Year
Sponsored by Happy Hair Brush
Sloans

VIC Salon Business of the Year
Sponsored by Alfaparf Milano Professional
Telleish Hair Studio

SA/TAS Salon Business of the Year
Sponsored by Fresha
Acqua Lounge Hair Studio

WA/NT Salon Business of the Year
Sponsored by CPR
Circles of Hair

National Wholesaler of the Year
Sponsored by Gamma+ and Inspire Brands
Salon Direct Hair & Beauty Supplies

Special Recognition Award
Sponsored by L’Oréal Professional
Epic Hair Designs

Vidal Sassoon Humanitarian of the Year
Sponsored by Mocha Group
Craig Hollywood – Short Back and Sidewalks

Australian Salon Business of the Year
Sponsored by Mocha Group
Circles of Hair

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