The business of fair recognition

Sophie Lux, 28, grew up in a small Yorkshire town but always dreamed big. After running multiple salons and a beauty wholesaler business, she was fed up with the hair and beauty awards scene. 

“I tried to enter loads of awards for my salons,” she recalled. “I never won, I never even got mentioned. And it was always the salons that could afford to spend on advertising and marketing that walked away with the accolades.

“It just wasn’t fair. Too often, talented professionals were overlooked because they couldn’t afford to pay for recognition. I knew there had to be a better way. Everyone knows it happens, but nobody talks about it, nobody does anything about it but I did.”

Determined to shake things up, Sophie launched The UK Hair and Beauty Awards in 2021 – a transparent, low-cost platform giving every stylist, salon, and beauty professional a fair shot at recognition. Crucially, she says the awards are ethical, with independent judges and a process where no amount of advertising can influence who wins. The awards quickly became the industry’s go-to, generating £1million and winning praise for celebrating real talent over big budgets.

“Having built my career from the ground up, I understand the challenges small businesses face,” said Sophie. “When I experienced a lack of transparency and high costs in the awards landscape, I knew a fairer solution was necessary. The UK Hair and Beauty Awards was created to champion skill and hard work, not just those with the biggest budgets.”

Sophie says the response has been emotional. “Salon owners have been in tears, saying this is the first time they’ve felt truly recognised. That’s what drives me – it’s not just about the money; it’s about giving talented people the spotlight they deserve.”

And this year, the awards are going even bigger. The 2026 ceremony is moving from Birmingham to Manchester, taking place at the AO Arena on Saturday, August 15, with a capacity of 21,000, making it the largest hair and beauty event ever with a tradeshow and festival included as part of the new event format

“Manchester is a city that knows how to host world-class events,” said Sophie. “The BRIT Awards and MTV Awards have already proven it. We want the HBAs to shine on the same stage. This move allows us to host more people, more safely, and in style.”

The 2025 ceremony, hosted by Jake Quickenden, drew nearly 1,800 attendees and featured stars including Paris Fury and Princess Andre, plus a performance from hit boyband The Wanted 2.0. But the International Convention Centre in Birmingham was simply outgrown.

Sophie said: “This is a huge change for us. We’ve held the ceremony at the ICC for the last two years, and moving to a new city is a big leap. But Manchester gives us the space, scale, and profile to elevate the HBAs to a new level. It’s ambitious, exciting, and exactly the right move to put the hair and beauty industry on the map.”

Sophie is determined to keep expanding the awards and making them truly inclusive. “I’ve always believed in building opportunities, not barriers,” she added. “Every stylist, nail technician, and beauty therapist deserves a chance to shine – and now they have one.”