Returning for the 2nd year, the Texture Style Awards presented by celebrity hairstylist Monaè Everett, celebrates the beauty of all hair textures and honors the artists who have mastered those styling techniques. Representing the brilliant diversity in style and texture, The Texture Style Awards has categories including straight, wavy, curly, coily, and student styling, with subcategories for up and down styling. 

Sponsored by Beauty by Imagination (BBI), the parent company to Ouidad, Bio Ionic, WetBrush and Curls, and The Aveda Arts and Sciences Institute, the Texture Style Awards have brought incredible awareness to help increase diversity and inclusion within the beauty industry. Industry brands such as Biolage and Moroccanoil are also sponsors of the semi-professional beauty competition that intends to help empower and educate hairstylists to recognize that all hair is good hair. 

“Aveda Arts and Sciences Institutes is a large and diverse network of cosmetology and esthetics schools," said Tatum Neil, creative director of Elevate Hair and Aveda Arts. "We pride ourselves in developing a curriculum that achieves technical proficiency in our students and believes that can only be achieved with a full understanding of all hair types. The Texture Hair Awards embodies a shared value of celebrating hair across the full spectrum of texture and we are grateful for the opportunity to sponsor this event.”

About the Texture Hair Awards

Reviewed by a panel of expert judges from across the beauty industry, the Texture Style Awards have brought together the best of the best to honor those who have not only exceeded within their field but have gone above and beyond to hone their talents working with all hair types. Judged by representatives from Ouidad, Bio Ionic, WetBrush and Curls, and Aveda, as well as celebrity and editorial hairstylists, these awards shine a light on the phenomenal stylists who’ve made diversity and inclusivity part of their practice. 

Texture Style Awards are to be judged by highly professional standards. Judges will review submissions based on technical skill, shape, and texture definition. The top 10 submissions in each category will then be put into a second round of voting by the public. The final winners will be announced live in New York City, in August 2023. 

Winners will receive a custom trophy, one-on-one mentorship with a sponsor brand ambassador, up to $750 worth of prizes from sponsors, and marketing and media exposure through partner channels. 

“We want hairstylists to recognize that their skills not only make clients look good, but help the world to see the beauty in all hair textures. The Texture Style Awards are not just a celebration of those in the industry who do work with, feature, and have textured hair, but rather an invitation for all stylists to educate themselves to work with all types of hair. The ability to showcase all hair types should be the rule, not the exception.” 

— Monaè Everett, Founder of The Texture Style Awards

In addition, The Monaè Life Academy will launch brand-sponsored, skill building workshops leading up to the event: The Texture Education Series. The workshops will be hosted by Everett and include live models, look-and-learn tutorials and feature styling, and photography tips specific to each texture. They are designed with the intention to help increase hairstylists’ proficiency and confidence in styling all four hair textures to encourage their submissions. 

Submissions open on March 1 through June 30, 2023. The contest entry fee is $30 per submission and $20 per student submission. The Texture Education Series workshops will take place in May of 2023.