Texture Style Awards marked its first-ever awards ceremony celebrating all four hair textures. The inaugural winners were announced across four categories in a virtual ceremony hosted by awards founder and celebrity hairstylist Monaè Everett.

Beauty professionals were also honored for their contributions to the industry, including Keya Neal (Change Agent Of The Year); Nina Tulio and Mr. J. Ladner (Beauty Media Of The Year); and Joy Williams (New Stylist Of The Year).

“The awards were a labor of love and a rallying cry to both the entertainment and beauty industries,” said Everett, a 20-year hairstyling vet, color/texture hair expert, and educator. “As beauty pros, we are ready to see many more forms of beauty. And, we know the time is here and now for artists of all backgrounds to receive the opportunities and recognition they deserve.”

Fellow celebrity hairstylists and industry leaders Michelle O’Connor, Briana Cisneros, Oliver "Kolor King" Adams, and Laura "La La" Chihaia presented awards to the four hairstylists who took home top honors from more than 350 submissions.

“This is an incredible and important initiative showcasing all of the natural beauty in each hair texture, in each hair type,” said Cisneros, Wella Hair Ambassador, and global educator. “I think there has been a divide in our industry, historically. This is a great coming together of different individuals in our industry and celebrating each other, each other’s hair, each other’s work.”

Presented by the Wella Company, the Texture Style Awards is the first fully texture-based hair competition created to increase inclusion within the beauty industry by placing equal emphasis on all four hair texture categories: straight, wavy, curly, and coily/kinky. 

Submissions were voted on by a curated panel of 18 celebrity hairstylist judges, including Stephen Moody, Ursula Stephen, and Jenny Strebe, along with representatives from The Wella Company and Fromm Pro. The top 10 hairstylists advanced to a second public voting round where they received more than 27,000 votes. 

Winners will receive an assortment of prizes, including a custom plaque, one-on-one mentorship with a Wella Company ambassador, up to $3000 worth of prizes from sponsors, and marketing and media exposure through partner channels. 

2021 TEXTURE STYLE AWARD WINNERS

Straight Hair Stylist Of The Year

Angelica Mirela Tanta -- Chicago, IL

Wavy Hair Stylist Of The Year

Sandra Henri -- Ewa Beach, HI

Curly Hair Stylist Of The Year

Richar Staten -- Lanham, MD

Kinky Hair Stylist Of The Year

Rania Nekole -- Atlanta, GA

New Stylist Of The Year

Joy Williams -- Houston, TX

Beauty Media Of The Year

Nina Tulio and Mr. J. Ladner, hosts of “No Stylist Left Behind”

Change Agent Of The Year

Keya Neal

About Monaè Everett and The Monae Life Academy

Founded by celebrity hairstylist and color/texture expert Monaè Everett, The Monae Life Academy (MLA) focuses on providing emerging and established hairstylists the education, tools, and resources to style the four hair texture types: straight, wavy, curly, and coily/kinky. 

About Wella Company

Wella Company is one of the world’s leading beauty companies, comprised of a family of iconic brands such as Wella Professionals, Clairol, OPI, Nioxin, and ghd. With 6,000 employees globally, presence in over 100 countries, Wella Company and its brands enable consumers to look, feel, and be their true selves. As innovators in the hair and nail industry, Wella Company empowers its people to delight consumers, inspire beauty professionals, engage communities, and deliver sustainable growth to its stakeholders.