Homecare Brand of the Year

Open to independent professional brands offering retail-focused haircare, styling or treatment products actively sold within salon environments. Products entered must demonstrate professional relevance, client demand and suitability for ongoing homecare use during the eligibility period.

Winning this award positions your products among the retail ranges professionals trust clients to take home, reinforcing credibility, performance and long-term professional value. It provides a powerful platform to strengthen visibility, support retail growth and highlight the role your products play in extending salon results beyond the appointment. Winners will also be invited to join the judging panel for The Indies - Salon & Stylist Awards UK.

• A written submission outlining the retail range, professional positioning and role within salon services.

• Evidence of salon retail performance, client engagement, stylist recommendation or professional usage.

• Supporting materials including campaigns, education, merchandising or product activity relevant to the eligibility period. Future direction and plans for continued growth, innovation or product development may also be included.

• All activity must relate to the period 1 May 2025 – 30 April 2026.

How This Category Will Be Judged

Entries will first be reviewed based on the written submission, supporting evidence and overall professional relevance within the salon industry. Judges will consider product performance, client results, innovation, hair health and the way the range supports clients in maintaining salon results between appointments.

Shortlisted brands may then move into professional product testing and evaluation carried out by selected industry professionals. Judges may assess ease of use, consistency, visible results, hair feel and the overall experience of using the products within both salon and homecare routines.

To keep the process fair and independent, written entries and practical testing stages may be reviewed by different judges. Product testing requirements and judging formats will be discussed directly with shortlisted entrants depending on the range entered and the most suitable way to assess the products professionally.

Product Submission Requirements

Shortlisted entrants may be required to submit selected products from their range for professional testing and evaluation. Requested product quantities, testing requirements and judging formats will be confirmed directly with shortlisted entrants once judging allocations have been finalised.

This category may be tested during one of our in-salon judging days with active stylists from our judging panel. Products may be assessed through professional salon use, client homecare performance and overall results within real working salon environments. Products submitted for judging will not be returned unless agreed otherwise in writing.

This category is not open to conglomerate-owned or publicly listed companies. Venture-backed brands are permitted, provided the brand operates independently within the professional market. Products without active professional salon relevance or retail presence within salon environments will not be considered.

To protect the integrity of the awards, all judges are required to declare any professional, commercial or personal relationships with entrants prior to scoring. Any judge with a declared conflict of interest will not be permitted to review, discuss or score the relevant entry or category.