On a weekend of beauty that started with Beauty Expo in Sydney and ended with the 2023 Australian Beauty Industry Awards, the beauty industry honoured their pioneers. The ABIA gala event was hosted at Sydney’s The Star, congregating over 500 guests across the aesthetics industry to celebrate the community’s best.
“The ABIAs continue to smash our expectations as far as both the number and the quality of entries with a record number of incredible submissions this year,” shared Mocha Group Founder and CEO Linda Woodhead. “This continued commitment to exceeding industry benchmarks within the beauty industry is truly testament to the incredible individuals and businesses which are propelling the Australian market. Our clinical beauty and make-up experts are operating at a global standard right here at home and making a lasting impact on each of their local communities as they do.”
The awards began in 2012 and since then have provided the bench mark in beauty excellence across clinical, creative and entrepreneurial endeavours. The awards include specialist and individual categories in beauty and make-up, and highlight fields across dermal therapy, tattooing, business as it pertains to salons and sole operators, marketing, training and education, bridal beauty, environmental achievements, customer service, emerging talent, editorial accolades, salon design, state and national awards as delegated into smaller and larger businesses, and more. The platform also decides a Beauty Squad of next generation talents, inducts industry legends into the Hall of Fame, elects the Humanitarian Award and announces the Wholesaler of the Year, ultimately naming 36 category winners. Congratulations to all the winners, listed below.
The gala was hosted by long-time MC Will Fennel, with entertainment consisting of a multi-genre performance that spanned contemporary pop culture to artistic and Avant Garde creations in a multimedia showcase. An afterparty in the Grand Foyer, sponsored by Guiya Minerals, kept the party going.
The judging panel consisted of over 30 local and international make-up artists, stylists and business, media and industry expert judges including Rae Morris, Julie Piantadosi, Faye Murray, Cameron Jane Thomas and Narelle Lancaster. Hall of Fame inductee Elle Wilson and Humanitarian of the Year winners Otto and Zoe Mitter were nominated by their peers.
Sponsors included TAFE NSW, Naked Tan, Dermapen World, TADLI, Circadia, Gay Wardle Skin Institute, Exceed, Timely, Global Beauty Group, Dermalogica, Dermaviduals, Shortcuts, Inskincosmedics, Beauty Biz, Kitomba, Beauty Pro by Dateline, Dermaplaning Australia, Sustainable Salons, Comfortel, Beauty Expo Australia, Biodroga, Ellebanna, Professional Beauty Solution, Your Coach, Mayerling Skincare and Australian Dermal Science Institute.
2023 ABIA WINNERS
Junior Therapist of the Year
Sponsored by Australian Dermal Science Institute
Karla Jaudzems, Sana Skin Clinic
Beauty Therapist of the Year
Sponsored by Mayerling Skincare
Natalie Herschell, The Skin Coaches
Dermal Therapist of the Year
Sponsored by Dermalogica
Alana Giovenco, Bliss Day Spa
Sole Operator of the Year
Sponsored by Professional Beauty Solutions
Karen Geiszler, Karen Geiszler Hair & Beauty
Business Director/Owner of the Year
Sponsored by Kitomba
Gry Tømte, HÜD
Cosmetic Tattooist of the Year
Sponsored by Dermaplaning Australia
Katherine McCann, FaceBox Cosmetic & Medical Tattoo Clinic
Best Business Performance of the Year (Non-Salon)
Sponsored by Beauty Expo Australia
Circadia Australia
Best Marketing
Sponsored by Shortcuts
Bella Pelle Body Clinic
Best Salon Training
Sponsored by Dermaviduals
The Skin Coaches
Educator of the Year – Individual
Sponsored by Timely
Chrissy Alger, The Zing Project
Educator of the Year – Organisation
Sponsored by Beauty Biz
The French Beauty Academy
Educator of the Year – Product/Equipment Company
Sponsored by Sustainable Salons
Dermalogica
Best Salon Design
Sponsored by Comfortel
Indie Spa
Best Eco Salon/Spa/Clinic
Sponsored by Biodroga
House of Samara
Best Newcomer Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year
Sponsored by Your Coach
Mediluxe
Best Customer Care
Sponsored by Global Beauty Group
Peachy Skin Clinic
Best Salon/Spa/Clinic Team of the Year
Sponsored by Inskincosmedics
Bobbie Charles Skin & Cosmetic Clinics
Bridal/Formal Make Up Artist of the Year
Sponsored by Bodyography
Pearlin McCarthy
High Fashion/Editorial Make Up Artist of the Year
Sponsored by Bodyography
Julia Green
NSW/ACT Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year (4 Treatment Rooms or Less)
Sponsored by TAFE NSW
Skintifix
QLD Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year (4 Treatment Rooms or Less)
Sponsored by Gay Wardle Skin Institute
Ultra Medi Spa
VIC/TAS/SA Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year (4 Treatment Rooms or Less)
Sponsored by Dermapenworld
Luminary Melbourne
WA/NT Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year (4 Treatment Rooms or Less)
Sponsored by Circadia
Sapphire Skin Studio
NSW/ACT Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year (5 Treatment Rooms or More)
Sponsored by Naked Tan
Skin Correctives
QLD Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year (5 Treatment Rooms or More)
Sponsored by Exceed
Bobbie Charles Skin & Cosmetic Clinics
VIC/TAS/SA Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year (5 Treatment Rooms or More)
Sponsored by TADLI (The Australian Dermal and Laser Institute)
James Vivian
WA/NT Salon/Spa/Clinic of the Year (5 Treatment Rooms or More)
Sponsored by Guiya Minerals
Love Beauty
BEAUTY SQUAD
Sponsored by Inskincosmedics, Dermapenworld, Elleebana, Timely & Gay Wardle Skin Institute
Chelsea Holmes, Skin Love Clinic
Elise Birchall, LILI Skin Co
Laura Mitchell, James Vivian
Morgan Harris, The Beauty Extract
NATIONAL WHOLESALER OF THE YEAR WINNER
Sponsored by Beauty Pro by Dateline Imports
The Global Beauty Group
HALL OF FAME
Sponsored by Elleebana
Elle Wilson
HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by mocha group
Otto and Zoe Mitter
AUSTRALIAN SALON/SPA/CLINIC OF THE YEAR (4 TREATMENT ROOMS OR LESS)
Sponsored by Mocha Group
Skintifix
AUSTRALIAN SALON/SPA/CLINIC OF THE YEAR (5 TREATMENT ROOMS OR MORE)
Sponsored by Mocha Group
James Vivian
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