Madrid emerges as an all-round leader in beauty and training, with four awards at the 11th Salón Look Awards

The 11th Salón Look Awards gala was held yesterday at IFEMA Madrid. Organised by Salón Look, the event honours professionals, companies, and entities in the sector, recognising their talent and efforts and strengthening the profile and reputation of the beauty industry.

Before an audience of more than 300 professionals, Escuela Harpo and Universidad de la Imagen received their awards in the categories of Best Aesthetic Training Project and Hairdressing Training Project, respectively. Meanwhile, Cheska and Fernando Pérez were recognised with the Honorary Awards in Hairdressing and Aesthetics at the greatest talent gala of the comprehensive beauty sector.

Escuela Harpo was founded in 1998 by award-winning Fernando Pérez and has established itself as a benchmark in the field of makeup and characterisation with its comprehensive curriculum. The school offers high-quality training that combines theoretical concepts with practical projects and professional ethics. As the Best Aesthetic Training Project, it is also worth highlighting the hundreds of professionals from numerous fields, including film, television, fashion, and theatre, who have attended the School.

The 2025 Best Hairdressing Training Project, Universidad de la Imagen, is outstanding for its commitment and absolute respect for the profession, its dedication to innovation, and its focus on improving the techniques and pedagogy of professional hairdressers. Founded by Cristina Muñoz and with a decade of experience, it was a pioneer in appointing renowned professionals to provide training based on the principles of consultancy and visagism.

Cheska, the first woman to lead a hairdressing salon in the 1970s, received the Hairdressing Honorary Award for a career spanning over 50 years, during which thousands of women worldwide have placed their trust in her to create flawless cuts, stunning updos, and sophisticated hairstyles. Now, she has passed the baton to her two daughters to manage a family firm with 25 employees. They are continuing to build on the legacy that has made it a benchmark in quality cuts, colouring and healthy hair treatments.

With more than 140 films and numerous advertisements both in Spain and abroad, trainer, make-up artist, and character artist Fernando Pérez received the Aesthetics Honorary Award for a lifetime devoted to the profession with tenacity, vision, and a challenging spirit. A member of the Academy of Arts and Cinematic Sciences, he was the visionary who opened Harpo in the 1980s, a multi-brand makeup store featuring the latest innovations and trends. Soon after, driven by his passion for training, he founded Escuela Harpo, where he taught thousands of professionals. Eventually, he launched his own line of makeup made in Spain.

The ten winners, benchmarks of excellence and innovation in hairdressing and aesthetics

The following ten winners in each category that contribute to excellence were chosen from a short-list of 30 candidates as follows:

Best Hairdressing Business Project: Laboratorios Kapyderm.

Best Aesthetic Business Project: Novasonix Group.

Best Professional Career in Hairdressing: Encarna Moreno.

Best Professional Career in Aesthetics: Silvia Oliete

Best Hairdressing Salon Design: Mima tu Cabello by Lara Fernández

Best Aesthetic Salon Design: Centro de Belleza María Cuevas.

Best Hairdressing Training Project: Universidad de la Imagen.

Best Aesthetic Training Project: Escuela Harpo.

Best Entrepreneurial Venture: Locco Ibiza Cosmetics

Best Solidarity Action: Fundación Víctor Martínez Vicario.

In addition, the Salón Look Awards bestow two honorary awards on distinguished professionals in recognition of their dedication and careers. At the 11th edition, these awards were presented to Cheska, founder of Salón Cheska, in the hairdressing category, and to Fernando Pérez, trainer, make-up artist, and characteriser, in the aesthetics category.

The 11th Salón Look Awards served as a prelude to Salón Look 2025, which will take place from 17 to 19 October 2025 in Halls 12, 14, and 14.1 at IFEMA MADRID, featuring a new segmentation, a VIP programme for key distributors, and new content aimed at creating a dynamic and interactive edition for professionals.