Aveda Nominees Announced for National American Hairstyling Awards

The Professional Beauty Association’s National American Hairstyling Awards 2025 is tonight.

Here are the artists and salons nominated from Aveda:

Team of the Year

Cult Salon brings creative and business education to the next generation of beauty. By providing education, training, business coaching and a creative space, its environment works to nourish every artist while building a place to flourish as a team.

Student Hairstylist of the Year

Imelda Mercer, Aveda Fredric’s Institute, Cincinnati.

A lifelong artist passionate about hairstyling and making people feel good, Mercer has been a student hairstylist at Aveda Frederic’s Cincinnati for the past year. She started her career as a receptionist at a salon before enrolling in beauty school. Mercer’s work can be found here.

Zion Schwartz, Aveda Institute Denver

Scharwartz’s journey to cosmetology started with her infatuation of the hair and makeup of the characters on “The Lord of the Rings.”

“I was amazed that makeup was able to create the fantastical ideas of Tolkien’s world and put them into something where I can say, ‘I can be that! I can look like that!’,” she said. “Those movies sparked a love of seeing and using the human body as a canvas to create art.”

Avant Garde

Julia Clayton, Planet Salon

Clayton is a highly skilled hairstylist who possesses a unique talent for understanding and connecting with her clients on a deep level. Her ability to read people allows her to create customized looks that not only reflect their personal style, but enhance their individual beauty. Julia takes great pride in her work, ensuring that every haircut and style is clean and precise, while embodying the latest trends and fashion-forward techniques. She believes that her clients should feel like themselves at every stage of their lives, and she strives to create hair transformations that make them feel confident and empowered. Julia is certified as a hair extension specialist for guests who desire fuller or longer looking hair. Julia seamlessly blends hair extensions for a natural and flawless result. She is also a keratin treatment specialist, offering her guests stronger, smoother textured hair.

Hairstylist of the Year / Master Hairstylist of the Year

Allen Ruiz, Ruiz Salon West End is co-owner of Ruiz Salon based in Austin, Texas and has worked with Aveda over the last 20 years. He currently serves as the global style director. As a global guest artist, show lead for New York Fashion Week, editorial stylist and independent salon owner, Ruiz has collaborated on Aveda global campaigns, education collections and manufacturer advisory panels. He has been recognized as Latina Magazine’s Top Ten Latino Hair Stylists in America and International Stylist of the Year from the Canadian Mirror Awards.