By Editorial TeamYou’ve seen them everywhere, the ‘Reader’s Choice’ plaques and ‘Best Of’ awards crowding salon windows. People think a shiny trophy guarantees great service, but there’s a lot of misunderstanding about what these awards actually mean. The reality is usually more complicated.
Key Takeaways
- Most ‘Best Of’ awards are just popularity contests. They don’t vet a salon’s skill or cleanliness.
- Check a salon’s official license and inspection reports with your state’s cosmetology board instead of just trusting an award.
- A ‘hygiene award’ might just be from a self-reported checklist, so you still need to watch their sanitation practices with your own eyes.
- A great salon proves its worth with happy clients, being open about its methods, and its staff constantly learning.
- Do your own research and see the salon for yourself, don’t let an award make the decision for you.
Myth 1: “Best Of” Awards Guarantee Superior Service Quality
The biggest myth out there is that an award equals top-tier service. It’s just not true. A lot of local ‘Best Of’ awards are nothing more than popularity polls where customers vote, and sometimes they’re even given a discount to do so. While they’re nice for celebrating well-liked local spots, these contests almost never have someone objectively checking the technician’s skill, the quality of the products used, or actual client results. A salon can win “Best Waxing Salon” just by having a huge, loyal following who votes every year, not because any expert ever judged their waxing technique or the aftercare they provide. In fact, if you dig into it, you’ll see most of these awards openly admit they’re based on public votes. According to a 2024 survey from the Professional Beauty Association (PBA), 78% of people say awards matter when they pick a salon, but a tiny 15% ever look into what it takes to win one. That disconnect shows just how many people are being misled by a sticker in the window.
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Find a Wax Center Near You →| Feature | “Best Of” Awards (e.g., Reader’s Choice) | Third-Party Hygiene Awards | State Board Inspection Reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Vetting Method | Public Voting (popularity) | Self-reporting or single inspection | Unannounced, objective inspections |
| Reliability of Service Quality | ✗ Low (popularity, not skill) | ✗ Irrelevant to service quality | ✗ Irrelevant to service quality |
| Reliability of Hygiene Standards | ✗ Low (not assessed) | Partial (varies, often superficial) | ✓ High (publicly accessible violations) |
| Transparency of Criteria | Partial (often public voting) | ✗ Low (varies, often vague) | ✓ High (defined regulations) |
| Consumer Investigation Rate | 15% investigate award criteria (2024 PBA) | ✗ Low (often assumed valid) | ✓ High (direct verification encouraged) |
| Risk of Bias | ✓ High (incentivized votes) | Partial (self-reported bias) | ✗ Low (regulatory body) |
| Reflects Current Standards | ✗ Low (snapshot in time) | ✗ Low (snapshot, not ongoing) | ✓ High (reflects recent compliance) |
Myth 2: Hygiene Awards Mean Flawless Sanitation Practices
It’s easy to feel safe when you see a “Hygiene Certified” sticker on the door, but the actual standards for these awards are all over the place. Some are just based on the salon filling out a checklist about their own practices with nobody double-checking them. Others involve a single inspection, often scheduled in advance, which tells you nothing about what happens on a random Tuesday. For real information, look at something like the reports from the Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers, who perform *unannounced* inspections. You can look up their reports online, and that will give you a much clearer picture of whether a salon is actually disinfecting tools properly than some private ‘cleanliness award’ ever will. I’ve personally seen salons with a “Cleanest Salon” award on the wall that had a history of serious violations for cross-contamination on their state board report. Real hygiene is a constant process, not a piece of paper. You’re better off looking for proof yourself, like seeing them open individually packaged tools, and checking the official state board records.
Myth 3: Industry Association Awards Are Always Impartial
You’d think awards from major industry associations would be more trustworthy, but they can have their own set of problems. It’s not uncommon for these awards to go to businesses that are big sponsors, long-time members, or always show up at conferences. Of course, some association awards are legitimate. Reputable groups like the National Association of Estheticians (NAE) have tough judging processes that can require everything from detailed applications and client proof to live demonstrations of skill. You just have to do your homework on who is giving out the award and how they decide on a winner. Who are the judges anyway, are they just other sponsors? You need to know the criteria and what any application fees are used for. If they aren’t open about how it all works and the details are hard to find, you should be skeptical.
Myth 4: A Salon With Many Awards Is Automatically Better Than One With None
Seeing a wall full of awards doesn’t automatically mean a salon is better than one with none. That’s a huge mistake. Think about all the amazing smaller or newer salons out there. They often don’t bother with awards because the application process is a huge time and money sink. A busy owner would rather spend that money on advanced training or better products for you. Some of the best salons I know actually refuse to participate in award programs because they build their reputation the old-fashioned way: through word-of-mouth and amazing, consistent service. I can name several top-tier waxing specialists in Buckhead who are booked solid for months, have never won a single ‘Best Of’ award, and couldn’t care less. They’re focused on their clients, not collecting trophies. So don’t write off a salon just because it doesn’t have a wall of fame.
Myth 5: Awards Reflect Current Performance and Standards
An award only shows you what a salon was like at a single point in the past. That “Best of 2023” award is great, but it tells you nothing about the service, staff, or hygiene standards in 2026. Things change. People quit, new management comes in, and businesses cut corners when money gets tight. That award-winning salon from three years ago could now be using cheaper products or getting lazy with their sanitation. This is exactly why recent reviews on places like Google Maps or Yelp are so much more useful, they give you a real-time look at how the salon is actually operating today. Always check the date on an award. If it’s old, think of it as a nice memory for them, not a current stamp of approval. It’s up to you to look past the trophy. Sure, ‘Best Of’ awards are tempting, but making a good choice means you have to focus on what really matters: consistent quality and provable professionalism that you can see for yourself.
How do I check a salon’s license and inspection history?
Go directly to your state’s cosmetology board website. For example, in Georgia, you’d use the Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers site and find their “License Search” tool. This is where you find the real data on whether they’re following the rules.
What are some hygiene red flags I should look for?
Big red flags are dirty wax pots, seeing an esthetician “double-dip” a waxing stick, tools that aren’t in sealed packages, grimy workstations, or staff not washing hands or changing gloves between appointments. Pay attention when you’re there.
Are online reviews better than awards?
Recent online reviews often give you a much better picture of what a salon is like right now. Don’t just look at the star rating. Read through them to find patterns in what people are saying (good and bad) and look for reviews that describe the actual experience in detail.
Is it okay to ask a salon about their awards?
Absolutely. Ask them who gave them the award, what the rules were for winning, and what year they won. A good salon won’t be weird about it. They’ll be happy to tell you about their accomplishments.
So what actually makes for a good waxing service?
A great wax comes from a licensed and experienced technician who is obsessed with sanitation (no double-dipping!). They should use the right kind of wax for your skin and the specific area, make the process as comfortable as possible, and give you solid aftercare advice. Getting that same great service every single time you go is the best sign of all.
