America’s Beauty Show (ABS), owned and produced by Cosmetologists Chicago, has revealed the winners of the 2026 Global Image Awards (GIA), honoring exceptional artistry, creativity, and innovation across the professional beauty industry.
Recognized as one of the industry’s most prestigious competitions, the America’s Beauty Show Global Image Awards spotlight excellence across a range of disciplines, including Barbering, Classic Color, Creative Color, Full Concept, Haircutting, Motion AI, Team Collaboration, and Texture Expert. Each category reflects the evolving artistry and technical precision shaping the future of beauty.
Selected through a blind judging process by a panel of respected industry leaders, media, and educators, each winner was chosen on the strength of their work, evaluating technical execution, creativity, and overall visual impact. This year’s competition showcased established talent and emerging voices from around the world, further reinforcing ABS as a global stage for artistic recognition.
“The ABS Global Image Awards distinguish work that is both technically rigorous and creatively progressive,” said Jessi Marshall-Ewald, ABS Vice President Education and Event. “This year’s winners reflect a refined and evolving industry, and we are very proud to honor them for their creativity, precision, and artistry. Congratulations!
The 2026 Global Image Awards winners were presented live on Saturday, April 18, 2026, during the 103rd America’s Beauty Show at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. Too Hype Crew provided live entertainment.
The 2026 ABS Global Image Awards Winners:
BARBERING – PROFESSIONAL
- Carlos Estrella, Los Cut It, Chicago, IL, USA
CLASSIC COLOR – PROFESSIONAL
- Sandie Tucker, The Hair Phoenix, Deland, FL, USA
CREATIVE COLOR – PROFESSIONAL
- Brayden Pelletier, just b hair, Braselton, GA USA
FULL CONCEPT – PROFESSIONAL
- Michelle O’Connor, Michelle O’Connor Beauty, Hollywood, FL, USA
HAIRCUTTING – PROFESSIONAL
- David Barron, Barron’s London Salon, Atlanta, GA, USA
MOTION AI – PROFESSIONAL
- Carlos Estrella, Los Cut It, Chicago, IL, USA
TEAM COLLABORATION – PROFESSIONAL
- Chrystofer Benson, Chrystofer Benson Collective, Glendale, UT, USA
TEXTURE EXPERT – PROFESSIONAL
- Chrystofer Benson, Chrystofer Benson Collective, Glendale, UT, USA
Notably, Michelle O’Connor was named the Global Image Leo Passage Award winner, in honor of the late Pivot Point International founder and Cosmetologists Chicago member, Leo Passage.
