"It was to help create meaningful, lasting change"
The South Asian Beauty Awards will take place on September 21, 2026, celebrating the brands, retailers, founders, creators and industry leaders helping to make British beauty more inclusive and culturally informed.
Announced by the South Asian Beauty Collective, the event is the first of its kind in the UK.
The inaugural ceremony will take place at The May Fair Hotel in London, bringing together figures from the beauty, retail, media, entertainment and cultural industries.
ITV’s Good Morning Britain presenter Ranvir Singh will host the event.
Meanwhile, 13-time Grammy-nominated musician, composer and activist Anoushka Shankar and BBC Radio London presenter Shay Kaur Grewal will present awards on stage.
VIP attendees are set to include BBC broadcaster Nihal Arthanayake and actor and singer Preeya Kalidas.
The awards have been launched by the South Asian Beauty Collective, which was founded by Aarti Pal in 2024 to bring communities and the beauty industry together while championing emerging talent and founders.
The Collective also aims to encourage greater cultural understanding and help businesses engage with South Asian consumers in a more authentic and sustained way.
The inaugural awards are being presented by modernspace and supported by the British Beauty Council.
Aarti said: “When I founded the South Asian Beauty Collective, the ambition was never simply to create greater visibility for the South Asian community.
“It was to help create meaningful, lasting change within the British beauty industry, opening doors, creating opportunities and ensuring that a community which has contributed so much culturally and commercially to beauty has a meaningful voice within it.
“For me, this has always been about building something that extends beyond any one event or moment.
“I want the Collective to contribute to a British beauty industry that is more representative, more culturally informed and more accessible to the next generation, and to make sure the progress we create today becomes something they can build upon tomorrow.”
The award ceremony’s judging panel includes Aarti Pal, Dame Meera Syal, Divia Thani, Rahi Chadda, Anoushka Shankar, Ria Chauhan, Sindhu Vee, Smruti Sriram OBE, Anita Bhagwandas, Sabina Ellahi, Mansha Anand, Jasroop Kaur Singh, Sonia Haria, Harpreet Chohan-Basra, Jazz K Sohal, Humeara Mohamed and Sandy Kular.
Millie Kendall OBE, CEO of the British Beauty Council, said:
“Representation and inclusion are vital to building a beauty industry that reflects the communities it serves.
“We are proud to support the inaugural South Asian Beauty Collective Awards and celebrate the people and businesses driving meaningful change across British beauty.”
Jonathan Dickinson, CEO of modernspace, added: “At modernspace, we believe the future of beauty retail is built through innovation, insight and creating experiences that truly reflect today’s consumers.
“We are proud to support the inaugural South Asian Beauty Collective Awards, recognising the brands and leaders driving meaningful progress in representation, cultural relevance and inclusion across the UK beauty industry.
“Together, we have an opportunity to help shape a more connected, representative future for beauty.”
The South Asian Beauty Awards is backed by a number of major beauty and retail partners.
Sephora, Kama Ayurveda and Qatar Duty Free are the Official Partners, while L’Oréal Paris, Tatcha, Fable & Mane and Nirvana Brands are Supporting Partners.
Bags of Ethics is the event’s Beauty Sustainability Partner.
The award categories are:
- Retail Excellence Award
- Digital Engagament Award
- Inclusive Beauty Award
- Community Engagement Award
- Holistic Wellbeing Award
- South Asian Beauty Excellence Award
- South Asian Beauty Service Award
- People’s Choice: South Asian-Founded Beauty Brand
- People’s Choice: South Asian Beauty Creator
- Rising Star Mentorship Award
- Breaking Barriers Award: challenging unconventional beauty standards
- The Collective Award
- Beauty Icon Award
Together, the categories recognise established industry leadership, community impact and emerging talent, while rewarding the businesses and individuals helping to create a beauty sector that better reflects the audiences it serves.
