Award Levels
International Beauty Awards™ uses a clear three-level recognition outcome system: Nominee, Gold Award, and Grand Gold Award.
Applicants choose the recognition field. IBA determines the final distinction.
Quick Answer
International Beauty Awards™ has three possible recognition outcomes: Nominee, Gold Award, and Grand Gold Award. Applicants do not apply for a specific level. Each applicant selects one recognition field for each entry, and IBA determines the final level after review. The issued level must be used accurately according to the official result, award year, recognition field, and entry record.
The Core Rule
IBA does not sell or pre-assign award levels. Applicants select the recognition field that best fits the subject of recognition. After the entry is submitted and reviewed, IBA determines whether the entry receives Nominee, Gold Award, or Grand Gold Award.
The level is the result of review, not the applicant's selection.
Beauty Professionals, Beauty Brands, Beauty Products, Beauty Salons & Centers, Beauty Supply Chain & Manufacturing, or Beauty Industry Services & Enablement.
Provide profile information, visuals, public links, supporting materials, and a statement of merit.
The entry is considered through the IBA honor-based review framework.
The result may be Nominee, Gold Award, or Grand Gold Award.
The Three Levels
Each level is an issued review outcome. Recipients should use the official level exactly as recorded by IBA.
Nominee is a formal recognition status for entries accepted into the IBA recognition record after review. It indicates that the entry has been considered within its selected recognition field and has reached the threshold for official IBA recognition status.
Use Nominee wording only when Nominee is the issued level. Do not describe a Nominee-only result as Gold Award or as an overall winner result.
Gold Award is a higher distinction for entries demonstrating strong merit, presentation, relevance, and contribution within the selected recognition field. It should be used only for the entry, field, and year officially issued.
Do not upgrade Gold Award wording to Grand Gold Award. Do not imply product approval, clinical proof, or technical verification.
Grand Gold Award is the highest distinction within the IBA framework, reserved for entries showing exceptional strength across the review dimensions and field context. It must be used exactly according to the official issued result.
Do not imply world ranking, government endorsement, guaranteed market performance, or IBA certification.
Level Comparison
The distinction level changes the result wording, but it does not change the core boundary: IBA recognition is an award-based honor.
| Level | Role in IBA System | What It Indicates | How It May Be Used | Important Boundary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominee | Formal recognition status | Entry reached official recognition threshold | Profiles, websites, social media, press, registry where applicable | Do not call it Gold Award or winner if issued only as Nominee |
| Gold Award | Higher distinction | Strong merit, presentation, relevance, and contribution | Brand materials, product pages, professional profiles, media, presentations | Do not upgrade wording to Grand Gold Award |
| Grand Gold Award | Highest distinction | Exceptional strength across review dimensions and field context | High-level communication, official profiles, press, brand guide use, registry reference | Do not imply certification, regulatory approval, or guaranteed performance |
Review Range
IBA may use internal or published score ranges where applicable. If score ranges are displayed on the website, they should remain consistent across all pages.
Recognition threshold range where score ranges are published.
Higher distinction range where score ranges are published.
Highest distinction range where score ranges are published.
If IBA does not publicly release numerical scores for a specific edition, recipients should use only the issued recognition level and approved wording.
Official Wording Formula
The clearest way to describe an IBA result is to combine the award year, recognition field, and issued level.
[Year] + [Recognition Level] + International Beauty Awards™ + [Recognition Field]
Clear Boundaries
IBA recognition levels are issued within the IBA award-based honor framework. They must not be used to imply regulatory, technical, medical, legal, professional, laboratory, or governmental approval.
Fees & Outcomes
Entry fees support administrative handling, entry record processing, category alignment, review coordination, result documentation, certificate reference preparation, registry preparation, and award mark guidance where applicable.
Supports entry administration and review coordination.
Determined by IBA after review.
Issued only according to the final result.
Payment of an entry fee does not purchase Nominee, Gold Award, or Grand Gold Award status.
Multiple Entries
One applicant may submit multiple entries when different subjects require independent recognition. Each entry is reviewed separately and may receive a different level.
Recognition issued to one entry does not automatically apply to other products, brands, branches, founders, services, suppliers, or future launches.
Accurate Use
Responsible wording protects the value of the IBA record and prevents confusion between honor recognition and certification claims.
CorrectGold Award recipient, International Beauty Awards™
CorrectUse only the issued level.
CorrectRecognized by International Beauty Awards™ in the Beauty Products field.
CorrectUse recognition only for the specific entry recorded by IBA.
CorrectUse Nominee when Nominee is the issued level.
Award Levels FAQ
The key rule: applicants choose the recognition field. IBA determines the final distinction.
No. Applicants choose the recognition field. IBA determines the final distinction after review.
The three possible levels are Nominee, Gold Award, and Grand Gold Award.
Yes. Nominee is a formal recognition status within the IBA framework for entries accepted into the recognition record after review.
Yes. Grand Gold Award is the highest distinction within the IBA framework.
No. Fees support entry administration and review coordination. They do not purchase or guarantee any recognition level.
No. Recipients must use only the mark, wording, level, year, and field issued by IBA.
No. IBA award levels are honor-based recognition outcomes. They are not certification, laboratory testing, regulatory approval, clinical proof, medical endorsement, professional licensing, or legal compliance certification.
Ready to Enter
A clear entry begins with the right recognition field and accurate materials. IBA will determine the final distinction after review.