ZIMSPHERE
The inaugural Zimbabwe Beauty Industry Awards took place recently in Harare, drawing entrepreneurs, salon owners, therapists and other beauty professionals to a night of celebration and acknowledgment of a sector that has long operated under the radar. With red-carpet moments, winners sharing their success on social media and an atmosphere charged with creativity, the event delivered a vivid showcase of the talent at work in Zimbabwe’s hair, makeup, skincare, nails and aesthetic services space.
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| Zimbabwe Beauty Industry Awards founder and CEO Natasha Mutizira and Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Development Minister Monica Mutsvangwa share a light moment at the recently held awards ceremony. |
Beyond the glamor, the awards carried deeper significance for the industry’s future. Speaking at the ceremony, Monica Mutsvangwa, Minister of Women Affairs, Community and SME Development, affirmed that the beauty sector is a “force, a dynamic sector worthy of recognition, respect and celebration.”
The Minister emphasised that many beauty-businesses are female- and youth-led micro and small enterprises and that formalising these operations would unlock access to financing, skills development and stronger participation in the economy.
Organisers used the event as a springboard, placing the craft of beauty professionals front and centre and positioning it as a legitimate business and growth area. The evening’s atmosphere, widely reflected on the Awards’ Instagram feed, showed not only proud winners and glitzy moments, but also a burgeoning network of practitioners and brands marking their arrival on a bigger stage.
It was a beautiful moment seeing the vision of Natasha Mutizira come to life; with Minister Mutsvangwa adding some much-needed recognition for the platform.
This matters because the beauty industry in Zimbabwe, until now, has often existed informally and without coordinated recognition. With this awards event and the government’s stated support for formalisation, the industry finds itself at a junction: from service-provider craft to enterprise with structure, brand and growth potential.
Formalising operations—registering businesses, accessing formal funding, developing skills and aligning with policy frameworks—now appears more achievable and more aligned with the national aim of boosting small and medium enterprises.
The Zimbabwe Beauty Industry Awards were not just a ceremony to hand out trophies. They signalled a shift in how Zimbabwe views its beauty professionals: as creators, business owners and contributors to the economy. With government backing and a platform that shines a spotlight on excellence, the industry may well be stepping into a new era of recognition, structure and growth.
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