In a remarkable outcome for the New England region, two standout hair salons—Sass & Co on Darling in Tamworth and HALO Hair Design of Armidale—have been jointly awarded the title of Best Hairdresser in the 2025 “Best in the New England” (BITNE) competition, after attracting exactly the same number of votes.
This annual promotion by New England Times celebrates excellence across local businesses, and this year’s hairdresser category was especially competitive due to the temporary closure of last year’s winner, Ash Hair Collective.
Sass & Co on Darling, led by Berneice Edwards, is known for its boutique atmosphere and a wide range of high-quality services, including creative colouring, dry cutting techniques, extensions, treatments, and wedding styling. The salon’s commitment to excellence and client satisfaction has earned it a loyal customer base, which was reflected in the glowing comments received with their BITNE votes.
Voter Layne said, “Tay is absolutely amazing does what is best for your hair whilst always keeping her clients happy. She ensures you walk out feeling amazing after every service and the attention to detail she has is perfect. Tay truly has talent for hair and is by far the best.”
Taylah is the manager of the salon and works closely with Ms Edwards and their 2 other team members, apprentice Emily, and senior stylist Emma.
Ms Edwards, who has owned the salon for 6 years now said, “We are best known for specialising in blonde hair and ‘lived-in’ blonde colours but we cater for absolutely everyone.”
Ms Edwards said, “We really want to thank the community for their support and for voting for us, as a small business, we wouldn’t be where we are today without our beautiful clients.”
Tying for first place this year is HALO Hair Design in Armidale. They have also garnered acclaim for its personalised haircuts and colouring services. The salon’s dedication to creating a welcoming environment and delivering exceptional results has clearly resonated with the community.
Voter Rhylee said, “Emma is always keeping up with all the new trends and always nails old and new ideas! Her work is effortless and beautiful!”
Emma Barton, owner of HALO, said, “I bought HALO 3 years ago and have worked in the salon for nearly 8 years.”
“It’s just me, lash technician Georgie, and my helper who comes in to help with tidying but we’re a tight knit team.”
“We specialise in blonde and colour blending styles, as well as in salon up-dos and event styling.”
HALO offers a warm friendly environment, with many commenting on how welcoming Emma is of their children.
“Thank you all so much for your support, it really means the world,” said Ms Barton.
Hairdresser is always a strongly contested category, with a number of other salons across the region also getting a strong number of votes. Ginger & Thyme Hair Co in Armidale earned an honourable mention narrowly missing the top spot. Known for its exceptional service and creative styling, the salon opened by Jasmine when she was just 21 has built a loyal clientele who appreciate her commitment to excellence.
Each day brings a new category for the Best in the New England promotion – see what category is up today and cast your vote here.
Best in the New England is an annual promotion run by New England Times. Find out more here.
See who won last year.
Read the terms and conditions of the promotion.
See all the stories about Best in the New England including winner profiles.