Candidates give American Salon and Sam Villa® permission to use all media submitted and published as part of their entry and participation in Sam’s Shear Challenge on the brands’ respective social media platforms, their websites, and other official channels, for content and marketing purposes.

1. Eligibility: The contest is open to legal residents of the United States who are 18 years or older and have a valid U.S. state cosmetology license. Participants must have a public Instagram account. Employees, affiliates, and immediate family members of Sam Villa® and American Salon are ineligible.

2. Submission Guidelines: Those interested in being selected for Sam’s Shear Challenge must enter via the official entry form no later than August 15, 2024. They will be required to create a 10-15 second video describing their interest to participate in Sam’s Shear Challenge.

3. Rights and Permissions: Finalists grant Sam Villa® and American Salon the right to: Use, edit, and share photos and videos submitted as part of the competition, along with the participant’s name/ Instagram handle/ image, for promotional purposes on social media sites, marketing emails, company websites, and other public platforms. Participants retain ownership of their content.

4. Judging Criteria: Finalists will be chosen based on hair cutting aptitude, desire to switch to the Sam Villa® ergonomic shear, and a compelling short video.

5. Finalist Selection: Three finalists will be selected and notified on August 19, 2024 and announced on social media August 21, 2024. The finalists will each receive one Sam Villa® ergonomic shear of their choice and a Lydia (straight) or Pivot Point (textured) mannequin head for the challenge and to keep. A valid US shipping address will be required within 24 hours of notification to ensure on-time delivery.

 6. Challenge Criteria:Finalists will have from August 25 – September 1, 2024 to practice with the Sam Villa® ergonomic shear and their mannequin head, and to create their final challenge cut using the shear as their primary tool. The challenge cut and accompanying materials (photos and video) must be submitted no later than September 2, 2024.

 7. Voting: The voting period will be open from September 3 – September 9 via the American Salon website. The winner will be announced on September 10, 2024 via Sam Villa® and American Salon websites, marketing emails, and social media channels.

8. Prizes: Three (3) finalists will receive (1) Sam Villa® ergonomic shear valued at $315 - $600 and (1) Sam Villa® Lydia Mannequin Head valued at $139 or Pivot Point textured Amber Mannequin Head valued at $115. The winning contestant will receive: an American Salon feature article; accompanying publicity on American Salon and Sam Villa® social media channels; and a 30-minute one-on-one mentoring Zoom session with Sam Villa.

9. Liability and Indemnification: Participants assume all risks related to their submissions. Sam Villa® and American Salon is not liable for any injury, loss, or damage. Participants agree to indemnify Sam Villa® and American Salon against any claims arising from their videos.

10. Privacy: Personal information collected will be used solely for contest purposes. Sam Villa® and American Salon comply with privacy laws and regulations.

11. Contact Information: For inquiries, contact American Salon at eloh@questex.com.

By submitting this form, I confirm I am 18 years or older, a US resident, and (1) agree to Sam Villa’s Terms of Service, Official Contest Rules and (2) have read and acknowledged the Sam Villa® Privacy Notice.