Competitors and industry leaders from across Canada and the U.S. Traveled to Toronto to support their peers and to celebrate the country’s most gifted beauty pros at the 4th annual Contessa Award Gala on November 17. Selected from hundreds of entries and a list of 120 finalist, two nails tech were honored for excellence in the areas of artistic composition, technical precision, and inventiveness.

Jennifer Moon-Hillman of Methods Salon in Chatham, Ontario, took the top prize in the Nail Enhancement category. This 13-year industry veteran won previously in 2000, but had new inspiration this year: her year old daughter Brooke. “I wanted to make her proud.” says Moon-Hillman. Using her clients as models, she created the winning nails using Light Concept Nail’s light-cured gels.

The winner in the Natural Nail category, Anna Tauro of Salon verve in Maple, Ontario, incorporated a jail theme into her three entries. “I liked the idea of women who may be behind bars but still have nice nails”, says Tauro, a big proponent of natural nail care. Not only did she have her salon’s support in entering the contest, salon owner Lenny Ferri, a hairdresser and trained photographer, also took the photos.

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