The 27th annual Canadian Hairstylist of the Year Awards finalists have been announced! After months of shooting, entering and planning, all of the excitement is getting closer as we get ready to announce the winners at the 2016 Contessa Awards gala on November 8 at the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto.

For the second year in a row, we’re asking you to be the judge in our Fan Favourite award. Peruse the Contessa finalist collections and then vote. The winner will be announced at the gala on November 8 (so get your tickets now)!

Congratulations to all of the finalists! 

Canadian Hairstylist

Stacey Abdella, Ricci Hair Co., St. Albert, Alta.

Karina Brasseur, Coupe Sculpture, Repentigny, Que.

John Jen Hoe Chong, Harrow Hair Company, Edmonton

Alina Friesen, A Michael Levine Salon Group, Vancouver

Mandy MacFadden, Salon Decorum, Newmarket, Ont.

Guylaine Martel, Guylaine Martel Artistes Coiffeurs, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.

Michelle Pargee, Milica Salon Spa, Langley, B.C.

Alain Pereque, Salon Saco Drummond, Montreal

Julie Vriesinga, Salon Entrenous, London, Ont.

Canadian Salon Team

Blushes, Ottawa, Ont.

Civello Salon, Toronto

Élan Hair Studio, Winnipeg

Local B, Montreal

Ölab Coiffeurs, Montreal

Salon Pure, Montreal

Suki’s, Vancouver

Toque & Cie, Victoriaville, Que.

Zinc Hair, Vancouver

Elite Master Hairstylist

Domenic Commisso, Fiorio Square One, Mississauga, Ont.

Anthony Crosfield, Union Salon, Vancouver

Erin Fernandes, Maria Bikas Salon, London, Ont.

Rossa Jurenas, Studio Rossa, Tillsonburg, Ont.

Ludovic Leroy-Vigier, Rayko Coiffure, Montreal

Guylaine Martel, Guylaine Martel Artistes Coiffeurs, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.

Tony Ricci, Ricci Hair Co., Edmonton

Domenico Tomei, Fernando Cellini Hair Salon, Ottawa, Ont.

Silas Tsang, Blushes, Ottawa, Ont.

Master Colourist

Melissa Duguay, Eccentric Hair Studio, Moncton, N.B.

Rossa Jurenas, Studio Rossa, Tillsonburg, Ont.

Heidi Kenney, Heidi Kenney Hair Studio, Yarmouth, N.S.

Dana Lyseng, Supernova Salon, North Vancouver, B.C.

Michelle Pargee, Milica Salon Spa, Langley, B.C.

Audrey Adrine Petrosyan, Mas’oud Salon, Toronto

Rhianna Reddekopp, Terra Casa, Langley, B.C.

Marlo Steenman, The Glamour Box, St. Albert, Alta.

Loretta Tom, Salon Haze, Vancouver

Renn VonDyck, Élan Hair Studio, Winnipeg

Canadian Colourist

Rodrigo Araneda, Ölab Coiffeurs, Montreal

Ann-Marie Goupil, Salon Espace C, Brossard, Que.

Connor Lange, Rapunzel’s Hair Design, Stratford, Ont.

Karly Menzies, Cutting Room Creative, Nanaimo, B.C.

Joan Novak, JoNo Hair, Whistler, B.C.

Michelle Oliver, Kick Hair & Body, Edmonton

Nicole Pede, InStyle Salon & Spa, Aylmer, Ont.

Ricardo Perdigao, Blunt Salon Inc., Edmonton

Lisa Smith, Mint Hair Lounge, Port Moody, B.C.

Norm Wright, Taz Hair Co., Toronto

Session Hairstylist

Guylaine Martel, Guylaine Martel Artistes Coiffeurs, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.

Simone Pettigrew, Fuss Art of Hair, Edmonton

Stephanie Schewe, Salon Collage, Etobicoke, Ont.

Dat Tran, Dat Salon, Toronto

Marilyn Vendittelli, Valvano Salon, St. Catharines, Ont.

Texture Hairstylist

Cynthia Boisclair, Oxygen Coiffure, Drummondville, Que.

Mathieu Hubert, Supernova Salon, North Vancouver, B.C.

Johanna Libbey, Moods Hair Salon, Vancouver

Stephanie Schewe, Salon Collage, Etobicoke, Ont.

Julie Vriesinga, Salon Entrenous, London, Ont.

Mens Hairstylist

Matty Conrad, Victory Barber & Brand, Victoria, B.C.

Maki Mak, Zinc Hair, Vancouver

Tyana Nichole, Pop Opera Salon, Vancouver

Paul Pereira, Solo Bace, Toronto

Dorothy Tsang, Blushes, Ottawa, Ont.

Avant Garde Hairstylist

Alina Friesen, A Michael Levine Salon Group, Vancouver

Alexandre Melançon, Oblic Salon Spa Urbain, Montreal

Palma N’Sheluvzit, The Hair Spot, Toronto

Stéphane Scotto di Cesare, Freelance, Montreal

Ivy Tatlock, Zoom Hair Studio, New Westminster, B.C.

Multicultural Hairstylist

Jessy (Soyeon) Jin, Pomp & Proper Salon, Vancouver

Ludovic Leroy-Vigier, Rayko Coiffure, Montreal

Johanna Libbey, Moods Hair Salon, Vancouver

Daniel Naumovski, Taz Hair Co., Toronto

Freddy Sim, Moods Hair Salon, Vancouver

Hair Extensions Artist

Chantel Allen, Pro Club 11, Edmonton

Thomas Cameron, Taz Hair Co., Toronto

Lindsay Gray, Define Hair Design, Burlington, Ont.

Jennifer Reid, Chatters Hair Salon, London, Ont.

Sonia Yarkhani, Evolve Hair Studio, Toronto

Makeup Artist

Noelle Hill, Blunt Salon Inc., Edmonton

Bree Powell, Makeup by Bree, Toronto

Virginie T. Simard, Guylaine Martel Artistes Coiffeurs, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.

Rita Stirpe, Makeup by Rita Stirpe, Woodbridge, Ont.

Ekaterina Ulyanoff, Salon Pure, Montreal

Canadian Nail Artist

Valerie Ducharme, Valerie Ducharme, Laval, Que.

Nargis Khan, Tips Nail Bar, Toronto

Claire Mifsud, Tips Nail Bar, Toronto

Naomi Misu, Tips Nail Bar, Toronto

Rheanne Thackeray, Vivid Hair and Esthetics, Lloydminster, Alta.

New Hairstylist

Étienne Cloutier, Coiffure Cut In, Québec, Que.

Connor Lange, Rapunzel’s Hair Design, Stratford, Ont.

Brittany Ostash, Axis Hair Salon, Vancouver

Sandra Perovic, Ignite Hair & Beauty Lounge, Vancouver

David Vendittelli, Valvano Salon, St. Catharines, Ont.

Student/Apprentice Hairstylist

Kaitlin Belland, Rock Paper Shears Hair Studio, Edmonton

Thalia Claveria, W.A.C. Hair Group, Markham, Ont.

Elizabeth Maximenko, Hairspray ‘N Gloss, Toronto

Michael Sauvageot, Donato Academy of Hairstyling and Aesthetics, Mississauga, Ont.

John Seo, Taz Hair Co., Etobicoke, Ont.

Alberta Hairstylist

Curtis Anweiler, Collektive Hair Inc., Edmonton

Rob Gaspar, Blunt Salon Inc., Edmonton

Ricardo Perdigao, Blunt Salon Inc., Edmonton

Michelle Oliver, Kick Hair & Beauty, Edmonton

Beverly Robertson, Influence Salon, Calgary

Atlantic Hairstylist

Melissa Duguay, Eccentric Hair Studio, Moncton, N.B.

Jelena Frolov, Chatters Hair Salon, St. John’s, N.L.

Alma Head, Alma’s Family Hair Salon, Sydney, N.S.

Angela Lockert, Tangerine Hair, Charlottetown, P.E.I.

Chelsea Sutherland, Chelsea Laine Salon & Colour Bar, New Glasglow, N.S.

British Columbia Hairstylist

Alina Friesen, A Michael Levine Salon Group, Vancouver

Ken Hung, Salon Era, Richmond

Maki Mak, Zinc Hair, Vancouver

Karly Menzies, Cutting Room Creative, Nanaimo

Freddy Sim, Moods Hair Salon, Vancouver

Ontario Hairstylist

Christopher Asta, Harmony Hair Care, Peterborough

Thelma Bento, Taz Hair Co., London

Krysten-Ashley Garrod, Qi Salon, Toronto

Palma N’Sheluvzit, The Hair Spot, Toronto

Dorothy Tsang, Blushes, Ottawa

Quebec Hairstylist

Nadia Abouwaked, Salon de Coiffure Effusion, Montreal

Gilles-Bernard Brassard, Tonique Beauté SPA, Chicoutimi

Jean-Sebastien Chalut, O Salon, Montreal

Geneviève Dubois, Oblic Salon Spa Urbain, Montreal

Eric St-Jean, Salon Saco Laval, Laval

Saskatchewan/Manitoba Hairstylist

Tara Keating, Salon Haze, Regina, Sask.

Guy Lemieux, Berns & Black Salon, Winnipeg

Crystal Dawn Malchuk, Hair Takers, Brandon, Man.

Josie Vilayvanh, Freelance, Winnipeg

Renn VonDyck, Élan Hair Studio, Winnipeg

Salon Interior Design

Blueberry Hair Salon and Spa, Oakville, Ont.

Dean Delmonte & Company, Toronto

Kozeta Salon, Toronto

Maison Le Drew Costello, Toronto

Supernova Salon, North Vancouver, B.C.

The John Steinberg Award for Community Service

Amici Spa Inc., Markham, Ont.

Artists Salon and Spa, Newmarket, Ont.

Element Hair, Waterloo, Ont.

Salon 247, Brampton, Ont.

Storm Hair Group, St. Catharines, Ont.

Photo: Contessa 26 Canadian Hairstylist of the Year Finalist Julie Vriesinga, Salon Entrenous, London, Ont., Makeup: Paula Tizzard and Brandy Dogan, Photo: Florencia Taylor