Entrepreneur of the Year: KRISTAN SERAFINO (“THE BEST PASTE”)
Celebrity hairstylist and men’s grooming expert, Kristan Serafino, is making waves in the world of men’s haircare. Her tour de force, The Best Paste, is an award-winning, incredibly versatile product offering men the perfect hold plus soft, manageable hair. Starting as a shampoo assistant making $6.50 an hour, she worked her way up to become a juggernaut in the field, with a portfolio of celebrity guests from Shawn Mendes and Matthew McConaughey to Kelsey Grammer and Ryan Reynolds. Her work has appeared on the covers of GQ, Esquire, Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Cosmopolitan and she’s so passionate about what she does. For all these reasons, she is our NEW YOU Entrepreneur of the Year!
Influencer of the Year: GABRIEL SAMRA
Miami native, Univision star, and celebrity stylist Gabriel Samra is magnetic and mesmerizing when he’s in the zone. Known as the “master of balayage,” he’s garnered attention on Instagram, Tiktok, and worldwide with his behind-the-scenes videos, expert advice, and dazzling dance moves. As the owner of the Gabriel Samra Hair Salon in Miami, he has been a brand ambassador for Pantene Pro-V since 2012 and worked with the likes of Enrique Iglesias, Maite Perroni, Nayer, Marjorie de Sousa, and Pamela Silva Conde. In 2022 he embarked on his El Arte del Balayage tour around the world (think Vegas, Colombia, New York, and LA) which involved hair fabulousness, advanced techniques, and all things balayage.
Beauty Executive of the Year: JuE WONG (CEO Olaplex)
JuE Wong is passionate, driven, and focused. As the forward-thinking CEO and mastermind behind the massive success of Olaplex, she knows how to create and sustain global attention. Over the years her hard work has not gone unnoticed as she is the recipient of many impressive accolades and achievements including Forbes 50 over 50, Brand Builder of the Year, and a Pinnacle Award for one of the 50 most Outstanding Asian Americans in Business. During the pandemic, JuE led her team with kindness and clarity, instead of being fearful they focused on driving customers to embrace self-care rituals during quarantine. Through uncertainties and challenges, Olaplex launched a new product and saw the business grow by 97%.
Beauty Icon of the Year: TED GIBSON
From an early age Ted Gibson has had an eye for all things beautiful, trendy, and fabulous. If there’s one word we could use to describe him, it would be iconic. As an influencer, celebrity stylist and salon owner, he is one of the most sought-after editorial, runway, and celebrity hair stylists in the business working with the likes of Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Debra Messing, Angelina Jolie, Lupita Nyong’o, and Gabrielle Union. He has appeared on TV shows like TLC’s “What Not to Wear” and his work has graced the paged of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Marie Claire, Vanity Fair, and more. Along with opening his highly anticipated, exclusive salon, STARRING with his partner Jason Backe, he also launched a new collection of hair styling products entitled STARRING ™, all while filming a reality TV show for Paramount+ called “Blowing LA.” We can’t wait to see what he will be up to next.
Legacy Beauty Award: FACE STOCKHOLM
Since the days of neon eyeliner, red lipstick, and rock-star crimped bangs, Face Stockholm has been on the scene. Celebrating “beauty, wit, and grace since 1982,” FACE Stockholm is a heritage brand founded in Sweden by mother-daughter duo Gun Nowak and Martina Arfwidson. With a focus on enhancing the natural beauty of women around the world, Face Stockholm has graced the pages of Allure, Vanity Fair, and Vogue. But above all else, it has stood the test of time. Trends may come and go, but when you find a brand that just does it right year after year, you will see customers raving about it for generations. Maybe that’s the winning formula of a mother-daughter team. Face Stockholm is a staple that is here to stay.
Mogul of the Year: DANESSA MYRICKS
Danessa Myricks is not just building a makeup empire, she is committed to changing the dialogue on inclusion. If you’re curious about Danessa Myricks, just ask any of her 900,000 Instagram followers or her ambassadors, the DMB Angels. As a self-taught makeup artist and entrepreneur, Danessa built her brand, Danessa Myrick Beauty (DMB), from the ground up. From the start, she was passionate about creating a product that made everyone feel welcome. “I’m hoping for a future where everyone is always included in every conversation in the beauty industry, regardless of gender, regardless of age, regardless of how you identify, who you love, or what your style of makeup is.” Her brand, in partnership with Sephora, has graced the pages of Vogue, Allure, Ebony, Elle and many more. What a role mogul!
Style Icon of the Year: NICOLE MURPHY
CEO of Y-Foy, a beauty and wellness company and media personality, Nicole Murphy has been gracing red carpets, reality TV shows, and magazines for years. The stunning 5’10 former model is quite the fashionista and can always be seen sporting the newest looks. Even as she juggles being a mother of five, the wellness company guru knows how important it is to focus on self-care and being healthy. Her Instagram is full of tips, fitness workouts, and the latest beauty trends. Still, she remains humble, saying, “having confidence in yourself, your age and society’s expectations don’t define who you are…” she says. “There’s no need to search for the Fountain of youth, it’s already within each of us!”
