Beauty and the Talent: Rogers Media and L'Oréal Canada reveal top 12 contestants for new, digital series, Canada's Best Beauty Talent

• 12 aspiring, Canadian hair and makeup artists vie for the chance to be
  named Canada’s Best Beauty Talent in six-part, original, web series –
• Series premieres April 8 online at BestBeautyTalent.com

MONTREAL, March 19, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ – The results are in and the
spotlight is on as 12 of the country’s most promising hair and makeup
artists get ready for their close-up in the all-new, digital
series, Canada’s Best Beauty Talent. With countless coast-to-coast
submissions to choose from, Rogers Media and L’Oréal Canada have
discovered the crème de la crème of Canadian beauty talent to compete
for recognition, prestige, and ultimate beauty stardom. Canada’s Best
Beauty Talent premieres April 8 on www.bestbeautytalent.com and will run online every Sunday and Monday night following the
television broadcasts of Canada’s Got Talent on Citytv.

Recognized for their beauty savvy, passion and personality, the Top 12
will be teamed up each episode – one beauty artist with one hair artist
– to compete in a series of themed challenges in hopes of impressing
the panel of renowned judges and industry experts, and ultimately being
named Canada’s Best Beauty Talent.

The grand prize winner of Canada’s Best Beauty Talent will receive the
esteemed new title and a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Paris to experience
the prestigious world of L’Oréal. The lucky hair or makeup artist will
receive a customized agenda tailored to his or her area of expertise,
and will tour the L’Oréal head offices, meet the experts, explore the
affiliated flagship salons, and more. The top two finalists will each
be named Canada’s Best Hair Artist and Canada’s Best Makeup-Artist and
will be featured in FLARE, HELLO! Canada and LOULOU (whose editors will
also review their portfolios), attend the Toronto International Film
Festival with L’Oréal Paris, and create a beauty blog with
Chatelaine.com.

The Canada’s Best Beauty Talent contestants are:

Hair Artists

Shab Aghajani – Maple, ON
At an early age, Shab was exposed to the academic environment of her
mother’s hairdressing college and managing her own clientele at age 14.
Talented and sought-after, Shab has won and placed in many notable
hairstyling competitions.

Matt Collins – Toronto, ON
Matt’s impeccable work has earned him a prestigious runway stylist of
the year title, in addition to being featured extensively on television
and in print. Matt’s work is also regularly seen at shows during Paris
Fashion Week and Toronto Fashion Week.

Isabelle Faure – Toronto, ON
Isabelle has built her experience in acclaimed salons, styled for
celebrities and major runway events, and her work has been published
internationally. Hair is Isabelle’s art form and her life, and it’s
what she believes she is meant to do.

Roger Medina Martin – Winnipeg, MB
Roger’s standout hair artistry has been featured in magazines and major
fashion catalogues in New York, Toronto and Western Canada. Roger is
also personal stylist to a top Canadian R&B artist.

Patrick Nadeau – Montreal, QC
Patrick has studied and worked under top hair artists in some of the
world’s most celebrated cities. His work has been featured in magazines
and he is the proud winner of three Color Trophy awards.

Caylee Wasilenko – Vancouver, BC
Caylee’s passion and energy for hair design is evident. With 17 years in
the business, she’s competed and taught hair art around the world and
owns her own studio. Caylee believes any dream is possible with hard
work and courage.

Makeup Artists

Léa Bégin – Trois-Rivieres, QC
Léa is an accomplished and creative makeup artist with 10 years of
experience in many aspects of her field. Léa’s talent came naturally by
learning on location, watching other artists at work and reading books
by her favourite makeup artist idols.

Kven Chi – Lavaltrie, QC
Kven is passionate about makeup, beauty and makeovers. A freelance
makeup artist for the past several years, Kven is excited about the
opportunity to amaze and be part of something bigger.

Marcia Garnes – Toronto, ON
Marcia is a makeup artist with enthusiasm and positivity, living her
life with purpose and working towards achieving her dreams. Marcia
hopes to use this opportunity to showcase her talents to a larger
audience.

Jenna Kuchera – Vancouver, BC
Jenna is an award-winning makeup artist with projects that include music
videos, commercials, bridal and editorial print work. Jenna also
teaches makeup classes at a renowned Vancouver college.

Cait Mizzi – Burlington, ON
Cait exudes creativity and innovation as a makeup artist. With more than
seven years of experience, Cait’s work has left a mark on the Toronto
commercial and entertainment community and has beautified the pages of
many publications.

Andrea Tiller – Vancouver, BC
Andrea Tiller has a passion and flair for artistic expression. An
honours beauty graduate, she is currently an instructor of fashion
makeup application. Andrea has participated in international fashion
shows and her work has been featured in top magazines.

Images and biographies are available at www.bestbeautytalent.com

Canada’s Best Beauty Talent is the first talent search of its kind in
Canada to be featured solely on a digital media platform, and will
showcase a variety of the country’s most skilled and promising beauty
artists. Each webisode will see hair and makeup stylists teamed up to
create a specific look, corresponding with the theme of each week’s
challenge, in hopes of impressing the panel of judges and being
named Canada’s Best Beauty Talent. This original digital series is a
celebration of the thriving Canadian beauty industry and its multitude
of skilled professionals.

Visit www.bestbeautytalent.com, follow us on Twitter @BeautyTalent, and “like” us on Facebook for the latest updates, info and
announcements.

About L’Oréal Canada 
L’Oréal Canada is a wholly-owned subsidiary of L’Oréal Group, the
largest cosmetics company in the world. Headquartered in Montreal,
L’Oréal Canada has sales over $850 million and employs more than 1,200
people. The company’s prestigious brand portfolio of over 25 brands
includes Kérastase, L’Oréal Professionnel, Redken, Matrix, L’Oréal
Paris, Garnier, Maybelline New York, Essie, Ombrelle, Lancôme,
Biotherm, Yves Saint-Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren, Stella
McCartney, Kiehl’s Since 1851, Viktor & Rolf, shu uemura, Diesel, Roger
& Gallet, Vichy, SkinCeuticals, La Roche-Posay Laboratoire
Pharmaceutique, Clarisonic. 

About Rogers Media 
Rogers Media Inc., a division of Rogers Communications Inc., (TSX: RCI;
NYSE: RCI), operates Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. and Rogers
Publishing Ltd. Rogers Broadcasting has 55 AM and FM radio stations
across Canada. Television properties include five Citytv stations, five
OMNI multicultural television stations, Sportsnet (consisting of four
regional channels and the nationally-distributed Sportsnet ONE),
and The Shopping Channel, a televised and internet shopping
service. Rogers Publishing produces many well-known consumer magazines,
such as Maclean’s, Chatelaine, Flare, L’actualité, and Canadian
Business, and is the publisher of a number of leading industry, medical
and financial publications. All media properties are integrated with
their own popular websites. Rogers Media Inc. owns Rogers Centre
stadium, year-round sports and entertainment facility, and the Toronto
Blue Jays Baseball Club.