MEET GABRIEL

Gabriel Samra, "The Beauty Wizard," was born in the beautiful city of Valencia, Venezuela, on June 14, 1979. Samra is very proud of his Lebanese heritage and he attributes much of his success to his family because they instilled the importance of their culture in him from an early age.

Art is deeply embedded in his soul. "I knew from a young age that I wanted to be part of the Entertainment world, I just didn't know how I would get there. I studied acting and liked it. Then I practiced dance and later explored production, which I eventually developed a passion for. I really enjoyed entertaining different types of audiences; I’ve always been in love with TV, the cameras, lights and show business in general. Although there are no professional artists in my family, when you meet my parents, you realize they have art running through their veins. My mother is a great chef, and my father an excellent dancer."

At 21, Gabriel had to leave his beloved Venezuela. "I fled my country because of the harsh living conditions and political instability; it was a very traumatic moment for me. My parents moved me to Miami to shield me from the violence of my country."

Upon arriving to South Florida, he worked in retail, as a customer service telemarketer, and even served hamburgers at McDonald's. However, destiny was leading him toward his dreams in the entertainment industry and that’s where he began flirting with the world of Beauty.

"A friend of mine, who was then the makeup artist for the Mexican star Lucía Méndez, took me to meet her. I told her about my dream of working in television, and to my surprise, Lucía asked her assistant to help me get a job with Venevisión. Thanks to her and her team, I got the opportunity to work on telenovelas that Televisa was filming in Miami."

Samra also began working as a prop assistant on various series, then transitioned into the production of reality shows at Telemundo. He knew that diversifying his experience would be key and simultaneously explored work in Radio. His excellent communication skills, creativity, and outgoing personality led him to other great opportunities in front of the camera. "They hired me to be a reporter on their lifestyle program, Nítido and I also worked on specials like the Latin Billboard Awards. What always amazed me was seeing how stylists transformed artist’s hair and makeup before the cameras even started rolling; it was almost like they were creating magic."

A highlight in Gabriel’s career is when he was given the the opportunity to interview Ricky Martin. "I observed how he managed everything around him, and asked him, 'How do you stay humble?' To this day, his answer still resonates as great advice: 'I take compliments like expensive perfumes, I simply smell them, but I don't put them on my skin.'” Gabriel also interviewed the late Jenny Rivera, Daddy Yankee, and David Bisbal among others.

Samra’s purpose is to uplift women by helping them feel better about themself through his artwork. Gabriel’s mission is to empower stylist around the world by providing his students the right tools to excel in their careers as entrepreneurs and spiritually guide them to achieve their dreams.

THE BIRTH OF “THE BEAUTY WIZARD”

Gabriel pays close attention to the messages and signs that life sends him. Unbeknownst to Thalía, the famous Mexican actress and singer, had a lot to do with Samra’s career move into the beauty industry. While listening to her song “Enséname a Vivir” (Teach Me to Live) he felt as if Thalía was talking to him. The lyrics; 'Today, life told me it’s never too late… today, for the first time, I know what I want, teach me to live.'” changed his life. At that moment, he decided to become a cosmetologist and the rest is history!

His work and talent quickly spoke for itself and soon requests started pouring in. Samra started appearing as a beauty expert on Telemundo’s Emmy award winning morning show, Un Nuevo Día. Less than a year after graduating, he opened his own beauty salon in Coral Gables, Florida. Then, little by little, celebrities came knocking at his door.

He’s helped create iconic looks for Latina celebrities like Karol G, Paulina Rubio, Gloria Trevi, Paulina Goto, Jackie Bracamontes, Michelle Salas, Carmen Aub and Rashel Díaz. Gabriel has also worked with various international superstars like Gisele Bündchen and Chiara Ferrangi to name a few. His dedication, attention to detail, and innovative cutting and balayage techniques, earned him the nickname "The Beauty Wizard".

Samra has become a highly sought after spokesperson by many of the world’s top beauty brands. He has been the worldwide ambassador for Procter & Gamble, Pantene, Wella Color Charm, Clairol Professionals, Dyson Supersonic and he is currently the Global Ambassador for Truss Professional.

He has created his own hair care product line and launched, Camp Samra, where we tours the world with his masterclass concept called, “The art of Balayage”. Gabriel has already visited over 25 countries teaching stylist his innovative techniques of creating beautiful shades of haircolor.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

Samra won the Best Blonde Balayage award at Behind The Chair (BTC) One Shot Hair Awards in 2022 and the KOKORO Awards in Mexico granted him the highest honor for stylists that same year. The Center for Quality and Innovation of Mexico (CYV) awarded him the prestigious Career and Contribution to Mexico Award for Beauty in 2021. His most recent recognition is from the City of Miami which officially declared, December 4th, as Gabriel Samra Day.

His beauty tips can be read in magazines such as People en Español, Cosmopolitan, HOLA, Estilo DF, The Miami Herald and Miami News Times.

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