Showing posts with label celebrity hair colorist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label celebrity hair colorist. Show all posts

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Color Conversations with Beth Minardi

My dear friend and colleague Beth Minardi held her “Color Conversation Class” this past Monday at my salon, Salon Ratay, which brought many state wide beauty professionals to see her teach. Beth and I have known each other for twenty plus years. We first met at a specific manufacturer conference. She later became my mentor on a professional level I was told information about hair color that I questioned. I reached out to Beth about my skepticism on the information that was being taught to thousands of hairdressers, and Beth said, I quote “Sherry if you don’t trust what I’m telling you, go home and do your own research.” I went and did my own research and found Beth gave me the correct information about hydrogen peroxide, which I have talked about in past blogs (“The Truth about Hydrogen Peroxide”). I was furious that a major manufacturer was teaching misleading information. This led to one of the reasons I have whole heartedly supported and had a part in the development of Beth Minardi Signature Shades. She was the first manufacturer to create a line and an educational agenda informing hairdressers on the truth about hair color including hydrogen peroxide, colorants, and the difference between ammonia and MEA.

Beth travels nationally to teach her hair color brand, Beth Minardi Signature Shades, along with Minardi techniques and applications in what she calls “Color Conversations”. We had a seven hour class lecture on different topics such as grey coverage, using proper color tools, PPD(which I talked about in one of my previous blogs), BMS color line, appropriate pricing for hairdressers, setting a higher standard of professionalism for the beauty industry, and Olaplex(which will be in an upcoming blog). I admire how she teaches others to achieve their greatest potential to follow Beth’s motto of “elevating hair color to an art form”. Beth teaches the importance of deeply analyzing the integrity of the hair fiber, to determine whether you should erase or lighten the hair strand when coloring and how to maintain optimal health because HEALTHLY hair radiates BEAUTIFUL haircolor!

Furthermore, it was a great refresher for me to discuss Olaplex, and the sensitivity some clients have to PPD. It is becoming more of a rising issue as the number of sensitivity to hair color continues to increase. I admire and respect Beth because she continues to lead and develop the way for hair color as it evolves in modern society. Leading into my motto, “No matter how skilled you are as a hairdresser, whether it is one week or twenty years, you never stop learning.” I believe it is extremely important to have a mentor figure in the beauty industry because it is always good to have someone to go to with questions. Two minds are better than one!


Saturday, November 1, 2014

Ending My Teaching Tour with Premiere Birmingham


This past month has been a busy one for me, as I finish the year with my educational tour my last stop was in Birmingham, Alabama for Premiere Birmingham.  I must say the attendees of this show strive for education and seem to engage more in the classroom with Q & A in wanting to know How, What, & Why with the nuts and bolts of haircolor.

The first day of the show was my “Gold Standard of Haircolor” workshop hands-on class which seemed to fill up quickly. Most hairdressers learn by physically doing what is being taught, so I believe you have to get your hands in it at times to understand it. The workshop included three applications: an Over-the-top application for a seasonal change, taking the Ombré to a Sombré look, and the American Baliage which is panting the hair in long foils to create a natural look using shade on shades. It was ratifying to show these attendees how to hold the brush in creating a soft starting point with each section they foiled. With each workshop hands-on class I hold, the attendees leave with a goodie bag filled with a few pieces of Beth Minardi Signature shades which include the Demi-Crème & Demi-Liquid lines along with some MLCC  (Minardi Luxury Color Care) styling products  and a single DVD from my Hues of Natural Perfection collection.

After the morning hands-on workshop class, I had one ninety minute lecture class. I actually loved this lecture “The Truth about Hair Color” because it was a more intimate lecture, which started a great deal of conversing between the attendees and me. I always tell them the lecture is about “you guys” rather than the agenda I am supposed to follow. As I mentioned earlier, the attendees at this show were very passionate about learning and much more comfortable with asking me questions.

The last day of the show I did was a special VIP class called “Beautiful Moments”, where attendees register to spend a very intimate hour with me discussing haircolor. Premiere randomly selects ten attendees to spend this time with me; a major part of this class was talking about celebrity haircolor formulas. Some of the celebrity color reformulations we discussed included Emma Stone, Carrie Underwood, Blake Lively, and Shea Mitchell, just to name a few!  We went in depth about the formulas and how to achieve these rich dimensions. I felt this was a wonderful topic to chat about, because most of the time clients bring in pictures of celebrities asking for that particular look and or haircolor. (Side bar) it’s important during a consult with your client that you are able to distinguish every aspect of the photo they bring in, because we all know majority of the time it’s never 100% of the celebs natural hair. There are many “tricks” Ms. Hollywood has in glamourizing celebrities ;) My VIP members also received a goodie bag filled with many special gifts.

Overall this has been a great year full of exciting shows, great lectures and fun workshops. I have really grown to love the open communication with attendees and listening to their thoughts and opinions about haircolor. I honestly cannot be more thankful that I’m able to live my passion, inspiring the minds of beauty professionals near and far! I am excited to see what next year will bring!


Saturday, October 18, 2014

Ohio Premiere Beauty Classic Show



Rolling Video in 5…4…3…2………this is what I hear in the far distance as I prepare to walk on to stage and present the Ratay Way of coloring hair. It is always natural to have those butterflies before presenting, no matter the size of the audience, but if you’re prepared and grounded in the information your presenting the fear dissipates. This past weekend I traveled to Columbus, Ohio for the Premiere’s Beauty Classic Show. The Premiere Beauty Classic Show was the first trade show I started teaching at. Since then I have taught the past four years at this show, but this was my first main stage presentation
The Beauty Classic Show was a little different than many other shows I have taught at. This year I was offered an 80 minute main stage presentation in front of a seven hundred plus audience. Originally my mentor, Beth Minardi, was scheduled to do a presentation for the show, but unfortunately due to a family matter she was unable to appear. When I was contacted by Premiere Show Groups to fill in for Beth, I was elated at this opportunity as well as hesitant on how the attendees would respond considering many of them were expecting to see Beth. Although, I must say the show went very well; the audience was very warming and responsive. After it was over I received an overwhelming flow of compliments on how wonderful the presentation went, and how much they loved my passion for teaching hair color. One woman said “she was disappointed about Beth, but she enjoyed every minute of the presentation; it exceeded her expectations”.
The most exhilarating part of the show to me was the revolving microphone. I love hearing the voices of the attendees, and their true questions. As the mic was passed and the audience became more inquisitive, I was asked many questions such as grey coverage, creating a violet plum shade, and, my favorite, the mathematical lift and deposit equation. It is enclosed below.

                Lift Equation                                                                                                          Example
·         Natural level                                                                                                         4
·         Color level, add together                                                                                   8, 12
·         Divide by two                                                                                                        /2
·         Final level of lift                                                                                                    =6

Although my presentation was only eighty minutes, the attendees and I left wishing there was more time. In addition to my lecture, I colored three models the day before the show and enhanced my redhead model on stage. I will conclude with the three formulas I used on my gorgeous models in creating natural, believable beautiful hair color at Premiere’s Beauty Classic Show.

                                Blonde
                                Natural level 6 Dark Blonde
Formula 1:             Joico Base Breaker 20vol
Formula 2:             Highlight: Vero lights 20vol
Formula 3:             Lowlight: Beth Minardi Signature (BMS)
                                Demi Crème 8BB 1oz, 9GO 1oz, 5vol 2oz
Formula 4:             Glaze: BMS liquid 10G 2oz, 10vol 2oz

                                Brunette
                                Natural level 3 Dark Brown
Formula 1:             Highlights: BMS permanent 9ICE 2oz,  
                                20vol 2oz
Formula 2:             Glaze: BMS demi liquid 7BG 1oz, 8WG
                                1oz, 5vol 2oz

                                Red Head
                                Natural Level 7 Medium Blonde
Formula 1:             Lowlights in bottom nape: BMS demi
                                crème 7NCG 1oz, 1oz 5vol
Formula 2:             Mid-sides and top panel: BMS permanent
                                8RG 1oz, 1oz 20vol
Formula 3:             Mid-sides and top panel: BMS demi
                                crème 7NCG 1oz, 1oz 9GO, 2oz 5vol
Formula 4:             Glaze: BMS demi liquid 2oz 10C, 1oz 8C,
                                 3oz 5vol