Upcoming Color Forum!

I will be having a private Color Forum class on September 28, 2015 here at Salon Ratay in Lake Mary, FL. The class starts at 10:00am and concludes at 5:00pm. I have had five previous color forums, so this makes the sixth. The day will be filled with an in depth conversation about haircolor. We will review topics I've discussed in previous classes such as the difference between MEA and ammonia, “organic” haircolor, and the new technology called ME+ which is a derivative of PPD and PPT, but also we will discuss different topics such as hair color application processes like permanent and demi permanent grey coverage, foil tecniques such as baliage and sombre, the hair color oxidation differences in hair color formations, and fundamentals of a business such as pricing, budgets and marketing. I love teaching classes at my salon because it is such an intimate setting. Everyone can actively participate, as well as ask as many questions as they can think of without having such a huge crowd. I feel like my students and even I walk away with much more knowledge of every aspect of the hair color industry. You do not want to miss it!

Tuition cost is $199.00 per person. We are pleased to offer our “Friend Package”. Bring a colleague or industry friend and their tuition is $99.00 when you purchase a full price ticket.(a savings of $100.00) Call Salon Ratay at 407-320-5151 or email salonrataymanager@cfl.rr.com for more information.

Check out our website www.salonratay.com for any other information!

Image Expo Houston 2015

For the past show I went to, I traveled to the Lone Star State for Image Expo hair show in Houston, Texas. It was an exciting weekend filled with a few curve balls. Although, they ended up being an exciting learning experience for me.

Jennifer Aniston's baby lights technique.

The show in Houston started with my color conversation on Sunday from 9:30am to 11am. We discussed the trends in 2015 such as the sombre, which is here to stay. The sombre is different from the ombre because it is a much softer version. I would almost describe it as the marrying of colors instead of such a huge contrast in the midlengths and ends in the ombre. Another trend is called baby lights this year; Jennifer Aniston looks amazing with this trend. Baby lights incorporates soft delicate pieces that, unlike sombre, go from the scalp to the ends. A more complex version of the baby lights would be incorporating many of these highlights which are around the same level such as 6, 7, and 8 or 7, 8, and 9. I love my color lectures and the hour I have always seems so short.

I also had two hands on classes which ended up being over sold. It was a great thing but I was very stressed because I was really only prepared for half the amount that showed up. When I found out the night before the class, I had so much anxiety I couldn’t sleep. In the morning I planned a solution to have stations, and oh my…it was one of the greatest ideas I have in a long time. Since my classes are usually long being 3 hours the stations made the time break up and time went by quickly. For an hour and a half I described the techniques and demonstrated so the attendees would be able to repeat the same process. Then going from station to station, experienced attendees wouldn’t have to take as much time on each mannequin head, but newer students could take as much time as they wanted and add more foils. It was a huge AHAH moment for me, and I knew it was meant to happen because I am definitely running my classes that way from now on. Then to end my class we had an intimate Q and A which is always my favorite part. I love conversing about color and even more about business. It so interesting to me to hear from people what works in there salon and what hasn’t. It’s beneficial to all of us business owners to see how other businesses run and maybe even learn something.

I left so enthused about how a bad situation turned in to such a good solution. Beth Minardi and I also got together for dinner. We went to a great place called the Groove. I had a mouthwatering chicken with crisp chardonnay. We chatted about the new studio Beth just opened in New York, and how excited I am to I will be joining on a monthly basis. Houston was definitely an eye opener and a great experience. I also have recently heard about the floods there and my hearts and prayers go out to everyone and their families living there.

Professional Retail Products

Professional retail products are vital in maintaining shine, health and the integrity of your hair. As a colorist I strongly believe in using homecare products when away from the salon. In operating and owning a successful salon it is vital to have professional products available for sale, not only for the importance of hair health but also it’s a huge monetary asset in sustaining a prosperous salon business.  At Salon Ratay we carry three exclusive lines Kerastase, SHU UEMURA & Minardi which each are different price points allowing us to target the consumer in different financial ways, yet assuring each guest quality professional products BACKED BY A GUARANTEE( I won’t even start about on-line buying through third parties) For Salon Ratay, Kerastase makes up about 65% of our retail sales followed by Shu Uemura which is 21% then following with Minardi Luxury Color Care pulling in about the last 11% of our retail sales. We also carry a few miscellaneous products (brushes, customized color conditioners & styling tools) that I feel are important to sell in the salon that make up the other 2%. Since Salon Ratay is a departmentalized salon retail is split with colorists that sell shampoo, conditioners and masques, while designers sell all leave-in’s and styling products.

With each guest, my colorists analyze the condition of their hair, addressing the most important needs and concerns and then will select specifically from Kerastase, SHU UEMURA or Minardi to create the ultimate homecare regimen for each individual guest.  Remember, there are many different types of categories in a product line that address different issues; moisture, shine, color protection, volume, revitalizing…the list goes on. Professional products don’t just help the guests; they also help the colorists by having a balanced canvas in order to create beautiful seasonal haircolor. Designers

also recommend products that help guests replicate the look they receive in the salon; whether it is a mousse for volume, anti-frizz serum for a polished look, or finishing spray for that perfect hold.  It is a large expense for a salon to carry inventory as it is “money sitting on the shelf” until SOLD.

Currently Salon Ratay has about $12,000.00 dollars’ worth of “at cost” products on our shelves at a time. Therefore you can see how important it is from the business side that my service providers are doing their job in educating and selling retail to every guest that enters the salon.

Furthermore, I see both sides to the importance of having and selling profe

ssional salon products, from the colorist point it is my job to inform and keep my guest hair in the most optimal condition, allowing me to have endless creativity. As a salon owner, retail sales pay for operating expenses, maintenance, and additional revenue to each service provider. IT’S A PROFIT WIN WIN!!

In closing, it is always great to give your staff incentives to keep them motivated in selling, as we all can drop the ball at times. At Salon Ratay we have friendly competition between services providers on who can sell the most products, or who can sell the most products in a day… spice it up! Keep it fun for you and your salon. We’ve had prizes such as iPads, gift cards, Starbucks to even a year

incentive in winning a three day cruise.  In conjunction with staff motivation I also do retail offers through email for the guest such as BOGO ½ off, all SHU UEMURA 25% off, and buy two get one complimentary and so on. At the end of the day retail sales equal many successful equations, find a product brand that fits your salon and create a retail program that works for your staff. 

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!

How to Create POP Colors the "Ratay Way"!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and with a fresh new year upon us, 2015 is off to a great start! A very dear guest of mine wanted pieces of soft pink added to her already stunning hair color. I first mentioned soft pink colored hair extension but she wasn't having it, so we agreed on her January visit with me I would add these pieces in. I must first say that it’s my professional opinion that not every woman can wear what I like to call “Pop Colors” in their hair. Whether it is age, personality, or profession, these key factors need to be considered when consulting. In creating this soft pink or any vibrant shade it can often be challenging, most important is to create your Pop color without damaging the integrity of the hair. Hopefully by the end of this blog you will understand how to do it the right way.

When working with overly porous hair, a challenging part of creating a pop color is the application of the “Pop Color”. Porous hair means that the hair fiber is dry and malnourished due too many different elements. Such as over exposure to the sun, not properly conditioned, misusing hair color and/or technique, or styling tools. When this type of hair is colored with the “Pop Color”, it can become splotchy, fade instantly, or not take to the hair at all. To prevent this from happening ALWAYS think of the hair fiber first. For example, if a brunette wants a bright thatchy piece of color, we do not need to bleach the strand to cotton white. Instead, we would bleach it to orange; apply a glaze achieving our target shade from there.  This process ensures the integrity of the hair is not ruined allowing you the ability as an artist to create for future seasonal hair color changes.

I enjoy creating “Pop Colors” at times because it allows me to excel creatively, pushing me to step out of the box, as well as satisfying the expectations of my guests. Remember to inform your guest that this look does come with some maintenance; you must maintain the color with more frequent visits than a normal hair color service due to fading. A great tip in keeping the shade from fading is by using dry shampoo instead of constantly washing it, the less friction to the hair strand the better. Remember “Pop Color” is a stain dye which means the color molecule is larger so it does not penetrate the hair strand like traditional hair color.

Overall, this type of color is great for an accessory look or if you want a little extra “pop” in your life. Check out my tutorial video on how to create this interesting look the “Ratay Way”.

Quick Tip For Coloring Hair!