My staff and I had a wonderful day doing make overs on four lovely lady's from Harbor House.

Salon owner Sherry Ratay, left, works on a Harbor House client.

Meanwhile, across town in Lake Mary, the owner of the upscale Salon Ratay was leading her team of stylists in a very personal, very hands-on mission — giving makeovers to four survivors of domestic violence.

Ratay’s crew arrived by 7:30 a.m. and devoted most of the morning to cutting, coloring and highlighting hair and waxing eyebrows for the women, who are all current residents of Harbor House, the domestic violence shelter. Some of the women had never had such pampering in their lives.

“To get hugs from those ladies at the end – it’s just amazing,” said Sherry Ratay, who opened the boutique salon six years ago. “You know, they come in with their self-esteem so beaten down, but they leave with a whole different spirit.”

It’s not the first time Ratay and her staff have donated their time and talent, either. They’ve done makeovers for women undergoing breast-cancer treatment, arranged a fundraising cut-a-thon for a lung-transplant patient, and six months ago they did their first Harbor House makeover.

One woman studied herself in the mirror afterwards and began to cry in gratitude. “I’ve never looked like a girl before,” she said.

That’s when Ratay pledged to offer the makeovers to Harbor House residents twice a year from then on.

In all, the salon sacrificed about $650 in labor to help the women for free Tuesday, but Ratay figured it was worth every penny.

“Seeing how grateful they are inspires us,” she said. “It gives us all a check of reality.”

Sherry Ratay's Haircolor creations.

http://www.beautylaunchpad.com/sherry-ratays-hues-of-natural-perfection

 Sherry started with a natural level 5 in the back and nape, and floated to a natural level 7-8 in the front frame.  She first began with using Joico Base Breaker and 20 volume develop for 10 minutes, cleansed and dried.  Next she saturated the hair with Minardi Pre-wash and put under heat for 10 minutes, cleansed and dried. Sherry began in the nape area alternating Vero-lights with 20 volume and Joico Chrome B7 with activator….looking to see where she needed to enhance or erase.  Working around the front hairline, she created more light running through by doing a few that were back to back slices and utilizing her low lite formula within.  She lifted to a pale yellow, cleansed and dried. Next Sherry glazed the entire head with 1oz of G9, 1oz of clear, and activator, processed for 10 minutes.  Finally the hair was cleansed and styled.

 Starting at a natural level 4, Sherry first began with applying Joico Chrome2oz of RB4 and activator to regrowth and pulled down the shaft of the hair varying 4-6 inches, creating a rich velvety rooty brunette. She then began the American Baliage with Joico Vero-Lights and 20 volume, starting in the nape and working up and forward, lifting to a yellow/orange stage.  She then applied Vero K-Pak “HLG” High Lift Golden Blonde with 40 volume In-between the foils only on the last 3-5 inches of the hair strand to create warmth running through the ends, processed for 35 minutes.  Next the hair was cleansed and dried.  Sherry glazed the entire head with Joico Chrome 1oz of B7 & 1oz of B9, and activator, processed for 10 minutes.  She cleansed and styled the hair for the finished look.