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More than skin deep
By Smriti Daniel
Her home is beautiful and elegant, much like the woman herself. She makes it look effortless, and perhaps for Chrissy Rozairo it is. You see, Chrissy is a beautician at heart.

For as long as she can remember, she's had the knack of knowing exactly what trappings she would need to look her best - be it clothes, make-up or hairstyles. Her aunt and her sister were both designers and Chrissy spent a great deal of time around them, learning through simple observation.

It wasn't long before she decided that she wanted to make a career as a beautician. She received her initial diploma from the famed Morris School in London. She then went on to arm herself with a course in advanced hair cutting from Vidal Sassoon, another course in "Creative Haircutting Technique" from Tony and Guy, as well as the "Bridal Hairdressing and Make-up" course from Ramani Fernando's Academy.

Today in Salon Chrissy's in Wattala, Chrissy creates designer hairstyles for her wide clientele. "As soon as a client walks through the door, I've already begun to study her," she says. She believes firmly that regardless of what the current trend is, a haircut is only successful when it is based on the hair type as well as the personality of the individual. "It is the hair that decides," she says firmly. "It should be easy to maintain."

Chrissy carries this simple philosophy into all the other services her salon offers. "Everything is highly personalised," she says, "That's what our clients come to us for." Personalised and practical seem to be her key words, as she describes the make-up classes that the salon offers. She describes the day-long sessions as "great fun", going on a to add that they are highly interactive. Chrissy teaches her students how to apply and adapt make-up to the requirements of work and socialising. "I believe make-up should look natural and elegant," she says.

Chrissy believes that great care must be taken, especially when applying make-up on brides. The beautician must ensure the end result is "charming", not over-the-top and heavy - "after all, the bridegroom has to recognize her." There is no rule of thumb though, for Chrissy says that what works for one woman may not always work for another. "Beauty comes from within."

This is a woman gifted with a rare passion for what she does "I enjoy people," she says. In fact she enjoys her work and her customers so much that when it comes to placing a bill in front of them she says, "I just can't put a price to it. You see, it just doesn't feel like a job."

Currently Chrissy is in the process of planning the expansion of her business. She says she will never consider leaving the Wattala area, where she has numerous loyal customers. Apart from the salon, Chrissy utilises her considerable talent in the service of the Sri Lanka Association of Hairdressers and Beauticians (SLAHAB), where she is president. The association is very active, organising and participating in numerous national and international workshops and competitions. "Sometimes 24 hours just isn't enough," she says ruefully. How does she manage? "My family's support, and especially that of my husband, is invaluable to me - they keep me going."

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