SONALI FERNANDO Hair & Beauty Specialist
By Niro Waidyaratne
It was a childhood passion that bloomed into a desire to reach the top in beauty care that made Sonali Fernando exceptional in the industry.
A hair care and beauty therapy specialist, Sonali, is not a public figure, but has her own clientele of expats and locals. As of now, she has her salon at her home in Kollupitiya.
A Student of Holy Family Convent, Sonali was never interested in studies, but always wanted to get involved in beauty therapy. From the time she was ten years old, she started doing haircuts for her domestics and trying out various therapies on their faces. As soon as she passed her exams she went to Beauty School in America where she did her Hair dressing and also obtained the Cosmetology license, from the North Carolina School of Hair & Beauty, USA. Sonali was the only one who had the Cosmetology license in Sri Lanka at that time.
After completing the Hair dressing course, she decided to go to the best beauty school in London, Steiner School of Beauty UK, where she completed the five year course and obtained the globally recognized, Cidesco Award - the highest qualification in beauty therapy.
“After working in London for 7 years, I came back home and started my first beauty salon on 5th Lane, Colombo 3, in 1998. My parents were very supportive towards me and helped me get on my own feet. All the success I have today, I owe it to my parents, who did everything to make me what I am today.”
“From there on I’m still moving on, trying out new products and new therapies. My beauty therapy is all to do with treatments, and
After completing the Hair dressing course, she decided to go to the best beauty school in London, Steiner School of Beauty UK, where she completed the five year course and obtained the globally recognized, Cidesco Award - the highest qualification in beauty therapy.
it makes me very happy when I see my customers’ skin improve after I’ve worked on it. I have a therapeutic touch, I believe, because whenever I do treatments for Acne or any other condition, it is always very successful.”
It was Sonali who introduced ‘Guinot’ the skin care product, from Paris, to the people in Sri Lanka. She was the only one who used this product for 15 years, after which, it was introduced to Crown Salon and Kes, and they use it with much suc- cess. Although this product is very expensive, it is really effective for pigmentation and acne. She also does eye lash tinting with a semi permanent colour, specially designed for the eye lashes and eyebrows.
The range of hair products used by Sonali, is all from Rolland, Italy. Rolland has been producing innovative, highperformance cosmetics for hair salons, beauty institutes and cosmetic shops for over fifty years. Rolland was among the first in Italy to try out production plants for hair sprays. Starting in the ‘50s, the success of the new experience inspired the idea to begin producing salon products. Subsequently, on the strength of the experience it had acquired, it organized its business by creating parallel facilities to study and produce professional lines dedicated to beauty and makeup. Careful selection of the very best raw materials is the starting point in a production process that aims to create products with the highest quality standards that are rigorously controlled. The majority of Rolland’s products contain Natural Ingredients, often certified Organic Ingredients, and are based on a Natural, Delicate, Healthy and Ammonia - free philosophy.
Sonali, is the franchise holder for Rolland products. ‘Una’ the 100% Natural, hair treatment solution, for hair loss, damaged hair and dandruff, is used by Ramani Salons and most other leading salons in Colombo. The hair colour, ‘O Way’, a totally organic product, is one of the best in the market at the moment. The main advantage of it is, that it is Ammonia free.
When asked about her family, Sonali went on to say, “my husband who is a businessman, is a great strength to me. He helps me with the accounting work and advices me on financial aspects. My son who is twelve and studying at Colombo International School, is also very supportive.
He promotes my products and distributes my leaflets to his friends, their mothers’ and his teachers’ too. He helps me with my deliveries as well.”
With the combination of her exceptional talent, and her exclusive products, Sonali’s success, is not a mystery.