JOHANN PERIES

a natural all the way!

One’s last teen year – 19 (after sitting the GCE Advanced Level exam), is one that could be exciting, apprehensive, mind-boggling… a young person has to make a choice as to which direction s/he would want to take to achieve her/his dream.

The choice young Johann Peries made at the time was spot on! The youthful Josephian had then, despite the negative perception society had on males engaging in the field of hair and beauty, taken the opportunity that came his way (to temporarily) work at Ramani Fernando Salons while awaiting his exam results. Once he had started, he had literally taken to cutting and styling hair like a duck would, to water. It didn’t take this young man long to decide on the course he would take. And there was no turning back. Today, 34 years later, he has reached the pinnacle, literally, in every venture that he has passionately pursued, and is very likely to remain on top for a very long to come.

I was in awe as I walked through the well-paved, foliage-lined, artistically lit drive leading to The Cutting Station. The place oozed charm, comfort and convenience, all of which I felt as I stepped into the salon and to Johann’s office located beyond. The words ‘Hair, Skin, Body’ were prominent over the doorway, drawing attention to the importance given to beauty in its entirety!  

This multi-talented, multi-faceted man, despite being involved in multifarious activities as you will gather (as you read on), was despite the tight schedule he maintains, relaxed and easy going, proving that doing what one is passionate about underscored by time management is what it takes to maintain an even keel without allowing success to lead to complacency;  instead, success after success had led to even more success!

Who designed this salon and the garden? It is a work of art!
(Smiling modestly Johann said) I did. I re-built part of the property, extended the building, did up the garden and got it all done in 10 weeks! I’m artistic and enjoyed designing my salon and ensuring it would be what a salon should be – comfortable, artistic and welcoming.    

What are the challenges you have faced in your career as a hair dresser?
I had faced many challenges from the beginning; being a male was one of them but I pursued, undeterred. People were prejudiced but I carried on and took it to another level making it possible for males to engage in hairdressing. Today, there are more males than females working in the industry. I wanted to travel and broaden my horizon. I had to find sponsors, take part in competitions, and all of that helped to achieve greater heights in my career.

I thereafter went into partnership with Ramani Fernando and we had a state-of-the-art salon at the World Trade Centre. Six months into our venture, and as things began to fall into place, the bombs went off at the Galadari Hotel. That was in the late 1990s. But I didn’t give up just as I was undeterred to scale Mount Everest when at the first attempt I was almost there but still couldn’t make it. I’ll share that unique experience once we are done with hair and beauty. So Ramani and I looked for another location but unfortunately, three weeks later I had a setback – I met with an accident and my face was broken into pieces. I had to undergo reconstruction surgery. After I recovered, Ramani and I opened a salon at the JAIC Hilton. That venture too turned out to be a success!

Could you comment on oiling?
There are different theories on oiling. The scalp should be oiled but not the hair. This can be done once in two weeks and will arrest hair fall. Dry scalp conditions too could be overcome with oiling.  

What about one’s skin – something everyone is concerned about?
No doubt, it is very important to take care of one’s skin. Sadly, many people don’t until they reach a certain age and that’s when they notice that the skin does not look as good as it used to. Starting early is advantageous rather than waiting till the skin shows signs of dryness. It’s advisable to ask a beautician how to take care of the skin. Facials should be done from around the mid-to-late 20’s.

We have heard of body management – your views.
Body management therapy is a form of relaxation that helps to release tension built in the body, and helps those whose lives are stressful. This therapy also caters to the nervous system, and helps a person to unwind and feel good. It has to be done systematically and the set procedure has to be followed. We do a study of the client before commencing the therapy focusing on the blood flow, tension knots, the need for reflexology, among other important areas.

How much of this therapy would be needed depends on each person’s lifestyle, the profession they are engaged in, how long they work for each day. It could be done once a week or once in two weeks, or even once a month depending on individual needs. The duration for the treatment is one hour 15 minutes or one and half hours.

Do you recommend skin lightening?
(Smiles) There is a certain extent one could go to. Brightening the skin is different to lightening the skin. In lightening the skin, you change the pigmentation process of the skin. A person need not be fair in complexion to look beautiful. Some of the most beautiful people in the world are dark skinned.   

Another important aspect is grooming. Any comments…?
Grooming is something may people have become very conscious of. Today, most people are well groomed. Here too, a person has to find the right path – what would suit that person best. Simply put, don’t follow trends unless they suit you.

Switching to his achievement on climbing the highest mountain in the world in his second attempt in May 2018, Johann who brought fame and glory to Sri Lanka apart from the personal glory he can be justifiably proud of, being the second Sri Lankan to have done so, said that he had been mountain climbing since his school days, accompanying his father who also had the same passion. Young Johann would follow his father as he took different paths and treks while climbing mountains, and at that tender age, had enjoyed outdoor activities. Being the youngest in the family (with two other siblings) Johann had from that time, set his sights on scaling the highest mountain, some day. A dream that came true after years of training and preparation to scale the highest summit in the world!

What spurs you to living an active life? In the midst of running the salon, you trained to climb Mount Everest. You go the gym regularly, you are into dancing professionally, you personally attend to the business, and you run a restaurant. To you, multi-tasking seems like a piece of cake. Please share your story with our readers.

I have always cultivated other interests – I sang with the Maryann Singers, I acted in plays, I dance professionally, and at the same time I am a professional beautician and hairdresser. It is how one balances everything, and time management in key to being engaged in the various activities I’m into.

I train every day at 5.00 am, I have my trainers with who I do a stint on the beach, I swim, and work out at the gym to strength build. Even if I have a late night, I don’t deviate from my routine. One has to sacrifice much to achieve one’s goals. However, after my first attempt at climbing Mount Everest which unfortunately couldn’t be completed, I took a break for six months before resuming my training schedule.

Do you still attend to your clients at the salon?
Yes, I do. Full time, in fact! Fortunately, I have a very good team comprising 30 people who work in the salon. I have a staff of 10 who work in Melbourne, Australia where I have two salons. These are run by my former staff who had migrated plus there are three multinationals working for me. My sister (operating from Sri Lanka) oversees the administration of the entire   business.

 There are hairdressing salons almost every everywhere. How would you describe ‘being professional’ in the midst of so many salons engaging in the same business?
With the rapid expansion of the industry, official statistics show this particular industry as one that has grown tremendously. Maintaining professionalism is very important, and unfortunately, some in the trade don’t maintain the desired level of professionalism which is the key to success. Even when I attempted to climb Mount Everest, I had to take the whole exercise seriously and be professional in my approach.

Do share your experience in climbing the highest mountain in the world.
Prior to leaving Sri Lanka, I had to write my last will, and I gave the power of attorney to my sister to handle the business. As everyone would know, I couldn’t reach the summit in my first attempt which was on 21 May 2016. Technical issues prevented me from going up there with my partner in the expedition, Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala, who was able to make it and did not only herself but the country proud as the first Sri Lankan who had reached the summit, and placed our country flag on the highest summit.

I had to take a decision – the hardest decision I’d taken in my life – to turn back after five years of preparation and planning, without proceeding to the summit that I could see and which seemed so close. We spent a colossal amount of money (it costs Rs 10 million per person). I came back saying ‘never again.’ I saw death on the mountains, spoke with people who were dying, the temperature is minus 50-60 degrees up there, and I saw a guy falling off the mountain… It’s a totally different world out there. One cannot say what one’s fate would be.

On the climb, one has to reach a camp at 26,300 ft. It’s called the Death Zone because at that altitude, the body starts shutting down. One has to have oxygen to stay alive and proceed to reach the summit. I am spiritual, and apart from the training and preparation, my implicit trust in God helped me to reach the summit in the second attempt on 22 May 2018. The feeling is hard to describe – when one is on top of Mount Everest, and then placing the Sri Lankan flag.  

During the first expedition I cut Jayanthi’s hair at the hotel we were staying at in Kathmandu, with a pair of scissors borrowed from the hotel. Then during my second attempt, I had frost bites on my fingers – I almost lost two fingers. After returning to Sri Lanka, within 10 days I had to dress a bride – and did so with bandaged fingers.

What are your future plans?
As far as hairdressing goes, I had opened a salon with my partner in Bristol, England, which is now in its sixth year, and doing well though currently business has slowed down in view of the pandemic the world is experiencing. I also plan on opening an academy for hair and beauty. My clinic being run in association with a cosmetologist at the Shangri-La Hotel is doing well, and I hope to expand the outdoor restaurant (adjoining The Cutting Station) that has gained much popularity.

Your views on the magazine, Bride and Groom… does it cater to the industry?
As one of the first magazines being published to cater to the industry, in my view, the BrideandGroom has given the industry a boost – brought in vitality. The contents cater to the market and the consumer. The BrideandGroom show was the first Bridal Show that I did. I focused on doing something different – out of the ordinary – I did five different brides and one was in a top hat and a pant suit!

What advice would you give young people aspiring to be hairdressers?
It’s never too late to fulfill your dreams – passion, determination and hard work – all three go hand in hand to achieve success. Don’t let failures put you down. Pluck up courage and move forward to make your dream a reality.

He recalled the words articulated by Colin Powell (one time Secretary of State  of the United States of America) – “Dreams don’t become a reality through magic; it takes hard work, determination and courage to make them a reality.”

And as an evening well spent came to an end, with a look that seemed to see a vision somewhere far away (maybe he was visualizing the highest mountain in the world), Johann said, “I believe there is a time for everything.”

He recalled being on Mount Everest where he was above the clouds. “It was a most beautiful and amazing sight. On a clear day, one can see the whole of China and Nepal. I saw the curvature of the earth. I was blessed to see that! It was an experience of a lifetime!”    

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