Peter Ciotti got into the professional beauty industry in 1973 after first earning an associate’s degree in marketing. He came from a very creative entrepreneurial family and was always interested in business. Ciotti shares, “I have always felt that hair design is really fascinating, a great extension of the human body and most important. When you have the right hair design created for each person’s needs and lifestyle, you will always be able to help make them look and feel better!”
After graduating from the Ultisima Cosmetology School, Ciotti was, fortunate to do apprenticeship program at Vidal Sassoon in New York City. He spent one and a half years there as an apprentice. In 1975, he got his first position as a hairstylist when he was introduced to a prestigious Long Island salon. After several years there as a top hair designer building up a loyal clientele, he opened his first salon called “Peter Thorell Creative Images” which he kept for 10 years. During that time, he became very involved with complete haircare, scalp care and skincare, He incorporated all of these services to create a full-service salon.
In 1988, Ciotti had the opportunity to purchase a building in Roslyn, New York. He made this into a very successful new full day spa salon. He kept this day spa until 2001, when he sold the building and the business. He was contracted by the Italian Green Light Hair Color Company to help them bring their haircolor line into the United States. Even though this peaked his interest in hair color, he chose not to work with them. While Ciotti had never really personally excelled in haircolor, he wanted to learn as much as he could. He decided to get in touch with Tom Dispenza and to attend one of his classes, as he was an internationally recognized Master Hair Colorist. By 2001, Ciotti started getting an expert first-hand education in hair color. One year later, he and Dispenza decided they would go into business together. They created and launched the Chromastics Hair Color Company.
Over 23 years of owning and running a salon with over 30 people working for him, Ciotti personally trained more than 150 people on how to become successful hairdressers. Many of them have gone on to open their own independent salon businesses. Ciotti adds, “I am very proud to say that many people have earned a good living and progressed on their professional careers through my teachings and mentorships. “
Peter Ciotti adds. “Chromastics remains my highest priority. Together with Tom Dispenza, we manage the entire business with sales, distribution, education and marketing. I still maintain my loyal clientele and that is another priority for me. This helps me to maintain valuable first-hand knowledge of how to best implement the latest hair color techniques and creative applications, while using our Chromastics Hair Color system. We invest most of our time working with our affiliated distributors, salon owners and our independent hair colorists. We actively represent Chromastics at regional and national beauty trade shows, while providing hands-on educational workshops. Providing superior quality education also remains one of our top priorities.”
Ciotti’s credibility and integrity always shine through, in everything he does. He is respected by his peers as the consummate professional and as a true gentleman. He takes the time to sit down to meet with each person he can help. These people tell him about their own career needs and desires, while asking for his advice. Sometimes, they say “You probably don’t know what I am talking about because you are running the Chromastics Company business. That’s when Peter often proudly notes, “Let’s take a step backwards. I am an active licensed and working hairdresser with a regular clientele. I really do know most of what you are going through every day. I do understand how hard you work, what many of your needs are and about what your potential career desires may be.”
He continues, “I always abdicate with advice centered around the pursuit of continuing education for everyone I meet. Whether it be someone just getting out of cosmetology school, high school or college; I know that your technical and creative skills can always be enhanced. I believe that ongoing education to improve yourself is essential and it will make you a better person in life. My father very strongly taught me that hard work and commitment is absolutely essential to succeed. I was fortunate that my mother always preached and taught me to be an honest person. I know that the combination of sincere advice from my parents has truly helped me to become successful and go on to help others be more successful.”
Ciotti shares, “My advice to hair designers is to strive for ways to continue to grow. Education definitely must be a big part of your self-improvement. Beyond that, surround yourself with creative ideas and people. Go to museums. Go to as many beauty trade shows as possible. Attend workshops and seminars on business to improve your creative design skills. It is simple. When you stop learning, you are not going to grow anymore.”
Today, Peter Ciotti also owns U Care Skin Care, a company that has been established for medical professionals. This related beauty care business is something he hopes will be incorporated into the Chromastics family in the near future.
Ciotti’s future vision for Chromastics is to help them remain respected as the very best professional hair color line available today for serious hair colorists. They want to support these hair designers and their clients with a hair color safe retail product system. He knows that recommending and selling retail products to your clients is your obligation to help them look great between salon visits. His long-term goal is to also open up new institutions around the world where they will not only teach the necessary basics and advanced skills, yet to also create more of an educational event where people who are already established in the beauty industry can come in to further advance their technical skills as well as their business skills.