Ms Rita Pereira is a licensed hairdresser & barber, trusted advisor, leadership coach, humanitarian and fearless entrepreneur.

Toronto’s very own one-woman show, extremely talented and licenced  Barber / Hairstylist Rita Pereira, better known to clients and social media fan’s previously as “Hairess Rita” when she was operating her first beauty salon before she had to shut down due to her divorce, or currently as “The Pantyhose Barber,” is the master of Quick and Precise Haircuts since 1996!

Re-opening her business  as The Pantyhose Barber (her second social enterprise)  in January of 2015 after closing her first shop in August 2013, Salon Beauty Mark (her first social enterprise of failed dreams due to a divorce that she choose to leave even though it meant being homeless for a second time!) she decided the full beauty service salon that she had just wasn’t cutting it; it wasn’t meeting the needs of our super-busy, city-life schedules.

Rita’s raw passion for beauty in the early days led her to the local library where she spent hours reading and studying the foundations of beauty, industry terminology and studying geometry.

The Pantyhose Barber is a completley self-made artist who’s been in the beauty industry for two decades. Trade shows, fashion magazines, nature, colours of the seasons and a host of other things continue to inspire Rita, allowing her to remain on top of trends and completely satisfy the beauty need’s of each and every client. Consequently, Rita officially received her hairstylist license in 2002 (only 24 years young) authenticating her passion, after discovering the power of a great haircut on one’s confidence and the instant gratification of lifting one’s spirit with the magic of a fantastic haircut!

In 2006 Rita opened Salon Beauty Mark, where she offered a decade of love, passion, professional experience and skills to her trusting clientele. Now with her new business adventure, Rita is back, stronger and even more determined than ever!

“Discover who you can truly become and remember to always try to inspire others to be their best by leading from example!” says Pereira. Rita’s community work is an expression of love, offering charitable donations from selected haircuts to support those living with mental illness through LOFT Community Services (www.loftcs.org). Also in the works is a scholarship fund to give foster children like herself the opportunity to access the services of a life coach so they also do not become statistics, as Pereira has fought hard not to become.

Rita is a true humanitarian who also volunteers her time with seniors who suffer from mental health issues and children who need a positive role model in their lives.

Rita understands struggle first-hand, as she was raised in foster care from infancy to the age of 15, when she quickly become a self-sufficient adult. Her one desire is that others going through adversity and struggle may find that little spark within that ignites their passion to become their absolute highest self in light and love.