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Emerson Salon is the best hair salon on Capitol Hill, Seattle. Our experienced hair stylists and colorists have been fusing the latest trends with top hair techniques for years. Whether you’re looking to transform your look in Seattle with a new haircut and color or just maintain your already hip style, we are here and ready to help.

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909 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122
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Articles from ‘Hair Care’

Monday, January 16th, 2012

How to Have Better Hair

I am frequently asked “what can I do with this fine, limp hair”? If you keep letting your hair air dry and don’t accept my product and styling recommendations, there is nothing I can do for you. Fine hair is oily by origin. It lacks protein and the density it needs to do anything but fall down. How you combat this is achieved in part by how your hair is cut but also in how you manage your hair at home. It also depends on what kind of maintenance you are willing to do. Most clients want no maintenance, and they don’t own a hair dryer. They also don’t want to use styling products. This is a recipe for hair fail!

I cut my fine hair clients’ hair to suit their lifestyle and desires. I can cut a good shape for my fine hair clients and I can texturize their hair within the cut to give them some internal volume. This is only part of the remedy. I recommend professional volumizing shampoos and conditioners that I know that work in the salon I work in. My favorite is Alterna’s Bamboo Abundant Volume shampoo and conditioner. For light styling, their Plumping Strand Expand cannot be beat!

Once your hair is shampooed and conditioned, towel dry hair to get the excess moisture out. Dispense a couple of pumps of the Strand Expand into your hand, rub your hands together and run your fingers through your hair, from roots to ends. Blow dry your hair with medium heat on a medium setting. Heat activates the product and dries it into your hair. No matter what your blow drying technique is, make sure to get the root area of your hair completely dry. This will give your hair the most support. Your ends will dry soon enough.

Once your hair has been adequately blow-dried in the style you are happy with, let your hair cool down. Any kind of heat, including the heat from your hands, will restyle your hair and flatten it. Once your hair is cool, you can use a wide-toothed comb or hairbrush with spaces between the bristles to finalize your style. Don’t be heavy-handed- a light touch is all that is required and one can over-do! It is better for your hair to be a bit bigger than you’d like at the style finish, because hair flattens during the day, when you put a coat, hat, and/or a scarf on, and when you step outside in any sort of humidity.

Use a volume-locking hairspray at the end to finish and set your style for the day. You can take a mini hairspray can with you to work. Bamboo Volume Root Blast can also be used instead of hair spray. It adds volume to dry hair without the stickiness some hair sprays can have. Should your style fall, simply bend your head downward, spray lightly underneath your hair, shake your head and lift your head up. You can lightly use your comb or brush again to calm down any rogue hairs J

Posted by Hair Guy Lancer, specializing in custom cuts and colors for 20+ years.

Saturday, July 9th, 2011

Katy Perry’s Color Adventure

There has been a lot of talk on twitter lately since Katy Perry tweeted, “So I didn’t get to the exact color I wanted from being black for so long! To get to goal I have to be a ginger for three weeks!” (US Weekly). Katy has worn many different hair looks from colored wigs, colored extensions, to elaborate hair creations for videos and gorgeous red carpet looks.


Some might ask, why does Katy Perry have to wait for the color she wants when she has access to the best products and top of the line services? This is something I tell many of my clients who want to go significantly lighter on previously colored dark hair: Black and Natural Black hair colors are the most difficult to remove from the hair.

When lifting the hair it is easier to soften the hair color to brown or red but lifting past the brassy or orange stage can be a challenge even for the most seasoned stylist. I ask my clients whether they feel committed to the dark hair color for at least 6 months to a year because frequent color changes can cause major breakage and color fading and inconsistencies. I generally recommend using a demi-permanent darker shade to avoid such issues in the future.

As a stylist, I have encountered the “Bleach Wall” which means that after extensive bleaching to lift the black color out that the hair will decide not to lift any more. Hair can only take so much and the last thing anyone wants is a “chemical” haircut where you lose density and length due to extensive damage. So, in order for Katy Perry to keep as much of her hair as possible it is necessary to give the hair a week or two break. During this time it is best to do as much deep conditioning as possible. We have a few we carry at the salon:

  • MoroccanOil Restorative Masque goes on damp hair after shampooing and is left in for 2o minutes at room temperature. This contains protein, shea butter, canola oil, vegetable protein and keratin.
  • Born.Again by Kevin.Murphy goes on damp hair and under heat for 20 minutes. It contains natural anti-oxidants and botanicals such as rose hip and rose absolute which are intensive hydraters and regenerators.
  • An in salon treatment called Caviar Rejuvenation Treatment (CRT) that contains 3 steps and takes up to an hour to complete. It contains no sulfates, parabens, gluten, dea, paba, paraffin or pthalates. It does contain skin enzymetherapy, seasilk and uva/uvb protection. This service can be done the same day as the initial bleaching process but is recommended as a preventative tool rather than an aid in additional bleaching the day of.
  • After the hair has taken a well deserved vacation from bleaching, high heat tools and sun then the final step of lifting through the “ginger” can be achieved. The hair will still be delicate and must be treated with the ultimate care with professional level shampoos and conditioners like Alterna’s Bamboo Anti Frizz line which not only helps smooth down the roughed up hair but is also color safe.

We can’t wait to see what haircolor Katy comes up with after her “hair break”! What color will you change to? Book a consultation today!

Post by D’arcy

Tuesday, May 31st, 2011

My Favorite Products: The MoroccanOil Oil Treatment

A few weeks ago I lifted my hair from a medium brown with red streaks to a light blond, attempting to get a color that was closer to my natural. It ended up becoming a color correction, but the results were gorgeous! But the processes put on my already very processed hair left it wanting a bit of TLC. This is when I turn to MoroccanOil products.


The MoroccanOil Oil Treatment is my best friend. It not only is a great prep product to compliment almost any style, but it conditions and strengthen’s over-processed hair. An added perk for anyone who doesn’t like spending a lot of time drying their hair in the morning, MoroccanOil Oil Treatment reduces drying time!

After having used it for two weeks religiously, my hair feels noticeably healthier and stronger. I recommend this product to anyone who is concerned about damage or wants beautiful smooth hair.

Pick up yours at Emerson Salon, today!

Post by Franz

Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010

Burlesque Goes Blonde

The history of burlesque style theater is tied to its inherent meaning which means, “to send up,” or otherwise create a parody or exaggeration. Throughout the 20th Century we have come to know burlesque as slow stripteases with sexy dance numbers as seen in the movie Moulin Rouge. Our modern version would be the Pussy Cat Dolls who have been seducing audiences in LA with their sultry versions of old and new songs.

Soon we will be enjoying a star studded cast in the film,”Burlesque,” that releases Thanksgiving starring Cher, Christina Aguilera, Stanley Tucci, Julianne Hough, Kristin Bell, Alan Cumming and Eric Dane. The film follows Aguilera’s character as she arrives in the big city ready to take on the world as she cocktail waitresses and then auditions for the coveted chance of being in the burlesque spotlight.

For this role, Christina dons a long blond wig in the beginning of the film to reflect her naivete and innocence. Later, her character cuts her hair into a blunt bob and lightens her hair to pale blond to show off her brave, sultry and bold performances.

If you intend to be as light as her shade we recommend the following:

  • Book a color consultation with an Emerson Salon Stylist. If you have naturally lighter hair, this will be an easy all over color going lighter. If you have previously colored or medium brown or darker hair, this will be a bleach and tone or color correction service.
  • Deep condition your hair for 2 weeks before lightening your hair. Use Moroccan Oil Moisturizing Masque for 5 minutes after shampooing for up to 2X a week leading up to your color service. Lightening can cause moisture loss, breakage and frizz so the more you prep your hair for the service the better off your hair will be in the long run.
  • Factor in ongoing maintenance and support products into your budget for the service. We recommend Blonde Shampoo and Conditioner by Alterna Caviar for gluten, paraben and sulfate free care for your new shade. It has built in violet tones with optical brighteners that will keep your blond hue from fading into a brassy tone. Also, bleach and tone retouches are cheaper than the all over service but must be scheduled every 4-6 weeks to keep up the look as it grows out.
  • Some great products for styling:Alterna Radiant Smoothing Lotion which contains Rhodiola extract (antioxidants) and this product cuts down on blow dry time by 50% (which is great for porous hair that dries slower.) To finish, use Alterna Rapid Repair Spray which contains vitamin C and shine to control frizz and fly-aways.

Ever since Chicago and Dream Girls released, we have enjoyed more and more movie musicals like this one. Elevate your sense of style like these films do and come on in to Emerson Salon today!

Post by D’Arcy

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

Extension Care

Shampooing: Extension hair doesn’t need to be shampooed every day since it does not get the conditioning benefits of natural oils that your hair normally gets. shampooing too much will dry out the extension hair. 1-2 shampoos a week is enough. I recommend first shampooing with a detoxifying shampoo (like Kevin Murphy Maxi Wash) to clean the hair of product, oil, and debris; then a moisturizing shampoo (Kevin Murphy Hydrate Me wash or Alterna Caviar Moisture Shampoo). Use the pads of your fingers instead of your nails to massage around the extension point so build up is removed without pulling at your hair. You do not need to massage the shampoo into hair down to the end, rinsing out the shampoo is enough for extension hair.

Conditioning: Since extension hair doesn’t get your scalp’s natural oils, conditioning your hair is important. ALWAYS condition your hair after it is shampooed (Kevin Murphy Hydrate me Rinse or Alterna Caviar moisture conditioner are great) NOTE: Do not put conditioner at the scalp, this may cause your extensions to slip! Next use a leave in conditioner and thermal protection product before drying (Kevin Murphy Leave in Luxury, Alterna Caviar Leave ins, or Moroccan Oil) About every three to five shampoos I recommend a deep conditioner to keep your hair and the extension hair in top health (Moroccan oil intense hydrating mask or Kevin Murphy born again treatment)

Brushing: Always brush your hair before and after you shampoo, before you braid it at night, and after you take your braid out when you wake up. The rule you learned as a little kid to start from the bottom up still applies here! First detangle the ends (easiest to do with a paddle brush) then go row by row and finger through your extensions at the top to make sure they are not twisting together. After you have done that in the row take a boar bristle brush and gently rock it down right after the extension point (after the method is done, below the copper or keratin) to make sure the short ‘baby hairs’ don’t want to tangle and matte together.

Boar-Bristled Brushes

Sleep Care: After brushing out your hair, you want to braid it before you go to bed. This helps keep your hair from matting during your sleep. The three ways that I find best are a big side braid, two side braids, or a braided ponytail.

Side Braid

Styling tips:  A smoothing lotion or balm is best when blow drying your extensions, as it will smooth down the cuticle and make the hair shiny. A nice shine spray can help with flat ironing or curling and finishes your look

Care Products:

Shampoo:

  • Kevin Murphy Maxi Wash
  • Kevin Murphy Hydrate Me
  • Alterna Caviar Moisture Shampoo

Conditioner:

  • Kevin Murphy Hydrate Me
  • Alterna Caviar Moisture Conditioner

Leave-in Conditioner:

  • Kevin Murphy Leave-in Luxury
  • Moroccanoil

Deep Conditioners:

  • Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask
  • Alterna Repair Treatment Conditioner
  • Kevin Murphy Born Again Treatment

Styling aids:

  • Alterna Straightening Balm
  • Alterna Rapid Repair Spray
  • Moroccanoil Glimmer Shine Spray

Depending on your hair type and the type of extensions you get, other recommendations might be made for you.

Come into Emerson Salon and book your complimentary extensions consultation today!

Post by Tracy.

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

At Home Hair Treatments

Here at Emerson, we love our product lines and know that professional, salon-grade products are always the top of the line best option for you hair. But that’s no reason not to also take advantage of the great hair products you probably have stashed right in your kitchen! Check out this collection of the easiest and best home remedies and treatments for your hair.

Product removal;

Feeling some buildup in your hair from cheap shampoos or lots of product? Try this easy vinegar rinse that will remove residue from the hair and keep it balanced. Mix 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with three cups of water, and pour it over your hair as a final rinse. You can also try mixing baking soda into your shampoo for a deep thorough clean. (Note: If you find that you’ve got too much build up for these at-home remedies to handle, try Kevin Murphy’s Maxi Wash. Possibly the best invention ever.)

Color:

Looking to boost your color? Here are two easy treatments you can do to either lighten it up or keep your dark strands looking rich and bold.

To help the sun lighten up your hair, mix three parts lemon juice with one part water and spritz it on your hair before going into the sun.

To achieve and maintain a rich dark color, try making a walnut treatment that will boost up your brown and leave it look lustrous. Crush 8-10 walnuts (with the shells) and mix with 8 oz of boiling water. Let it cool, strain out the shells, and keep it refrigerated in a spray bottle, where you can put it on your hair weekly to maintain your color.

Treatments:

There are loads of great conditioning and strengthening treatments that are easy to do for your hair. Try putting mayonnaise (about a half a cup) in your hair to strengthen it (make sure it’s all natural and that you rise it thoroughly). Coconut oil is also renowned for adding shine and protecting hair from the effects of aging; apply it to your hair and let it sit overnight before rinsing it out (wrap your head in saran wrap to protect your pillows)

Also try a great moisturizing mix of avocado and egg yolk. Mix a small mashed avocado with an egg yolk and let it sit in your hair for fifteen minutes before rising and shampooing as usual.

And our favorite surprise treatment? Beer! No really, true story. Take a bottle of warm, flat beer with you in the shower and rise with it after shampooing. It will add intense shine and volume.

Other Tips:

Running late and have to skip the shower, but have oily roots? Use cornstarch as a dry shampoo; it will soak up oil at the roots and leave hair looking clean and shiny.

Salt is a fun beach texturizer. Adding a tablespoon of salt with four oz of water will make a spray that, when spritzed on wet hair after a shower and let air dry, will create a wavy, volumized beach look. You’ll probably want to skip this one if you have naturally dry hair. (Try Kevin Murphy’s Hair Resort for a texturizer that is easier on drier hair)

We hope you find these treatments fun and helpful! As always, if you have any questions about your hair or what products you should be using, feel free to give us a call or stop by, and our stylists will be more than happy to answer your questions!

Post by Amelia

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

Ask A Stylist- Beating The Heat

Kelly asks:

“I have lots of hair questions but one that is really a concern at the moment is how to keep my hair from drying out in the summer heat. I feel like my scalp and hair is completely dry to the bone! I have switched shampoos and drink lots of water but nothing seems to help. Any advice?”

Really good question Kelly- everyone battles with this one! Here’s what our stylists have to say.

Lancer says:

“Ah the sun! The elements do take a toll on the hair. I recommend making an appointment for a deep conditioning treatment. My favorite is Kevin Murphy’s Born Again Treatment, which contains Rose Hip and Rose Absolute ($6K a kilo). Rose Absolute catalyzes the other botanicals in the treatment as it vibrates at a higher speed than the rest! These botanicals are heat and light sensitive; once exposed to the wind and sun, they become energized and moisturize, repair, and regenerate the hair and scalp. Antioxidants stop damage in its tracks as well as the further onslaught of damage by bringing a balance to the hair and scalp!”

Thanks for your question Kelly, and make sure to stop by and make an appointment or pick up your own bottle of Born Again to beat the heat!

Stay tuned for more Ask a Stylist posts coming up! Send your questions to ameliahanron@gmail.com

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Dry Scalp or Dandruff?

A dry scalp and dandruff are easily mistaken for one another when you don’t know the true difference between the two. I have a lot of people sit in my chair and say that they struggle with dandruff and have been self-medicating with Head & Shoulders or some equally horrible product, with no relief. You most likely don’t have dandruff, and medicated shampoos for dandruff are actually going to make dry scalp worse.  The first step to treating dandruff or dry scalp is to know what they are!

A myth – some people think that their dandruff is caused by their scalp being too dry. They try to deal with this by not washing their hair with shampoo, or washing it less often, believing that washing worsens the problem. In fact, dandruff usually gets better when you shampoo more frequently with the right shampoo.

Dandruff occurs when your scalp produces extra oil, made by glands at the base of each hair, which holds the tiny flakes together to make bigger, more noticeable flakes.   A tiny fungus seems to be part of the reason some people get dandruff. This fungus is called Malassezia (mal-a-sea-zee-a) or sometimes Pityrosporum (pit-ee-rose-por-um). This fungus makes the skin cells grow much faster, so there are a lot more dead cells; these mix with the hair oils to make bigger flakes.  To help the production of extra oil and fungus, it’s recommended to avoid citrus fruits, bananas, tinned fruits, strong tea/coffee, pickles and refined or processed foods, Keep hair and scalp clean to avoid accumulation of dead cells. Also, hair should be brushed daily to improve circulation and to distribute the oil throughout your hair.  If those don’t help, talk to your doctor about getting on a medicated shampoo to kill the fungus.

Dry scalp is common and can be from a change in the weather, poor quality shampoo or a buildup of product on the scalp. The use of harsh shampoos is one of the most common reasons for dry scalp. The chemicals in the shampoos remove too much of the natural oil from the hair and scalp, and the end result is an itchy, flaky scalp and hair that lacks any type of luster or natural body.  Hard water can also cause a dry scalp. Even if the shampoo product is recommended for dry hair and scalps, it will not work effectively if hard water is used to wash and rinse. Honestly, the best way to get rid of dry scalp is to use better quality shampoo. To get rid of the build-up from cheap shampoos I recommend using Kevin Murphy’s Maxi Wash shampoo.  Once you get those layers of build-up off and want to keep your scalp feeling great and flake-free, use Alterna Life Solution Scalp Therapy Shampoo.  This will keep your hair and scalp healthy and prevent the build-up from coming back! Another great option for a healthy scalp is to come in and get our Moroccan Oil Dry No More Professional Scalp Treatment.

As always, feel free to call or stop in and one of our stylists will be more than happy to help you figure out what products or treatments will be best for you!

Post by Ellen

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

Ask a Stylist-Chemical Straightening

Arianna asked our stylists:

“I have really curly hair and I am thinking about getting it permanently straightened for awhile. What are the risks of doing this? Will it wreck my hair? What else should I know before going ahead with it?”

Good question Arianna! Here’s what our stylists have to say.

Lancer says,

“Permanent hair straightening will change your hair texture completely. The only way to remove it is to have the straightened lengths of your hair cut off. A better option for you would be the Keratin Smoothing treatment. This treatment can be varied to give a less-than-permanent smoothness to your hair. If you choose this route, you will still have to flat iron your hair to get it completely straight.

Hair that has been chemically altered needs special care. You must use professional hair care products that your stylist recommends for your at-home maintenance. Otherwise, your service that you paid for cannot be guaranteed, and straightened hair (whether done with a straightening, smoothing, and.or flat ironing treatment) is very different hair and needs extra care.

Potential risks include breakage if the treatment isn’t done correctly. Seek out a salon that does these treatments on a regular basis and ask about a stylist’s certification and credentials first. Also, if your hair is currently colored, permed, highlighted, or bleached, it may have too poor of porosity to accept another chemical treatment, though professional straightening treatments are available for those hair types.

Finally, the treatment is a bit costly and time-intensive. Do your research, have a thorough consultation with your stylist before proceeding, and then you can decide if it is right for you!”

Thanks for your question Arianna! Hope this helped!

Stay tuned for more Ask a Stylist posts as the Emerson team answers all your burning hair questions!

Monday, August 9th, 2010

Ask A Stylist-Removing Product

Tim asks:

“My hair is chemically colored black, so in order to give it a natural looking shine I use olive oil based products – which works great. The problem is getting them out at the end of the day. What’s best for removing oil based products?”

Thanks Tim! Great question. Here’s what our stylists have to say:

John says:

“Kevin Murphy-Maxi Wash works great to exfoliate the hair and scalp without stripping the color.”

Emily says:

“Agreed. Maxi Wash is a great exfoliant and will release the oils without drying the hair.”

Kevin Murphy Maxi Wash 250

Thanks for your question Tim! If you’re interested in this product, stop by Emerson to talk to a stylist and pick some up for yourself; we’re always fully stocked!

Stay tuned for more Ask a Stylist blog posts, and remember to keep sending in your questions to ameliahanron@gmail.com to have them answered by the Emerson team!