Capitol Hill's Premier Haircuts & Color

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
T: 206-323-7437
@: emersonsalon@gmail.com

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Articles from ‘D'Arcy Harrison’

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

Summer Formalities

As the summer draws to a close, we look back at some of the events over the past season. Namely, all of the joyous weddings that occurred from June to September. From backyard ceremonies to elaborate ballroom receptions, the main focus is on the bride and groom on their big day. Here we provide some tips for both on how to organize for such a large occasion!

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Brides:  A good thing to do first is to figure out what your budget is. Bridal hairstyles can range from $85-$110, depending on the length of the hair and the style desired (does it need to be flat ironed or curled, etc?) We recommend receiving a light trim to your haircut 1-2 weeks beforehand to remove any split ends. In addition, if you will be attempting any color services it is good to receive them 2 weeks ahead of time in case the color needs adjustment.

Some brides choose to utilize a paid practice session ($40 an hour) in order to eliminate any anxiety about the style before the ceremony. We try out the style, take pictures and troubleshoot any problems and then take the hair down and wash it before you leave. If you have your veil or any hair jewelry beforehand, the practice session is the perfect time to figure out how they will be planned into the overall style.

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The important thing to do before consulting a stylist for your wedding hair is to find lots of pictures of hair that excites you. You can even bring in pictures of hair you absolutely do not like as this will aid your stylist to better hone what your aesthetic is. Do you want height? Do you want all of your hair up, half down or all down? What are some adjectives you would use to describe what you want your hair to look like (soft, romantic, wavy, sleek, shiny, etc.)? All of these elements will better assist you to becoming happy with your formal style!

bridalupdo3

If you are looking to create a formal style on your own, try using these products:
Rapid Repair Spray by Alterna for picture perfect shine before and after styling
Working Spray by Alterna for applying before curling for flexible hold
Easy Rider by Kevin Murphny for smoothing flyaways into the style
Session Spray by Kevin Murphy for hard hold when the style is complete

Grooms: We recommend receiving an extended consultation with an Emerson stylist to determine what is the desired result for the big day. Feel free to bring your bride with you for this initial consultation as we are sure she might have input! Make your haircut appointment for 2 weeks beforehand and then book a quick “line up” for the day before or day of. A “line up” would be where only the edges around the ears and nape are trimmed with clippers. Whether you intend to have your hair parted or fauxhawked or messy, two great go-to products for guys are Easy Rider by Kevin Murphy for frizz control and light hold and  Night Rider for matte finish and firm hold.

Did you attend a beautiful nuptial this season? Already have invitations to more? Make an appointment for your style with Emerson Salon today.

Post by D’Arcy

TagsAlterna Products, Bridal Hair, D'Arcy Harrison, Events, Hair Consultation, Hair Ideas, Hair Styles, Holidays, Kevin Murphy, Men's Hair, Wedding Hair

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

Scott Pilgrim vs The World- The Hair Definitely Wins

Last weekend saw the release of the highly-anticipated movie, Scott Pilgrim vs The World, starring Michael Cera. In this fast-moving action/comedy, Scott Pilgrim must battle the seven evil ex’s of the love of his life, Ramona Flowers, in order to win her heart.

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Ramona Flowers is played by the young actress, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who you probably remember as the girl in the cheerleading outfit (Lee) in Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof. She has also appeared in The Ring Two, Factory Girl and the now-canceled TV show, “Passions.”

In this film, Mary’s character, Ramona, is notorious for her anime style hair and hair color. Throughout the movie, Ramona’s color changes from pink to blue to purple and more! Most likely this was accomplished through the use of wigs, as altering your hair color drastically in a small period of time can be extremely damaging. Here we explain why.

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If you have lighter blond hair it is much easier to deposit punk colors because they will show up instantaneously on the hair once applied (this is an all over color service). If your hair is dirty blond to brown or black, it will be necessary to bleach the hair to a light blond before applying the desired color (this is a bleach and tone service). We use a semi-permanent line from Pravanna that utilizes silk proteins in order to condition the hair while coloring it. This is because hair bleach can cause breakage, frizz, difficulty in styling and uneven porosity.

A semi-permanent is a color that sits on top of the hair and does not alter the internal structure. Semi-permanents last between 7-14 shampoos and must be refreshed monthly to maintain their hue.  Ironically, removing them can be problematic, as attempting to bleach them out can sometimes cause the color to be driven deeper into the hair. This is the reason why changing vibrant shades often can be damaging, in addition to providing inconsistent results. Hair has a limit and when it reaches it it can break off. Avoid this hair disaster by talking to a knowledgeable stylist who will review what to expect and how to maintain these colors.

OR you can try on a bunch of wigs like Mary (as Ramona) and use that to figure out what new hair color will look best for you. It can be a fun outing with friends and you can take pictures in order to get people’s opinions later (try Display and Costume or Champion Costume Supply.)

If you want to attempt one of these spunky shades, we recommend booking a consultation with an Emerson stylist. Only then can it be determined whether your hair (in its present state) can withstand the process needed to create these vibrant colors. We love wild and crazy shades, give us a call today to set up your appointment. Dress your hair up and take on the world like Scott Pilgrim!

Post by D’Arcy

TagsD'Arcy Harrison, Extreme Hair, Hair Color, Movies, Uncategorized

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

Night Rider is here!

night rider

After multiple requests and lots of waiting, we finally have Kevin Murphy’s highly anticipated product, Night Rider!

This matte paste is similar to Aveda’s Control Paste, and has a whipped, waxy texture that molds easily and sets hard and dry to add texture to short or choppy looks. “Night Rider is great for guys with really thick hair who want texture and hold,” says D’Arcy, one of our stylists who has used the product on her clients. Apply to dry or damp hair, and it will set in about 60-90 seconds, giving you time to mold your style. You’ll have a firm, matte hold that will keep you rocking your look throughout the day!

Come by Emerson Salon to pick up your Night Rider today!

Post by Amelia

TagsAmelia Hanron, D'Arcy Harrison, Hair Products, Kevin Murphy, Short Hair, Styling Products

Monday, July 26th, 2010

Kelis Is Back!

The singer Kelis just came out with a great album entitled,”Flesh Tone,” that has garnered tons of praise for its single,”4rth of July (Fireworks.)” The New York City Harlem-bred artist started out her career collaborating with the hugely popular Pharrell Williams in their band,”The Neptunes.” Kelis previously topped the charts with the catchy, “Milkshake,” and continues her pop/R&B domination with the current album.

Kelis’ style is ever changing and metamorphosising. Her hair has been long and curly, short and blue, short and pink and many other colors in the rainbow! In the 4th of July video she dons a cropped do that utilizes her tight curl. This is a shear cut that allows for enough length to bring out Kelis’ natural hair texture. It is most likely slightly longer on top to allow for some fullness and versatility. Try using Intense Curl Cream by Moroccan Oil for curl control, definition and hold without a “crispy” feel.

Kelis’ hair color is interesting as it pairs a light, warm mahogany tone with her warm coloring. In the salon we usually recommend against a wash of similar tones but in a fashion video it is extremely exotic and stylish to create an outside of the box look to define the style of the album. If you are looking to try out this shade on naturally colored hair  be aware that this is an all over color or all over color going lighter depending on the darkness of your hair. If your hair is previously colored it might be necessary to lighten the hair with bleach before the desired color is applied. The important thing to know is that there is an element of violet to the tone in order to make it not look too orange or too brown. Consult with an Emerson Stylist as in certain situations this could be more of a corrective service which can be labor intensive and/or damaging. If considering a color correction, try deep conditioning your hair with the Intense Hydrating Masque in order to prep if for extensive chemical services. Following the color service it is imperative to go home with color support products like Luxury Wash and Rinse which will help maintain your color with high quality botanical extracts and oils.

Whether you stick to your favorite do or change it to something new like Kelis, we’re sure you’ll be dancing along to her songs with style!

post by D’Arcy

TagsCelebrity Hairstyles, D'Arcy Harrison, Music

Friday, July 16th, 2010

The Cyrus Dilemma

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Cyrus is written and directed by the uber talented Duplass Brothers whose approach to making this film was focused entirely on improv and character development. The duo disparaged the importance of lighting, cinematography and sound design and made the movie more about creating and capturing true moments as they happen through the use of a small crew and a steady cam. The comedy stars a talented cast of A list actors who illuminate the struggle of John C. Reilly’s character to rediscover love again with Molly (Marisa Tomei) in spite of her 21 year old son’s (Jonah Hill) desire to protect his mother and their close relationship.

Marisa Tomei’s hair in this film is gorgeous and utilizes a curlier texture than we are usually accustomed to seeing her wear. On the red carpet, Marisa usually has mostly straight or minimally wavy hair. In Cyrus, we see how mature and sexy Molly can be with a tighter, shinier curl. This look was most likely accomplished through a shampoo set where the hair is shampooed, conditioned, and towel dried beforehand. A good setting lotion to use on Marisa’s fine, dense shoulder length hair would be Anti Gravity by Kevin Murphy which is an oil free volumizer. If you have natural texture/density to your hair we recommend using the Intense Curl Cream by Moroccan Oil. The hair is then wrapped on 1″ rollers and then secured with a shampoo set clip. It is then put under a hood dryer for 30 minutes (or allowed to air dry over night). Once the hair cools, the rollers are removed and the curls lightly finger separated. For added body or volume, one can back comb the crown and top for fullness. Spray with Alterna Caviar Working spray and scrunch!

Jonah Hill’s hair as Cyrus is shorter than the “curly mop top” he sported in SuperBad. The shorter haircut aids in our perception of his character as younger and immature. This haircut is one length all over and is most likely a short, finger length shear cut. It is important to know that the hair is cut short enough so that the first rotation of a curl is avoided (notice how much straighter his hair looks shorter.) We recommend using Easy Rider by Kevin Murphy to control frizz and curl as the hair will need light control if it is naturally wavy/curly.

We look forward to sharing the brilliantly created awkward moments that the Cyrus character causes to make John C. Reilly’s character “pull his hair out!”

post by D’Arcy

TagsCelebrity Hairstyles, D'Arcy Harrison, Movies

Friday, July 16th, 2010

Emerson Salon on Yelp!

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Recently we’ve had some great reviews posted on our Yelp profile and wanted to share with you some of our favorites!

Amanda says:
“While driving from Oak Harbor on a Saturday, I called about 11 places before I found one that had an opening. It happened to be Emerson’s, and D’Arcy was going to be my stylist. I was a little late getting there, but that was no problem. She got me straight into a chair and we talked about what I was interested in. I had very long hair, and I was tired of it, so whatever we were going to do was going to be a big change. Well, after all was said and done and $40 later, I came out of there with a very manageable and adorable cut. D’Arcy did an awesome job, and the conversation was great. Very easygoing, and just all-around great job! I’ll be coming back!!! :-) ”

Brendan says:
“I went here on a whim, and got a haircut by Lancer. When he asked me what I wanted I said short, but had no other suggestions. I just told him to do what he thought would look good. And I am so glad I did. He spent the next forty-five minutes intricately studying the curvature of my head, explaining why he was cutting some parts more than others, and he really got into it. You can tell hair is this man’s passion, and he’s damn good at it. When he finished I was in awe. I have never gotten a haircut this amazing, and I feel that if I want to go in a different direction with my hair he would be able to provide me with useful feedback. I’ll be a repeat customer at this place as long as I’m able to make it there.”

Margaret says:
“Came here for a haircut. I wanted to make a pretty drastic (ok, it was drastic for me) going from long long hair to medium length. So, you know, I wasn’t going to trust that kind of job to just anyone. Ellen, my stylist, did a fantastic job. She listened to what I wanted and also what kinds of problems I have in dealing with my hair…then, she gave me a super cute cut. She did most of the cutting with a scissor, then used the razor to thin my very full hair. It’s only been a few days, but I’m loving my summer-friendly do!”

Yogi says:
“I went to this salon to get a professional cut, and that is exactly what I got. My stylist Ellen Yates was stupendous. She could tell that I hadn’t had a professional cut, and eased me through the experience. I told her I wanted my hair short and low maintenance. She knew exactly what I wanted and even improved upon my original idea. I was opposed to using product in my hair, but she showed me how much it could improve my hairstyle. All in all Emerson Salon is a great place to get a haircut and Ellen Yates is a Fantastic hair stylist. I Highly recommend getting a haircut here.”

Thanks everyone for the kind words! You are why we do this business. Loved your experience at Emerson Salon too? Head on over to our Yelp page to share your own thoughts.

TagsD'Arcy Harrison, Ellen Yates, Emerson Salon, Lancer Forney, Reviews, Yelp

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

Inception: Stealing the Mind

In the wake of the tremendous success of Avatar, it’s been a tough summer sci-fi/action/fantasy based films with many failing to impress. However, we may have finally found a contender with the new film by Christopher Nolan, Inception. This film opens this weekend with a top notch cast that includes: Michael Caine, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Leonardo diCaprio, Pete Postelthwaite, Tom Berenger, Marion Cotillard and Cillian Murphy. The premise of the movie combines the power of the subconscious dream state during sleep with corporate espionage.

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Its scary to consider that corporate competition is infiltrating our minds for the purpose of profit but Leo’s character, Dom Cobb, is asked to do just that. Leo shows us that slightly longer hair on men can be stylish and modern yet still accessible. This is an entire cut achieved with shears only (minimal clippers.) His hairline is “blocked off” which means the nape of his hair is longer without any texture or tapering. Tapering creates an effect where the hair goes from short to long based on the head shape. The rest of the haircut is layered away from the face making sure to leave the longest lengths on top. Try styling this with Styling Mud by Alterna as it has light hold with soft control.

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Ellen Page’s character, Ariadne, shows us a different look than in her smash hit, Juno. Here, she sports an extreme slick bun very high on her head. In order to achieve this style you will need hair that is at least collarbone length. Start with applying Easy Rider by Kevin Murphy to the hair. Focus the product along the hair line in order to gather up all the fine haired fly aways. Slick the hair into a ponytail just in front of the crown of the head. Leave one strand out for wrapping around the bun once you’ve bundled the hair and pinned. Wrap the extra piece twice around and pin. Spray with Session Spray by Kevin Murphy for extreme hold and lasting wear. Tip: If any pieces of the bun pop out, try using a warm curling iron after applying spray to sculpt the frayed ends into place.

We’ll be on the edge of our seats for this modern thriller when it releases! Thank goodness our hair dreams are safe!

post by D’Arcy

TagsCelebrity Hairstyles, D'Arcy Harrison, Movies

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

Battle the Summer Heat Wave with Short Hair

We are overjoyed that warm weather and sunshine has finally hit Seattle! Now that we are heading into warmer temperatures, some female clients might opt for a shorter, more practical hairstyle in order to beat the heat. Shorter hair on women can definitely look feminine but also quite flattering. We recommend shorter styles for women who have oval, round or square face shapes. These face shapes do not require longer lengths to balance out the features.

agyness-deyn

Here, Agyness Deyn is extremely brave with the shortest haircut shown here. This is most likely a simple buzz cut that utilizes one clipper attachment to create the same length of hair all over the head. Many women who have gone this short have reported that it is liberating to lop off all of their hair. No styling needed as you roll out of bed looking the same as you did the night before! This haircut needs to be maintained once a month and if you have this haircut, but want a little oomph to it we recommend spraying Glimmer Shine by Moroccan Oil for luminosity and shine.

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Pink has become well known for her version of a short haircut she has been sporting for awhile now. Her haircut is completed with shears only and is softly layered and textured into the length on top. Its important to leave enough length around the face and sides in order to create the “piecy” look you see in the picture. A great product to use while styling this haircut is Sticky Business by Kevin Murphy. It has good hold, is extremely pliable and stays workable in your hair throughout the day. Put a nickel size amount in your hand and rub your hands together before putting it in your hair. The warmth aids in distributing the product in addition to making it easier to absorb into the hair.

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Last but not least is Rihanna! Rihanna has been playing with different ways to wear her shorter hair in the last 2 years. Here, she has the sides and back completely clippered down to the skin. The top is longer and softly layered with a new hue of cherry red. This was most likely done through a bleach and tone service where the hair is lightened to a pale orange and then a vivid semi permanent shade of red is applied. The only down side to using such a bright color is it tends to fade quickly so make sure to use a color safe shampoo like Caviar Moisture by Alterna to extend the life of the color. A great product for styling this do would be Easy Rider by Kevin Murphy. It has light hold and gives control to frizz and fly-aways that might occur after an extensive color service.

Will you be brave enough to go short this summer? If you are, call Emerson! We will help you determine the best length to receive through a thorough consultation.

post by D’Arcy

TagsCelebrity Hairstyles, D'Arcy Harrison, Extreme Hair, Hair Ideas, Short Hair, Summer

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

Kevin Murphy’s Screen Sirens

felicity

Emerson Salon recently had the great fortune of receiving a visit from Kevin Murphy’s Session Styling Assistant, Felicity Davis, to share some styling techniques with us. She styles for Vogue magazine and travels the world creating iconic hairstyles of every type for shoots and runways.

The goal of the demonstration at Emerson Salon was to show off some different finishing techniques that we can accomplish on female clients who have fine shoulder length hair. This hair type can be a challenge to style due to its inconsistent ability to hold a soft curl or wave once styled. Further, sometimes using an iron curler on this hair type is just not sufficient to hold an all day classic style. With a lot of red carpet and magazine hair lately evoking the soft volume of 1930’s style movie starlets like Veronica Lake or Lauren Bacall achieving this look is essential.

Felicity Davis Class 001Felicity Davis Class 026

The first of our two beautiful models for this demonstration was Lisa. She has naturally wavy/curly hair and has difficulty with frizz and style longevity.

  • First, Felicity washed Lisa’s hair with Maxi Wash. This is not a clarifier or chelating shampoo with a higher ph level. This product uses alpha hydroxy to exfoliate oil and product buildup out of the hair cuticle in order to prep the hair for the style. This may take 2 -3 times at the bowl to start to create the correct “egg white” lather that indicates clean hair.
  • Then, Felicity applied Born Again Essential Treatment and lightly rinsed. This moisturizes and repairs the hair using conditioning agents derived from Olive Leaf, Shea Butter, Omega 3 and Omega 6.
  • Once the hair was towel dried, Felicity used Staying Alive with berdok root and Bodyguard Hydrating Lotion with peruvian bark in order to better protect the hair during the styling session. In addition, Anti Gravity setting lotion using lavender oil was also applied in order to eliminate flyaways and hold the curl. (If this sounds like a lot of product, its ok! Kevin Murphy’s line is designed to be weightless and is performance based.)
  • Then, the hair was hand dried until bone dry.
  • The hair is divided into 8 sections (2 on each side and 4 in the back). Each section is curled with a smaller curling iron and then set on the Kevin Murphy brand curlers that uses a ball and elastic to secure it in place. Once the hair cools for 5-10 minutes, the curlers are taken out.
  • The curls are finger separated and then brushed out with a natural boar bristle brush. This brush is used to back brush under sections to create volume and then, Session Spray is applied lightly to the hair and then worked slowly with the brush into a smoother wave.

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Our second stylish model was Lara who has fine, straight hair that has issues with creating volume. For years, it was common practice to beat one’s hair into straight submission with serums and flat irons. Felicity calls this the age of “slip technology” where the hair’s cuticle is forced down for smoothness. Now, volume is more trendy and current, and this is the look we wanted to achieve with Lara.

  • To get ready for this, Felicity prepped Lara’s hair with Maxi Wash and Born Again Treatement for protection during the styling session.
  • Once towel dried, Anti Gravity is applied liberally and hand dried.
  • The hair is then twisted, iron curled and set vertically on the Kevin Murphy rollers, secured with a pin curl clip. Felicity called this her signature “Zulu Curl” and we loved it!
  • The style was finished similarly to Lisa’s, but refined with additional pinning on the short pieces of the bang area. A little session spray and working with it with the brush is all was needed to make this glam style.

Felicity’s tips were super helpful and its always good to get a fresh perspective on how to make our clients look fabulous! Thanks Felicity! (If you want to learn more, keep reading this blog or go to the Kevin Murphy website for more product information or styling tutorials.)

post by D’Arcy

TagsD'Arcy Harrison, Kevin Murphy, Styling Tips, Updos, Volume, Wavy Hair

Friday, June 25th, 2010

Stars Triumphant Return with Five Ghosts

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A band like Stars from Montreal give indie pop a good name with its songs instrumentalized into thoughtful rock pieces with an inner emotional arc. They are upbeat yet lyrical simultaneously. Stars’ newest studio album, Five Ghosts, is a tour de force with its lead single, Fixed. Singer-guitarist Amy Millan rocks as the band’s front woman and holds her own in the mostly male band.

Amy’s hair color is soft and feminine even though it is on the darker side of brunette. She probably received an all over balayage service. If you are looking for similar color to Amy’s, ask your stylist to give you a rich, neutral brown base color with painted in highlights that are toned to a medium blond. This will create a fuller look to the hair in addition to softening the dark hue. This technique can go longer between services as its subtle application diminishes the effect of the inevitable “grow out” line. Amy’s haircut is a shoulder length, layered haircut with texture. This means that in addition to the basic shape shorter pieces are added to the layers to create movement. This can be done with the shears alone or a razor if your hair is not prone to frizz. Try styling this do with Motion Lotion by Kevin Murphy before blow drying with a boar bristle brush. It aids in enhancing and holding the bend created by the brush and extends the life of the style.

Drummer Pat McGee has become adventurous with his locks. He decided to buzz his hair into a boxy looking short mohawk and added pink and white blond hues to it. This can be achieved by bleaching the hair out completely and then a vivid semi-permanent toner is applied on top. These shades fade quickly so make sure if you receive this service that you go home with a color safe shampoo and conditioner like Caviar Moisture as the hair will be damaged. A great product to style this with is Hair Shaper by Fudge. It has firm hold and is pliable for creating height.

All we know is we are trans-’fixed’ on the success and style of this band and cross our fingers that they will tour Seattle someday!

post by D’Arcy

TagsCelebrity Hairstyles, D'Arcy Harrison, Fashion, Music, Salon Playlist

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