This week I had the honor to be a featured artist for the RAW artists showcase at iMusic. There was art, fashion,music, makeup, hair and great times! Part of participating in a showcase with RAW is the portfolio building as well as a taped video piece which I will share when it comes out in 3 weeks! But for now.. I will share with you my thoughts behind what I created!

I want to start off by saying that this runway show was an opportunity to “push the envelope,” on what I could accomplish with hair. I get to work with stellar clients daily making their styles work for them and their needs but for one night I threw practicality to the wind! I let my imagination wander to places, ideas and concepts I wanted to explore. One of the main concepts I kept coming back to was,”SCULPTURAL FLOW.”

What this means to me (as a daughter of a sculptor) is a 3 dimensional (3D) hair representation of how flow is created in hair and with hair. In the same guise, I also wanted to see how flow can be stopped or redirected with hair in order to establish different components of a style. The images that kept running through my mind were of: Talum and Chichen Itza pyramids in Mexico, rippled sands in an Arabian desert, and the waves in the “Bride of Frankenstein” hair.

In order to accomplish the varied styles, I used clip in human hair extensions. In order to ad fullness to one of the styles I custom colored the pieces to match the models hair using It&ly’s Vivly semipermanent Titian to repigmentize and then toned with It&ly’s Colorly transluscent color formula 7FA tutti frutti and 10 volume. Other clip ins were sprayed with costume spray color, Extra Hold Hairspray by Alterna Caviar and Gloss Sealant Spray from Blick art supply. In order to set the pieces I used a triple barrel wave iron in order to have a consistent, fabricated wave pattern in the pieces.

I also employed some old school styling tricks like back combing, backbrushing, and creative bobby pinning (they have to be hidden!) in addition to using newer products like Morroccan Oil and Anti gravity+Session Spray by Kevin Murphy. I am super proud of the work I did and I hope you do like it too….. Enjoy “going with the flow!”

(Credits:D’Arcy Hair Design- Hair, Nyk Foto-photography, Fashion- Kim McCormick/Kimmi Designs and Jessica Nees-Makeup)

In a hair stylist’s career, it is always awesome to be presented with a great artistic opportunity.

D’Arcy Hair Design of Emerson Salon will have the honor of being a featured Hair Artist for RAW artists Thursday, February 9th Showcase. RAW artists is in 22 cities nationwide and works with the local arts community to create showcases, events and awards that puts a spotlight on emerging talent in fashion, makeup, performing art,modelling, film, art, photography, hair, and music. A RAW artist gets invaluable portfolio building, exposure, and will not only network and socialize but most importantly, get a chance to collaborate with peers in different fields.

“ACTIVATE,” Seattle’s first RAW showcase will be held at iMusic on 5th Ave North (across from EMP/Space Needle) and D’Arcy will be styling for Kimmi Designs (formal fashions of repurposed/recycled fabrics.)

The doors are at 8pm with a DJ, a unique visual and visceral artistic experience, 3 bars, good vibes and at 10pm there will be 2 fashion runway shows. Advance tickets are only $10!
Check out http://www.rawartists.org or BUY a TICKET to see D’Arcy Hair Design.

Come out and support our thriving creative community with us!

Post by D’Arcy

Once a year, the North American Hairstyling Awards attracts the country’s top talent in hair. It is there that anyone from student up to master stylist compete for the coveted privilege of being featured as the region’s best and most creative. This year was no exception. The awards were held at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada and really wowed us here at Emerson Salon when we saw the end results.

Jake Thompson, Avant Garde Stylist of the Year

Eli Mancha, Hairstylist of the Year

Kris Sorbie, Master Hairstylist of the Year

These hairstyles push the envelope in color and styling and to be honest, some of these styles look nearly impossible to achieve! Our stylists were racking their brains to try and figure out how the heck they did all that! These styles are definitely not ‘everyday’ hair but instead serve to inspire and revitalize the hairstyling community to stretch and challenge themselves daily.

Some go to products for any creative stylist who wants to make a big impression are:

• Session.Spray by Kevin.Murphy: This resin based hairspray is workable when lightly sprayed twelve inches from the hair or sprayed directly for a hard hold. It has no CFC’s and contains conditioning hydrolyzed wheat proteins and a UV shield to protect color.
• Working Spray by Alterna Caviar: This workable spray is light and flexible and contains Age Control Complex and Seasilk.
• Rapid Repair Spray by Alterna Caviar: This no-hold finishing spray has great shine, vitamins and a fruity smell!
• Night.Rider by Kevin.Murphy: This product is a matte texturizer with firm hold and contains beeswax which aids in its pliability. It is easy to use and sets almost on contact which is great for creating a sturdy, messy look.
• Moroccanoil: This treatment line uses a dry argan nut oil that is non-greasy and and multifunctional. Blow dry and straighten, or scrunch and diffuse! Either way your hair will feel moisturized, controlled and conditioned.

Feeling inspired to do something to your hair that pushes the envelope? Be brave and let Emerson Salon take you outside the box!

Post by D’Arcy

I used Seth as a model a week or so ago. He came in with longer light blonde hair that was nice, but not entirely even. He hadn’t had a cut in a long time and was open for me doing anything. I really liked the idea of him staying lighter but I wanted to give hima little bit extra.

For styling we used MoroccanOil to give the hair a little bit of moisture and protein from the chemical processing and heat styling that it had been exposed to in the past. It also helped the hair dry faster. Seth’s hair is pretty straight, so we used our flat iron to curl the down at the root and up on the ends to give the appearance of wavy hair. We then used Kevin.Murphy Night.Rider to hold the short side down and give hold and texture to the longer hair.

Think Seth has a great look? Schedule an appointment with me by calling Emerson Salon at 206-323-7437 or booking online at

Post by Franz

Want rock and roll hair without the greasy effect? Kevin.Murphy’s Gritty.Business will help you achieve dry, dirty-looking rocker hair. It’s main ingredients are Bentonite Clay, Kukui Nut Oil, and Beeswax. The clay’s properties are healing and draws out any oil that might reside on your hair or scalp. When hair is oily, it will lack volume and won’t hold well. Kukui nut oil is rejuvenating and helps Gritty.Business emulsify in your hands so you can work it through your hair easily, without leaving a greasy film on your hair or scalp! Beeswax also acts as an emulsifier and lends strength and thickness to the hair strands, acting as another volume builder to give more control and texture to your hairstyle.

Here we display two great rocker looks you can get with Gritty.Business:

• How to style with short hair:


• How to style with longer hair:

Post by Lancer

Jonathan found our salon online and was visiting Seattle from Denver. He works as a vet tech and requested a red Mohawk. His hair had just gotten long enough to support a hawk, so I began with the cut and we consulted about what kind of red Jonathan wanted. I found that he wanted a more natural red color on his hawk, which complements his natural blond hair as well as his skin tone and eye
color.

Thanks Jonathan, for visiting us while in Seattle!

Post by Lancer

Post by Lancer

It looks like another child of Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith is creating a huge buzz for herself. Willow Smith is creating a frenzy with her new video,”Whip My Hair.” Some are even comparing her voice and cutting edge style to the pop star Rihanna.

Even at the young age of 10 years old, Willow has showed the world how unique and fashionable she can be with her hair and style. Here are some examples of the varied looks she has worn in the last couple years. From corn row braids to half shaved, she is truly brave with the risks she chooses to take with her hair.

Looking to do a drastic change? Consult your Emerson Salon Stylist today to design a special look just for you!

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.

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.

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

When coloring your hair, you don’t always have to be limited to your basic brown, blond and red. More and more people and celebrities are incorporating wild colors into their hair for a more daring edgy look. You can do this with a few colored highlights, or go all the way and do a complete color revamp (Think Rhianna’s new bright red do). Whatever your preference, I hope you enjoy this collection of some of my favorite examples of creative coloring.

Call Emerson to make an appointment to get YOUR wild color today!

Post by Amelia