In the last few years, hair extensions have blossomed from a rich girl’s indulgence to a fun, reasonable change for a stylish girl with specific hair length or fullness preferences.

At Emerson Salon, D’Arcy of D’Arcy Hair Design has been wearing Babe Hair Extensions since March of 2011. Here, we show you her old look with blunt bangs and a short bob. Then, right after the extension application and haircut, Lastly, the most recent pic of her on this website. It is a dramatic transformation but it is not necessary to add length. Some finer hair ladies like to add extra density so styling looks its best and lasts longer. And others like adding pieces of the fun purple, magenta, pink, blue, green, or orange to save their hair from prelightening damage. (Darker hair needs to be prelightened in order for some vivid colors to show up the best.)

My pricing for extensions is as follows:
(The colors will be chosen during the consultation in addition to determining the number of pieces required for the desired result. The selection ranges from vivid, punk colors to natural hair colors.) You pay after the consultation for the cost of the hair and beads (wholesale).

• Application: $70/hr (due at time of service)
• Move up: $35/hr (due at time of service/usually every 4-6 weeks)
• Beads: $14.00/100 beads
• 18” straight: $38.75/ 20 pcs
• 22” straight or wavy: $50.00/ 20pcs

It can take between 40-200 pcs depending on desired result

It is important to provide appropriate care to the extensions by:

• Combing from the ends up
• Use dry shampoo so oils from your scalp will not break down the hard wax on the extension tip. D’Arcy uses Alterna’s Caviar Dry Shampoo. It is a talc free powder and it rocks!
• Scheduling regular maintenance (every 4-6 weeks)
• Using salon quality shampoo, conditioner and styling product. D’Arcy uses Alterna Bamboo Anti Frizz Shampoo and Conditioner because it helps keep the extensions from matting up by smoothing with bamboo extract and other ingredients. She also uses Alterna Kendi oil to protect her hair while she curls it.

Be brave and try out a new look- its within your reach!

Post by D’Arcy

Adam’s haircut was really fun to do. He came in with his hair bleached yellow all over and a bit longer all over. He also had a rat tail that he had been growing out for a while. We talked about what we wanted to do and decided that the sides and back needed to be cut shorter, while we left the rat tail and the top long.

This gave his haircut a great two-toned effect with his dirty blonde natural color and the yellow that remained in the top and the tail. Overall, this was a great cut for Adam’s more grungy style! For more of a textured look, we connected the shorter sides to the longer top and layered his tail. To add hold and emphasize that texture we used Kevin.Murphy Gritty.Business; the cherry on the grungy rocker sundae! This was a really fun haircut to perform.

This this is a great style for you? Book your appointment with me, today!

Post by Franz

This past Monday we saw a great Emmy show hosted by the hysterical Jane Lynch from Glee. This night was fraught with hair triumphs and some fashion pitfalls but if anything, the stars of Hollywood had trend setters talking for days!

The biggest hits of the night were Glee cast members Heather Morris and Lea Michele. Heather’s dress is a beautiful color and length but some fashion commentators were not fans of the tiered detailing. I love it regardless! The lilac and dark lavender are great to offset the color of her hair. Heather’s hair on the other hand is a gorgeous toned down blond with a more subdued medium beige base color with balayaged blond on the ends. The updo is simple, soft and not overly done, as it is pulled loosely off of her face into a loose bun at her crown. This style is great to accentuate her high cheekbones, collarbone/neck and piercing eyes.

Lea Michele hit a home run with her entire look and has been unofficially deemed the lady of the night! I loved how her simple hairdo worn down helped amplify the drama of the high shoulders and open back of her gown. Her long, blunt bangs and soft, dark brown hue of her hair really showed off her energetic and dramatic personality. A great product to recreate this style is Kendi Oil by Alterna’s Bamboo line. Once towel dried, apply a nickel sized amount to the midshaft and ends, blowdry and flat iron. The Kendi Oil has Omega 3 and 6 in addition to fatty acids which help to repair, moisturize and smooth the hair’s cuticle. Its great to use on over processed hair to restore manageability and luster.

Like any of these looks? We can take care of it! Book with Emerson today!

Post by D’Arcy

I have a client named Amanda who is just fantastic to work with. She has an energetic personality with a real eye for color and has incorporated that into her hair style. Amanda is a big fan of cool shades and rarely strays from this palette. Originally, Amanda started out at as a bridal up do client and has forayed the relationship we forged then into an ongoing collaboration on her hair. Once the wedding was over, we cut and colored her hair either violet with natural black or electric blue and natural black. This is accomplished through the Balayage technique- hand painted bleach strips to create a soft “streaky” effect. Then the semi- permanent vivid shade is applied to dry hair and put under a dryer for thirty minutes to aid in the color’s longevity.

Although Amanda is stated with how she styles herself, she always consults with me regarding the best option for her aesthetically in addition to what will be the least damaging to her hair. Recently, Amanda asked my opinion on how to change her hair. What we decided was to take her usual one length, shoulder grazing bob into a slightly more inverted version (shorter in back and longer in front). Also, we shortened her bangs significantly from just below the eyebrow line to far above.

We weren’t completely sure where we wanted to go with color, so we decided to cover up the blue highlights with the natural black we usually use. This will help condition the hair by adding pigment while also creating a fresh palette for color in the future. I really like this subtle alteration of her hairstyle and think its a a great practical solution until we get inspired again!

I always shampoo Amanda with Advanced Color Protection by Italy Hairfashion because it’s economical and does not strip hair color. I then followed up with Anti Frizz Conditioner by Alterna’s Bamboo line. It truly minimizes those annoying flyaways and unruly hairs. To style, we used MoroccanOil to blowdry and flat iron her hair into place, making it look sleek and chic. It also works wonders for frizz and gives hair a brilliant shine.

You don’t have to be dramatic when you change your hair. Add some facial framing to a trim or choose a hair color level lighter or darker than you usually go. Sometimes a taste of change is just what the “hair doctor” ordered! Book online today!

Post by D’Arcy

I styled rapper Katie Kate’s hair for her recent show at Capitol Hill’s Comet Tavern. I clipper cut one side of her head every three weeks to give her a dual look with one side short and one side longer, giving her the visual impact she needs to get noticed. I iron curled the longer side of her hair with Alterna Caviar Working spray around two four strand braids. Next, I bobby pinned up the shoulder length hair into a faux bob leaving one large wave/curl in the front. To finish I sprayed with Extra Hold by Alterna Caviar because the style needed to last for eight hours in addition to being able to endure a sweaty musical set in a small bar.

Coming up soon! Katie Kate will be performing LIVE on KEXP on September 24th, so listen for her hit “Tote Bag” from her upcoming album. We can’t wait!

Post by D’Arcy

Looking for a simple but chic summer hairstyle? With all this warm weather, you don’t want to spend a lot of time and energy styling your hair. High buns are an effortless style you should definitely try!

After applying product use any comb or a soft bristle brush to pull all of the hair back to your preferred height. Use an elastic band to create a ponytail, then twist the ponytail by holding the end and it will naturally start to wrap around the hair band. Secure the bun with bobby pins, pushing the pins in toward the base of the bun, like a pin cushion. Finish with hairspray to keep those flyaways down. Adding a colorful wrap or headband to this simple summer style will add a pop of color and have you ready for any adventure!

Post by Danielle

Post by Lancer

BellaSugar has a great article on how to wear the classic ponytail.

These are my 2 favorite:

Modern Classic
No side part or fringe here for Rosario Dawson. Instead, she accentuated her pretty features with some slight volume at the top. To re-create her style, simply tease the front of the hair, along with the crown. Then, smooth the hair with a fine-toothed comb before pulling it back. (from bellasugar)

Bouncy Bouffant
Penelope Cruz’s cute ’50s-style bangs and bouncy fall made for one impressive hairstyle at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. For a truly voluminous take on the coiffure, consider adding some temporary extensions. (from bellesugar)

What’s your favorite way to wear a ponytail?

Book an appointment today for a hair consultation at Emerson Salon on Capitol Hill

Nicki Minaj is not only all over the billboard and video charts lately- but she changes her look daily with the use of wigs! Here, Nicki talks about her hair style on mypinkfriday.com:

Do your alter egos have their own styles?- ” They definitely do. Martha’s an older lady in her 60s or 50s. The nerdy look I did in my Saturday Night Live sketch was Dexter. I haven’t unveiled Roman yet. I can’t wait to show everyone what he looks like! I think that my more flamboyant stuff is definitely not Nicki—it’s basically Roman in drag.”

Express your mood through your hair like Nicki and play around with a new style each day……. Happy Hair Changes!

Post by D’Arcy

This fall we are seeing some very put together styles for men coming off the runways and the red carpet. The trends seem to gear more towards looks that use heavier products like pomades and matte texturisers in contrast to the wet look we’ve seen in season past.

The shortest trend we have observed so far is close to a “collegiate cut,” where the front is longer than the rest of the cut (like the hairstyle of Anderson Cooper on CNN.) Here, Anderson shows how a little length on top towards the hairline can be helpful in softening either a thinning hairline or a square forehead. This look is maintained every 3-4 weeks as it utilizes more clipper cutting around the nape and sides than some of the longer hair trends. A good product for this style is Fat Hed by Fudge as it has strong hold and aids in creating piece-y texture.

The medium length hair trend harkens back to looks from the early 20th century as seen on film stars like Cary Grant, Spencer Tracy and Humphey Bogart. The hair is parted on the side and slicked down with heavier product. Depending on your hair type, this haircut can be cut a number of ways. If you have fine hair, this haircut should be shear cut only with layers with an attention to keeping length as much as possible throughout the haircut in order to maximize fullness (use Easy Rider by Kevin Murphy for light hold and control.) If you have thicker or wavier hair, this cut can be clipper cut at the nape/sides in order to allow the length on top to lay over the shorter (try using Sculpting Putty by Alterna for supreme workable hold.)

The longest hair trend for fall 2010 can be seen on Orlando Bloom-this cut is perfect for men with extremely dense medium to thick hair. This haircut can be achieved by shear cutting the edges and layers first and then textured with a razor. This lightens up the heaviness of the hair and creates lots of different lengths all over for a more modern look. Once product is applied (try Night Rider by Kevin Murphy for its matte texture and firm, tacky hold) you can use your hands to pull out the pieces towards the face and back. This haircut can also be flat-ironed strategically to emphasize the texture. Spray with Session Spray by Kevin Murphy for extreme hold.

Guys, are you looking to change up your style? Consult an Emerson Stylist to discuss which of these trends is best for you, your personal style, styling regimen and hair type.

post by D’Arcy