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.

Book Online
Schedule your appointment today!

909 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122
T: 206-323-7437
@: emersonsalon@gmail.com

Lancer's Avatar Meet Lancer Follow my RSS Feed
Rusty's Avatar Meet Rusty Follow my RSS Feed
John's Avatar Meet John Follow my RSS Feed
D'Arcy's Avatar Meet D'Arcy Follow my RSS Feed
Emily's Avatar Meet Emily Follow my RSS Feed
Ellen's Avatar Meet Ellen Follow my RSS Feed

Articles from ‘Movies’

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.

ramonareal

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.

ramonablue

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

Friday, July 16th, 2010

The Cyrus Dilemma

cyrus

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

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.

inception_photo_03-535x356

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.

leonardo-dicaprio-inception-headed-to-imax-02

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

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

Sex and the City 2: The Return of Great Hair

poster_sex-city-2

At long last, the new Sex and the City sequel has arrived. The cast of no-nonsense New York women are back with new adventures and another window into their ever exciting lives. Sarah Jessica Parker returns as the central Carrie Bradshaw character along with Cynthia Nixon, Kim Cattral and Kristin Davis. In this installment, the ladies take a group trip to the Middle East to let off some steam and simultaneously run into some surprises along the way. The cast also includes some cameos by Miley Cyrus, Liza Minelli, Tim Gunn, Penelope Cruz in addition to the return of John Corbett as Carrie’s ex, Aidan and Chris Noth as Mr. Big.

cast-set-of-sex-and-the-city-2

These ladies are each unique in their own individual ways as they were in the show when it aired on HBO. We expect no less from their clothing and hair style! The hair color on each lady is perfectly suited to the character being played:

  • Kim Cattrall’s hair color as Samantha is a heavily foiled buxom blond that most likely is a bleach and tone service. This is where a bleach lightener is foiled into the hair and then refined after to control warmth. We like to think of it as the 2010 Marilyn Monroe!
  • Cynthia Nixon’s hair color as Miranda has always been some version of all over red. In this movie, her shade is more of a rich copper. This shade can be achieved one of two ways. If you are already a lighter color all over you may receive a permanent all over color service. If you are darker haired a bleach and tone service might be required. This is where the hair is lifted to a lighter level and then colored the desired shade all over. Our bleach lighteners through Italy Hairfashion are less damaging than others as they have been formulated with lavender, german chamomile and other botanical herbs that help maintain hair structure and condition.
  • Kristin Davis’ hair color as Charlotte is a rich, dark brown with light chestnut accents on the ends. This service would be an all over color with balayage pieces on the ends. The all over color is applied to the entire head of hair and then bleach accents are added to the ends in the last 15 minutes of processing. This look is great for women who like being darker but want softness simultaneously. Having an all over dark brown can look a little harsh so dimension focuses your attention on the person and not just the hair.
  • Sarah Jessica Parker’s hair color as Carrie has always been some version of a dimensional blonde. In this movie, however, we see a medium beige brown shade with blonde accents. If you are an ultra light blond who usually gets foiled- this is a great hair color to help you move into a more muted shade. The steps to take in this service would be to choose a hue close to your natural hair color. This shade is applied to the roots up to the mid-shaft, then a darker blonde toner can be applied to the ends in a balayage technique. This will diffuse the blonde pieces into the ends and make for a much more subtle growout. It will give your over-processed hair more shine, moisture and depth in addition to becoming easier to maintain. (For example: Instead of rescheduling in 6-8 weeks you can stretch it to 8-14 weeks.)
  • We recommend using Glimmer Shine by Moroccan Oil when finishing your style after a color service. Its dry argan oil makes the hair sparkle and shine in addition to being color safe, paraben free and sulfate free. Argan Oil is all natural and will not build up on your hair like some of the other shine sprays on the market because it uses natural silicone derived from sand. Its great even on fine hair!

These ladies always look picture perfect and your hair color can, too! Book a color consultation with an Emerson Salon stylist today!

post by D’Arcy

TagsCelebrity Hairstyles, D'Arcy Harrison, Hair Color, Movies

Monday, May 17th, 2010

Gwyneth Paltrow and Scarlett Johansson in Iron Man 2

Iron_man_HQ_Posters

Two beautiful actresses are currently playing lead roles in the special effects action adventure sequel, Iron Man 2. Gwyneth Paltrow is Pepper Potts, Tony Stark’s loyal assistant and witty love interest who becomes CEO of Stark Industries. Scarlett Johansson joins the cast as Natalie, replacing Pepper as Tony’s new assistant “from legal”.

Both of these ladies represent two opposite versions of an all over color service. While Scarlett has a deep, rich, warm, chestnut brown, Gwyneth has a honey, medium blonde shade. Both of these women are somewhat fair-medium skin tone and it is fascinating to see such different hair colors work so dynamically on similar skin tones.

What’s also wonderful about seeing these two actresses is they also have drastically different haircuts. Gwyneth has a blunt bang and a medium length blunt bob style haircut that accentuates her angular jaw and bone structure. In contrast, Scarlett has a shoulder length long layered cut that shows off her softer features and high cheekbones. We like hair on starlets that enhance their natural beauty because creating flattering cuts and color on our clients is what we do every day!

16438

If you wish to style your hair like Scarlett’s shiny, sleek waves- here are some tips:

  • Start with dry hair.
  • Apply Morroccan Styling Oil to the midshaft to ends. Applying this product to dry hair will give it a glass like effect.
  • Take a curling iron to large 2″ sections of hair making sure to create curls only on the mid to ends of the hair. If the hair has difficulty holding curl, try applying Working Spray by Alterna to the section before curling.
  • Finger separate the curls.
  • Using a boar bristle paddle brush, slowly brush the curls over your arm to bring them into soft rolls of waves.
  • Once complete, spray with Extra Hold by Alterna.

17606

Styling hair like Gwyneth’s is a snap if you already have straight hair. A little round brushing to the bangs and ends of the haircut and off you go! If you have wavy or curly hair, this style is more of a challenge. Here are some tips:

  • Start with towel dried hair after shampooing with Alterna Caviar Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner.
  • Apply Radiant Smoothing Lotion by Alterna to the mid shaft to ends and comb through.
  • From the nape up, use a larger boar bristle round brush to create fullness and curl under the ends.
  • Try using tension on the bangs around the head shape to get rid of most of the moisture. Then, round brush the bang towards the face.
  • Using a flat iron on high heat, straighten the hair off of the center part to create sleekness.
  • Spray with Rapid Repair Shine Spray by Alterna for luminosity and finish with Working Spray.

Movies like this show us that not only can female actresses be beautiful, but smart and strong as well. Are you a strong woman? Let us make you over here at Emerson Salon! You deserve it!

post by D’Arcy

TagsCelebrity Hairstyles, D'Arcy Harrison, Hair Color, Hair Ideas, Movies, Styling Tips

Friday, April 2nd, 2010

Alexa Davalos in Clash of the Titans

MV5BMTMwNjI3MTcyNl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNDM3NzAzMw@@._V1._SX267_SY400_

Clash of the Titans will be released April 2 and is a remake of the original 1981 Greek myth epic about the war between kings and gods. This version is in 3-D and is jam packed with action, visual effects and big stars. Sam Worthington plays the main character of Perseus alongside Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Atertonm, Pete Postelthwaite, and Alexa Davalos.

You may have seen Alexa in such films as The Mist, Chronicles of Riddick or Defiance. She continues her excellent character choices with her role as Andromeda in this particular film. This character is based in classic Greek myth. Due to her mother’s incessant bragging of her daughter’s beauty, evil is unleashed by Poseidon on the kingdom. The violence will not stop until a sacrifice of Andromeda’s virgin flesh is given up to a ferocious sea monster. She is tied to the rocks and left for dead until Sam Worthington’s Perseus comes along.

At the premiere of Clash of the Titans, Alexa has followed the current red carpet trend of slick, 40’s style waves. Her hair is extremely curly and probably took a great deal of work to straighten. If you have hair like hers, here are some tips:

  • After shampooing/conditioning, towel dry the hair by scrunching it with a towel.
  • Apply a cocktail of Moroccan Oil Styling Cream and Styling Oil to the entire head of hair.
  • Blow dry section by section from the nape up with a larger barrel boar bristle brush. If the hair is stubborn and still frizzy or wavy, keep a medium heat flat iron on hand to fix any trouble spots.
  • Once complete, take a barrel iron and lightly curl the ends in back in addition to the ends around the facial framing. Using a cushion brush, smooth out the curls into large, soft waves. It helps to lay the mid shaft and ends over your forearm while brushing to create a cohesive bevel.
  • Mist all over with Glimmer shine by Moroccan Oil for luminosity and then spray with Extra Hold by Alterna for longevity.

Alexa will bring elegance and strength to this role as she did at the red carpet premiere! With these helpful styling tips, you too can make an entrance into any room or event!

Check out the trailer for this epic movie:

post by D’Arcy

TagsCelebrity Hairstyles, D'Arcy Harrison, Long Hair, Movies, Styling Tips

Friday, February 26th, 2010

Alice In Wonderland Returns to the Theater

Coming this March, Tim Burton’s newest interpretation of the classing tale Alice In Wonderland will be hitting theaters and IMAXs all over the country. Some of the talented cast that Tim Burton has gathered for this film include Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Sheen, Crispin Glover, and Anne Hathaway.

Star studded cast aside, the central character Alice is played by Mia Wasikowa who is an Australian actress an relatively unknown in the US. She did recently star in Amelia and Defiance. Mia is currently slated for a future production of a Jane Eyre remake as well as an untitled Gus Van Sant film.

Alice_in_Wonderland,_2010,_Mia_Wasikowska,_Johnny_Depp,_Helena_Bonham_Carter

As Alice, Mia has gorgeous blond wavy hair that is young and fresh. It looks like they did a subtle foil highlight on her hair in order to catch the light and emphasis movement. To recreate Mia’s soft wave we recommend towel drying hair after shampooing/conditioning. Then, slightly mist the hair with Moroccan Oil Glimmer Shine before you pin curl the entire head, 2″ from the root. This means rolling up 1-2″ sections of hair and clipping them (you can use bobby pins) before air drying or spending 30 minutes under a hood dryer. Once dry, finger separate and spray with Working Spray by Alterna. (For heavier hair textures try loosely iron curling after pincurls to define wave.)

mia-wasikowska-teen-vogue-pixie-cut-1

At the UK premiere of Alice in Wonderland, Mia debuted her new cropped do. Undoubtedly she was tired of caring for those classic long locks from the movie and wanted a simpler and much easier to maintain look. Here we see her in a recent issue of Teen Vogue. This look is fun and modern yet still sweet and feminine. It reminds me of Carey Mulligan’s new haircut (from An Education). What do you think?

post by D’Arcy

TagsBlonde Hair, D'Arcy Harrison, Movies

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

Penelope Cruz’s Broken Embraces

-1

Pedro Almodovar’s newest film “Broken Embraces” is a must see. The film that has already sparked Oscar buzz stars Penelope Cruz. Almodovar and Cruz have worked together on several other films already, including “Live Flesh,” “All About My Mother,” and “Volver.” The film takes place in the 1990s and then later in 2008. It is a film noir, but with a twist. It is filmed in bright color, making it very beautiful to watch. It has been described as a “four way tail of dangerous love.”

Seen here, is Penelope Cruz in a platinum, modern day Marilyn Monroe wig. Her look is chic, classic and easy to do. All it takes is a big barrel curling iron, a few bobby pins, a ton of backcombing and some good hairspray. Starting at the crown and through the sides, take small sections, and using the fine teeth of a comb begin to back comb at the root. This will create volume and a base for your pins to hold on to. (If your hair is not too long, you may not need pins at all.) From there, you will then take one-two inch sections, starting at the bottom and then curling. You may want some help when working on the back. Work your way up the head, spraying each section as you go. When you get to the front, curl away from your face and loosely curl your bangs. Keep spraying! You’re going to want to let is set briefly before going through it with a boar bristle brush. Gently brush out the curls and pin loosely in the back, keeping it off your neck. If you have a decent amount of back combing, this should be pretty easy to do. Using your fingers, break up the curl in the front and spray.

Check out Penelope’s style and the film, in theatres now.

Post by Amanda

TagsAmanda Kochansky, Celebrity Hairstyles, Movies, Updos, Women's Hair

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

Carey Mulligan’s Retro Hair in An Education

The 2010 Oscar nominations were recently announced and one of the 10 films nominated this year for Best Picture is the much buzzed about film, An Education, starring Peter Sarsgard, Alfred Molina, and Carey Mulligan. Carey is also nominated in the best actress category for her role as 16 yr old Jenny.

This movie is set in the 1960’s and shows Jenny as she gets wrapped up in a new relationship with an older man as she travels to Paris. This film utilizes not only the arc of the script but in addition, changes in Carey’s hair. This visually shows the transformation of a girl into a woman as she is being swept up by her sophisticated 30 something lover (Sarsgard.)

ed3

In the beginning of the movie, Jenny has simple 60’s teenager hair. Here is probably how it was achieved:

  • This hairstyle utilizes a medium length longer haircut with minimal texture/layers. The perimeter line is put in first (at the top of the shoulder blades), and then the layers in back are created by slightly elevating them at a 45 degree. Over direction of the front layers towards the previous layer in back creates a subtle texture when styled. Added to the style is a mod style blunt bang/fringe that is shaped around the brow line and upper cheek bones.
  • If your hair is not naturally this color you can consult with your Emerson Salon stylist to find the best shade/tone of dark reddish brown that looks best on you as well as one that fits in with your maintenance needs. People with a cool skin tone look best with orange based browns whereas warmer skin tones look best with neutral to more red violet browns.
  • To style: No hair setting required!!. Carey’s hair has minimal natural texture and can be mostly air dried with a leave in conditioner (try Leave in Luxury by Kevin Murphy). If you have natural wave or frizz: Rough dry 50% then add Morroccan Oil Styling Oil (about a nickels worth) to the mid shaft to ends. Then blow dry section by section from the nape up with a paddle or denman brush. Make sure to flat wrap the bangs around the head shape to avoid frizz and excessive bend. Flat iron all the ends and then spray lightly with Working Spray by Alterna Caviar. Scrunch the ends lightly for additional bounce.

ed2

As Jenny “grows up” her hair styles mirror her experiences:

  • This hair style it is possible to use a shampoo set to create soft curl and bounce. This means using velcro rollers that are big enough to wrap the hair at least 1 1/2 times on mostly damp hair. A great setting lotion is Anti Gravity by Kevin Murphy which aids in fullness, hold and weightlessness. Make sure to comb the bangs down towards the eyebrows and clip lightly before drying.
  • Dry for 25 minutes with medium heat and cool for 5 minutes. Unwrap the hair and lightly finger separate the curls. Spray lightly with Working Spray.
  • To create this updo style you will need: Bobby pins and a hair elastic. Create a pony tail just below the crown area in back. Make sure to include the nape hair/flyaways in the ponytail with Sticky Business by Kevin Murphy and Working Spray by Alterna. Leave out the sides and bang areas.
  • Back brush on top (in front of the ponytail) to create soft height. Slowly work the side pieces and top into soft, loose bun curls with double back pinning. Use the heat of your hands/fingers to sculpt and shape the size and roundness of each section being pinned. Tip: Make sure not to create too much tension on the sides as Carey’s style is somewhat loose and soft going into the updo.
  • Make sure to look at all angles of the style in the mirror to troubleshoot/detail the symmetry and size of the updo with your face/headshape. Final step: Spray with Session Spray by Kevin Murphy for firm hold and Alterna Rapid Repair for soft picture worthy shine.

ed5

We love using current movies and celebrity styles to excercise our styling expertise. Want us to do it for you? Come on in and we’ll give you a consultation and service that will suit you in every way!

post by D’Arcy

TagsCelebrity Hairstyles, D'Arcy Harrison, Hair Ideas, Movies, Women's Hair

Friday, January 29th, 2010

The Star Styles Shine at Sundance

sundance-2010-header2

Despite the cold blustery weather, the stars are out, once again for Sundance Film Festival in Utah. Many of them opting for a more natural look to compliment the wool hats, gloves, scarves and layers of clothes they are sporting to keep warm.

amanda-peet

Amanda Peet, pregnant and glowing already, looked especially beautiful with natural looking makeup and her hair pulled back. The actress, 37, expecting her second daughter, keeps her look youthful and fresh with a slight shimmer on here cheekbones and temples, and fleshtone eyeshadow.

dakota-fanning-sundance

Dakota Fanning, leaving her long, straight, blonde locks free flowing and parted down the center, looked all grown up for the event. Her choice in natural shades of makeup were also very age appropriate for the teenager. The young starlet who portrays Cherie Curie in the Joan Jett biopic “The Runaways” was at Sundance for the premiere.

2010+Parck+City+Celebrity+Sightings+Day+2+DuUj_KvVxcBl

Kate Mara, who was at the festival for her film “HappyThankYourMorePlease” looked lovely in Autumn tones. Her copper locks compliment her naturally warmer skin. Her soft look accompanied her casual yet chic appearance at the festival. Beige eyeshadow, peachy cheeks and a soft rose lip make her look like she is wearing almost no makeup at all. She rocked this look the right way.

There you have it! Stars making the daytime, natural look glamorous and proving that you can still look good even when the weather is bad.

Post by Amanda

TagsAmanda Kochansky, Celebrity Hairstyles, Movies, Winter

« Older Entries