I’d hate to see your fire red mohawk turn pink or orange, your golden blonde wash you out, or your cool brunette turn brassy! The sun is out in force and it’s time to not only break out the sunscreen for your skin but it’s also time to protect your color from fading prematurely!

Luckily, Alterna’s UV+ line was recently created for you. It is Clinically proven to protect your hair color from fading for up to 60 washes. If you wash your hair once a day, that means your color will last for two months when you use the UV+ products. In two months’ you’ll have new growth that will need re-touched. Don’t you want your hair to look its best for as long as it can?

The UV+ line contains Kalahari Melon, from a desert in Africa. Nature has given this melon its own UV protectant; the melon stays bright in the sun year-long. If you enjoy activities that include salt water, chlorine pools, lake water, and/or the sun, the UV+ Fade-Proof Fluide is waterproof and protects against these things when sprayed onto the hair before going out into the sun or getting into a body of water. Just spray it onto your hair and you’ll have a micro-thin, waterproof barrier that protects your hair from salt, chorine, water, and/or sun. Basically, it is “sunscreen for your hair”.

Gone on vacation somewhere hot, only to come back home with your hair wrecked? Get your hair some rehab quick! The UV+ REHAB Deep Hydration Masque, that is. In just 3 minutes, you can restore your hair’s flexibility, strength, and moisture balance with a powerful blend rich in amino acids, sugars & minerals.

Disclaimer: Hair products cannot be labeled as containing SPF but every Alterna product has UVA and UVB inhibitors and clients will see results right away.

Posted by Hair Guy Lancer

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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

As part of this weekends fantabulous Capitol Hill Summer Sale, Emerson has a super fabulous event planned that is going to be loads of fun and is going to let you walk away with some valuable hair tips and techniques. At 2pm on Sunday (the 29th) stop by the salon where Ellen, one of our lovely stylists, will be giving a hands-on demo on how to do a loose and casual, yet completely awesome, summer updo. She’ll show you the easiest way to make this must-have style work for your hair, and demonstrate how you can do it yourself at home to have salon-beautiful hair every day!

This is going to be a great event, so bring your friends and stop by to meet the Emerson team and get some styling tips straight from the experts!

Post by Amelia

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

Whatever you do, do not miss Capitol Hill’s huge Summer Sale that’s going on through the weekend of Thursday, August 26th to Sunday August 29th.  There are going to be mad deals, sales and events all weekend long up and down Pike, Pine and Broadway in the heart of Capitol Hill! The Hill has everything you need for whatever you feel like doing. A picnic in the park; shopping for the whole family; breakfast, lunch and dinner; dance lessons; yoga classes; night life and oh so much more!

Don’t miss the highlight of this awesome weekend: the kick off Mobile city party on Thursday night. There you can get a map of all the participating business and the list of the awesome events they’re planning. Then spend all weekend walking around and visiting the businesses and grabbing some great deals and fun events!

Emerson has a super fabulous event planned for Sunday, the 29th. At 2pm stop by the salon where Ellen, one of our lovely stylists, will be giving a hands-on demo on how to do a loose and casual, yet completely fabulous, summer updo. She’ll show you the easiest way to make this must-have style work for your hair, and demonstrate how you can do it yourself at home to have salon-beautiful hair every day!

Don’t miss what promises to be a rockin’ weekend, and make sure to come by Emerson on Sunday at 2:00 to get some valuable hair tips, straight from the experts!

Post by Amelia

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.

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.

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.

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

This is probably the most popular summer trend! Add a braid to any hair style and its an instant summer style. They are a great way to get bangs or hair out of your face and add excitement to your style with out too much effort. The key to great summer braids is to keep the braids loose and flowy. Try using clear hair bands and bobby pins to keep the braids in place.

Messy side braid: To achieve this look you want to scrunch your hair first with a texturizing product like Alterna’s Texture Glaze cocktailed with Kevin Murphys curl enhancing Motion Lotion while your hair is damp, diffusing until its completely dry. Then loosely pull your hair to the side, letting the shorter pieces fall out, taking bigger sections braid hair on the side and tie at the bottom leaving an inch or two of unbraided hair to show the texture (wave). Nicole Richie always pulls this look off really well!

Want to add some messy summer braids to your own look? Swing on by Emerson Salon for a free consultation on how to get great braids from one of our experienced stylists!

Post by Ellen

Recent weather aside, summer is just around the corner, which means everyone is looking for ways to liven up their look for the warmer weather and sunny days. While getting a new cut or highlights are one way to accomplish this, there is a lot you can do with just simple hair part or many accessories. Here are a few of our favorite looks going into the beautiful Seattle summer:

Deep side part: Part your hair midway over your eye brow or FARTHER. It is sexier—and more appropriate for sizzling summer nights out. A side part can also accentuate cheekbones and slim the face.

Center parts: The center part is the more traditional summer boho style and is a great way to change up your hair for summer!

Head Bands: Are great accessories to change up a hair style with no work at all!

Vintage-inspired accessories: They are the the top trend for summer!

Want some more specific suggestions for your current look and hairtype? Swing on in to Emerson Salon for a free consultation with one of our professional hair stylists.

Post by Ellen

Summer is all about the effortless bohemian look! A little messy, textured and easy.

Loose up do: Start of by leaving a few wispy pieces around the face to soften the look. Use a volumizer like Anti Gravity and the beach texturizer, Hair Resort by Kevin Murphy to dirty up the hair and add texture. Back comb underneath to add more volume before you pull your hair back. Pull it back loosely making sure the hair doesn’t get smoothed out. There are many ways to loosely pin it up (using bobby pins instead of hair bands will help keep the look loose) but whatever way you choose, in the end you will need to use a tail comb to get under the pinned hair and slowly lift up to create the messy/loose look.

Messy ballerina bun/high bun: This is similar to the loose up do, same products and technique but with this you will be pinning it into a classic ballerina bun! A high bun is really easy as well. Pull your hair back in a high pony tail and pin the hair into a bun. The perfect accessory for it is a head band like Jessica Alba is wearing here!

Wavy bob: If you can scrunch your hair using a diffuser, this style is going to be wash a wear for you. If your hair is naturally straight your going to need to curl it. Try using a larger barrel curling iron and take small sections. Wrap the hair around the outside of the curling iron, no need to to it the traditional way, it will look more natural this way! Curl the front pieces away from your face and alternate the direction in the back so that it looks more natural! Finish it off with a flexible hold hairspray like Alterna’s Working Hair Spray.

Side pony: This works with straight or wavy hair. Just loosely pull your hair to the side, below your ear and just behind your neck so your don’t see a space between your neck and the pony!

Love one of these styles? Schedule a consultation to come in and talk to one of our experienced stylists about how to make this look work for you!

Post by Ellen

The best part of summer is being able to wear less makeup and still look great. There is no need for heavy foundations and eye shadows! Try a more natural look and enjoy the freedom of less or no make up at all! Summer makeup is mostly for protecting the skin from exposure to sun rays, avoid excessive sweating, cut out the oily shine and prevent clogging of skin pores.

• Let your skin breathe and use sheer makeup that serve more than one purposes. It is important to keep the humidity locked in, sweating dries skin out. Try to not use foundation for the season and use a light moisturizer with sun block instead.
  Instead of using foundation to cover up freckles, use translucent tinted powder to blot the skin and add color to it. Summer is the perfect time to let those freckles show and even get a little more pronounced.
• If you must apply foundation, mix it with loose powder to keep you looking fresh throughout the day.
• Go for the nude natural look for the lips.Try light pinks with a hint of shimmer and gloss. Even for evening parties, a soft gloss on lips is all you need.
• Simply sensual and bronzed skin is in for summer . Always remember bronzer is for adding a glow not to be used as a self tanner, it should never be applied all over your face like face powder.

• Eyes should be done simply. Use neutral and soft shimmery eye shadow on lids. Try a cream blush with shimmer in it. They can be used for eyes cheeks and lips!
• Curl your lashes and use glossy black shade on them to make them appear longer and your eyes bigger. Use only a very fine line with eyeliner.
• Cheek sticks and crème eye colors are easy to apply and last longer in summer.

I know it may be hard to go with less at first but the natural look is simple to do and liberating when you realize you don’t need all the other fuss! Try waking up in the morning and simply washing your face, using a moisturizer with SPF in it, mascara and a light lip gloss and good enjoy the sun!

Post by Ellen