Atelier Emmanuel Hi-lites

Overview: Hot Stone Massage

2012-01-18T10:09:00.000-08:00

By Margarita Camarena, Massage Therapist

Nowadays a lot of people are familiar with Hot Stone Massage. Though it was revived by Mary Nelson two decades ago, it is a practice as old as the healing arts throughout the world.

Different American Indian tribes incorporated stones in their healing arts, for example. They heated the stones and placed them on areas that needed healing. Alongside the physical benefits of its heat and weight, each stone was seen as offering a unique frequency that resonated with our body’s biology and energy field.

Contemporary stone massage is still an intuitive process. There is finesse and skill in knowing when and how to introduce the stones into the massage, at what heat, when to let them rest, when to move them. When you have that, though, stone massage makes for a very sublime experience.

What is massage with hot stones?

A massage with hot stones, better known as “Hot Stone Massage”, is exactly that, a massage using hot stones. You might also have stone therapy, which uses hot and cold stones to increase circulation, or to treat specific situations like injuries or inflammation.

Basalt stones are the main type used in hot stone massage. They are volcanic rocks formed under extreme pressure and heat. The blacker the stone, the denser it is. This density makes them great for storing heat. When they are placed on you, it feels like they melt through your muscles. With a proper amount of oil, basalt stones permit easy but penetrating work to be done. On another level, basalt stones are a mix of minerals such as plagioclase, peridot, pyroxene, and feldspar; these minerals are believed to rejuvenate each our systems. Other types of stone can be used. River rocks, for example, retain cold well. Marble, jade, and precious stones might also be used.

How a session looks varies a lot, based on the therapist and the spa offering it. At Atelier Emanuel, I love personalizing each session to fit the needs of each client for each time they come. That means being intuitive and listening to the stones and paying attention to: number of stones used and their size, shape, weight, and placement. Temperature, tempo and types of strokes will also be tailored. I always include aromatherapy, picking a scent that is soothing yet stimulating.

The Benefits

My goal is to aid the body to cleanse itself of free radicals/toxins and open up muscle tensions. I also hope to encourage a deep state of relaxation that, really, is akin to a hypnagogic state, still point induction, or trance work. It's a state where a great deal of healing momentum can occur.

Clients have found that Hot Stone Massage:

Improves circulation and strengthens the flow of the lymph system
Relieves muscle soreness and joint problems
Releases toxins out of the body
Stimulates soft tissue metabolism
Softens and opens myofascia
Creates profound relaxing and healing effect on the physical, mental and emotional bodies
Alleviates and prevents headaches related to stress
Addresses insomnia and hypertension
Strengthens the immune system
Improves many digestive issues

How Do I know if I want a Hot Stone Massage?

A good gauge is whether you love hot showers. If you don't, you at least will want the temperature of your stones to be on the warm side rather than hot. With us, we are generally happy to switch to relaxing massage, if you experience discomfort. Ask your therapist about what your options are if you find that hot stones are not for you while receiving the session.

In some ways, a hot stone massage is a little bit like a sweat lodge. It's gonna get hot, and you're gonna sweat! I treat it as a profound experience, and it requires a certain amount of surrender to the process. It is worth trying, but it might not be for everyone. This is fine as, again, it is quite easy to shift gears into another form of massage.

What to Expect during a Hot Stone

In my sessions, I do a quick intake to find out a bit about you, your previous experience with hot stones, and make sure that there are no contraindications.

I begin with Swedish massage or other modalities. When I introduce the stones, I begin with ones which are luke warm, then gradually build up to hotter ones. It is very important to establish an escalating temperature scale.

After working on the back and shoulders, stones are placed along the spine to increase craniosacral fluid circulation. This is often where people 'drop down' more deeply into relaxation. Meanwhile I continue to massage other areas of the body using stones and long gliding strokes. When you turn over, we do a quick check-in to make sure you are doing ok. You might drink water if necessary. Depending on your case, gem stones are placed at the seven chakra centers. Then we continue working on the front of your body.

Following Your Hot Stone Sessions

Stick around the spa for a bit after your massage. You are going to be extremely relaxed, and might feel a bit disoriented. You'll need to let your body cool down to body temperature as well. It's a little thing, but Atelier Emmanuel is unusual in making sure that there is time incorporated in our scheduling for you to take those extra minutes to get grounded and alert.

Drink a lot of water and nourish yourself. Drinking water after any type of bodywork is important but with hot stone therapies, it's required. You are sweating throughout the massage, releasing toxins and electrolytes. Drinking water and eating good food will replenish your body. I also encourage people to keep a light schedule afterwards. Massage positively affects our state of mind; the more we nurture this after a session, the more it imprints!

Contra Indications

A massage with hot stones is a very powerful healing experience, please be sure you understand the contraindications. If anything listed below applies to you, do not have a hot stone massage.

If you are under medication, please consult with your physician before having a massage with hot stones
If you have varicose veins or you bruise easily
If you are undergoing treatment for cancer, chemotherapy or radiations treatments
If your immune system is weak
If you have diabetes please consult with your physician before a hot stone massage
If you think you might have fever at the time of the massage
If you have heart problems, hot stones will increase blood flow and pressure
If you have a system that is sensitive to heat
If you have high blood pressure
If your skin is inflamed or has had recent burns
If you have neuropathy
If you have peripheral vascular disorder
If you are pregnant

If nothing from this list applies to you, gift yourself with a hot stone massage.

I'm sure that after you have a massage with stones, you will have a different level of respect for stones and gems. So if a rock in the ground catches your attention, don’t be afraid to pick it up and give it a new home or at least take a closer look! It might just be another healing adventure!

Old Hollywood Glamour Shoot

2012-01-17T19:45:00.000-08:00

Celebrity and fashion photographers Ricky McGill and Henry Navarro have asked Atelier Emmanuel to participate in a trip back to Old Hollywood photography sessions. Back then, the portrait and pinup photos were the selling card of all actors. Ricky and Henry are looking to do an event that is part pampering session and part old style photoshoot.

The work of George Hurrell, the leading Hollywood photographer of his time, is the main inspiration for this upcoming photoshoot. Hurrell defined the glamour shot which is so familiar to us now. Think of Bette Davis, Rita Hayworth or Humphrey Bogart and you are likely visualizing one of Hurrell's portraits of these stars. There's a timeless quality to glamour shots. Photography with mood — strong lighting and lush shadows; shots taken with care and time, to get depth from the model.

The idea of this photoshoot is to take a break and get pampered. The hour long session includes hair and makeup services, fashions, followed by the photo session. Atelier Emmanuel will be on-hand to provide all the hair and makeup services.

In brief
What: Vintage Valentine Photoshoot + photo packages available on site
Where: Studio 435, Harriet Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
When: Sundays, January 29 and February 5. 9am to 5pm
Who: Everyone

How much:

$60 for a one hour photoshoot session
Photo packages available for purchase on site (1 complimentary photo CD when you purchase a package)
“Book and refer promotion”: Book a session and refer a friend* to get 10% off the photoshoot + 10% off any photo package (*friends must show up and mention your name at the studio for you to benefit from the discount)
Group rate available on demand

How to book?

Call Studio 435 at 650.701.5540
Limited seating available (100 seats).
Reserve before January 25.

Ricky McGill, has been a professional photographer for over three decades. As a contributing photographer for the Everett Collection, he has had the opportunity to photograph most well-known Hollywood celebrities and some of the most recognized music moguls in the industry.

Henry Navarro began as a professional photographer in 2008 and soon began to focus on fashion photography. Navarro was nominated for Best Fashion Photographer for the Bay Area Fashion Awards in 2010, and for Best Videographer for the San Francisco Fashion Awards in 2011. He works with numerous agency representing models, including Ford, Scout, Cast and JE.

AE at Yelperstitious 2012

2012-01-17T19:38:00.000-08:00

After the fun we had at last year's annual Yelp party, they invited us again to participate. For its 7th year, Yelp held five days of parties for all its Yelpers. We set up shop on their fifth day, which was held inside Big Daddy's Antiques.

George, James, Britney and Paul offered stylings and Margarita gave 15 minute table massages. We were lucky: we were the only vendor that got to offer seated waiting for people in our line!

Check out the slideshow below for photos!

Product Overview | Styling Wax

2011-12-30T14:07:00.000-08:00

One of the strengths of Bumble and bumble is the versatility of its styling products. Originally created for editorial work, Bumble and bumble products help create an incredible range of effects.

This background in commercial styling is what led Bumble and bumble to develop Styling Wax in 1993: One of the key assets of this wax is that it is easily removable with a simple wash. This is unlike any other wax on the market, and one of the many ways that Styling Wax is different. It needs only a little warmup and is easily applied, with no comb through needed.

Who should use it?
Wax in general is perfect for short cuts or to add finishing touches to the longer ones.
It's great for long layers or short rough men's cuts to piece sections out, as as that "Mad Men" look.

Styling Wax doesn't last as long as a regular wax. This can be a blessing or an inconvenience depending on how you imagine using it. Someone who likes to update their look more than once a day will love it. It's a great one to keep in your backpack for swift touchups.

Styling Wax was designed for professional photoshoots, where you want to be able to obtain a variety of styles within a few hours. It provides light to medium hold and shine. It's clearly great for those who like to play with their hair, as well as many guy styles, which ask for more looseness.

Styling Wax is definitely gender neutral. Celebrity fans include Ben Affleck, Dennis Leary, Matt Dillon, Michael Douglas, Sean Penn, Val Kilmer, Steven Tyler, Christina Aguilera, Halle Berry, Keri Russell, Selma Hayek, and Sarah Michelle Gellar love it!

Why use Styling Wax?
Styling Wax gives separation to any cut and sleek grooming with soft hold.

It helps keep the hair malleable allowing you to change direction.

The big difference with other waxes is that Styling Wax is a water-soluble combination of wax and silicone that gives the kind of shiny finish usually achieved with oils, making it far less greasy than its predecessors.

Styling Wax puts an end to many model’s nightmare: struggling to get rid of the product. Before the creation of Styling Wax, the main drawback of waxes was that they didn't wash out: it could take days to dissolve it, driving models crazy.

It comes in a nice round metallic box that makes it easy to carry in your purse, bag or pocket.
The fragrance is neutral and light: it won’t interfere with the fragrance of your perfume or shampoo.

How to use it?
Applying Styling Wax is pretty easy: it really doesn't need any heat to soften as it's very malleable already.
Just emulsify a dime-sized dab or two in your palm to soften it a little more.
Spread it through fingers and work through barely damp or dry hair. Use throughout for texture, or just on ends for shape and separation.

You can use it on its own, or cocktail it with other Bb products to obtain different finishes.
For example, mixing Styling Wax + a drop of DeFrizz will provide less hold and more shine.

The videos below provide some idea of the styles you can obtain with Styling Wax. If you're wondering how it differs from Sumowax (which we reviewed last week), continue reading after the videos.

What are the differences between Styling Wax and Sumowax?

THE main difference is the hold: while Sumowax provides strong hold that lasts all day long. Styling Wax offers soft hold. Therefore, if you’re the type of person who likes to stick to one hair style and have a sleek, shiny finish, we recommend that you use Sumowax. If you like changing styles often, then go for the Styling Wax.

Another important difference is with application: Sumowax requires some time to warm up, soften and apply. However, it is almost nearly guaranteed that you won’t have to use it again throughout the day. Styling Wax is easier to apply but may require some additional applications throughout the day.

And then, Styling Wax is also easier to remove than Sumowax: thanks to its water-soluble ingredients, rinsing your hair with clear water will help you wash out Styling Wax very quickly. Sumowax, on the other hand requires the use of shampoo (and conditioner) to remove it.

Have you played with Styling Wax yet? Let us know your experience in the comments!

Product Overview | SUMOWAX

2011-12-22T12:29:00.000-08:00

SUMOWAX

You might not know this, but Bumble and bumble loves history. Sumowax came about when their editorial stylist, Laurent Philippon, became fascinated by the codified role of hairstyling in Sumo Wrestling. There are two distinct hairstyles for Sumo wrestlers, based on seniority and ranking. Both serve a function, to soften the impact on the head when a wrestler gets tossed (The basic hairstyle is know as Chonmage, incidentally, and dates back to the Edo period). Laurent probably wasn't so much interested in the protective quality so much as that hold and sheen and the hyper control over the hair.

Hair is as defined by tradition as the rest of the art of Sumo wrestling. It is still done now in the same manner as it has in the past: a wax is melted down in iron cauldrons, applied to the wrestler's hair by a Tokoyama (specialized Sumo hairstylist!) then cooled to set in what is essentially a helmet of hair. Not very efficient for the modern salon... The commercial equivalents, Bumble and bumble found, were greasy, foul smelling, and not terribly effective, either. So they went about making their own. It took them two years, but Bb found the right combination of waxes that would give strong hold, shine, and sleekness, while still permitting separation.

Who should use it?

It's a great choice for people with short hair cuts.

It helps discipline heavy hair, yet doesn’t overwhelm finer hair.

If you are looking to obtain sleekness, high shine, hold, along with separation and definition of details, then Sumowax is the perfect product for you.

Movie stars including Harrison Ford and Sylvester Stallone love it!

Why use Sumowax?

Sumowax gives strength of character to modern cuts. It helps you obtain textural and glossy effects, along with strong, flexible hold.

A wax remains pliable, won't dry out, and isn't sticky; all while retaining hold throughout the day.

How to use it?

Sumowax need to be warmed.

There are to easy ways to do so:

Spread a dime-sized dab or two onto palms, rub briskly together to warm and soften.
You can also heat it by holding a blow-dryer to the mouth of the jar and skimming the top layer.

Evenly coat fingers and hands and lightly spread through hair. Coat the hair as much as you can. Comb your hair to help spread Sumowax evenly.

Styling Tip: Use a blow dryer with cool air and use it to "freeze” the Sumowax as you style. Try sectioning— applying Sumowax to one area, getting the look you want, setting it with cool air, then moving to another section.

We recommend that you wash it out of your hair well before bedtime; otherwise you'll be washing it out of your pillow cases, which is more difficult.

Sumowax vs Sumotech

What's the difference between Sumowax and Sumotech?

Texture

Sumowax is a wax. The texture is very different from Sumotech which has a unique texture in-between wax, paste, creme.

Result

Both of them provide strong and flexible hold and texture. However, Sumowax create a shiny, glossy effect while Sumotech creates a matte finish.

Application

If you’re not an early bird and need to get things done quickly (especially styling your hair) go with Sumotech. You can apply it on barely damp or dry hair with fingers and work quickly.

Sumowax takes a little more time to apply and should be combed through.

Fragrance

Sumowax’s fragrance is more neutral. The mild frangrance is one of the reasons why Sumowax quickly became a best seller: it didn't have the stink of the aforementioned Japanese commercial equivalents.

"Patience is more a matter of discipline than virtue. As such, the rewards are even sweeter." This is a motto that reflects the Sumowax spirit. Developed by and for people who like to take time to obtain the style they want.

http://tintinculture.blogspot.com/2005/03/sumo-topknot.html

Below are some videos that will provide you with some ideas of the texture, hold and shine you can obtain with Sumowax:

2011 Hi-Lites

2011-12-15T16:25:00.001-08:00

Why choose Atelier Emmanuel for Prenatal Massage

2011-12-15T11:12:00.000-08:00

No better time to talk about prenatal massage than Christmas, when a lot of people are celebrating the birth of baby Jesus! Whether it's an immaculate conception or not, you can certainly enjoy massage at any time during your pregnancy.

A lot of women ask me if it is safe to get a massage during the first trimester of pregnancy.

According to “Massage Today,” women avoid receiving bodywork during the first trimester out of fear of miscarriage. It is true that some massage therapists and spas do not offer massage in the first trimester. But this is a liability issue, and does not mean that it is dangerous.

You do have to make sure that your therapist is certified and that she/he understands the contraindications and are diligent with certain areas of your body. But with proper awareness, massage really improves the experience of pregnancy. With all the changes it undergoes, the body really craves calmness and integration. Bodywork is the most organic approach to give the pregnant body what it needs.

Some of the benefits of massage during pregnancy:
• Reduces stress associated with physical, emotional and hormonal changes
• Helps to reduce morning sickness
• Reduces stress and pain in the region of the pelvis and lower back
• Moves fluids throughout the body reducing swelling
• Enhances the pliability of the skin and reduces the chance of stretch marks
• Prepares the body for healthy labor
• Helps the fetus to move and get in position when the time comes
• Increases circulation for the fetus.
• Reliefs aches at the joints
• Produces endorphins that keep you in a serene mood
• Feels amazing and creates the mother-child, body-mind connection

What to expect if you are coming to Atelier Emmanuel to get a prenatal massage?
While it will look very much like a regular massage, the quality of the touch will be different. It will be light, nurturing and precise: no deep tissue strokes or pressure points. Careful attention will be paid around specific landmarks of the body, which are contraindicated during different stages of pregnancy.

Essential oils might be omitted, especially in the first trimester.

If you are in your second and third trimester when your belly getting bigger, we will use a side-lying position. You will lay on your sides propped up with pillows to support your body. The goal is to maintain spinal alignment and to keep your belly supported, while giving you maximum comfort.

In your last weeks of pregnancy, your body might feel a lot of swelling, especially in the legs and feet. Swedish massage works wonderfully with the lymphatic system to increase circulation and move the body fluids. Please be sure to inform your therapist if you have problems with blood clotting or clotting disorders, as massage is contraindicated in such cases.

Reiki is highly recommended throughout your pregnancy and after birth. Reiki sessions help you to integrate to the state of motherhood. While massage helps your physiology, Reiki helps your hormonal, mental, and emotional wellbeing.

Massage should not be avoided out of fear, at any stages of pregnancy. Of course, consult with your physician. Get the facts and know we have the skills to support you during ALL the stages of your pregnancy.

Make sure that you always feel empowered to communicate with your massage therapist. Let her/him know if something feels off. If you do not want abdominal work done, for example, be sure to communicate that during the intake. Every woman is different, and every pregnancy is different for each woman.

Take care of yourself first. Set healthy boundaries as to what feels good while receiving a massage: is your body comfortable? is pressure just right or too much? are the strokes soothing, or are they negatively stimulating you and causing nausea? Ask questions, we always appreciate it when someone shows interest in the process and in their body, especially when you are speaking for two (or three, if its twins).

I look forward to our next meeting. May you find much health, peace, prosperity and joy this holiday season!

Massage Packages Available

2011-12-13T11:51:00.000-08:00

Per client request, we have created several massage packages that enable our regular clients to save money while enjoying Margarita's bodywork skills:

RELAXING PACKAGES:

3 x 60 minutes: $220 (a savings of $20)
5 x 60 minutes: $350 (a savings of $50)
10 x 60 minutes: $650 (a savings of S150)
3 x 90 minutes: $310 (a savings of $20)
5 x 90 minutes: $500 (a savings of $50)
10 x 90 minutes: $950 (a savings of $150)

THERAPEUTIC PACKAGES:

3 x 60 minutes: $250 (a savings of $20)
5 x 60 minutes: $400 (a savings of $50)
10 x 60 minutes: $750 (a savings of $150)
3 x 90 minutes: $340 (a savings of $20)
5 x 90 minutes: $550 (a savings of $50)
10 x 90 minutes: $1,050 (a savings of $150)

COMBO PACKAGE:

60 minutes massage + 30 minutes Reiki: $110

Happy Holidays everyone!

La Soirée: We Had a Blast!

2011-12-09T14:22:00.001-08:00

This year, Atelier Emmanuel decided to really get involved with La Soirée.

We set up a booth which highlighted our René Furterer products and gave away gift bags which included sample products, scented massage oils and gift vouchers to redeem in our salon. We even got fancy and had a giant banner printed.

But this was just for starters. We also offered complimentary makeup sessions and massages. We meant to go from 7p until 9p, but with guests queuing at our booth, we ended up going until 10:30p.

Emmanuel, Nicole, James and Julie also generated buzz doing live preparation of models for the fashion show showcased that evening. This runway featured fashion and bridal designer Violette Vieux.

Courtesy of Velocity Circus

In the spirit of this French event, one of the models wore an Eiffel Tower dress. Emmanuel created a cone shaped hairstyle surrounded by tubes: the darkness of the hair contrasted with the white tubes, echoing the contrast in the dress. The structure and shape of the crocheted dress and hair style referenced the shape of the “Tour Eiffel”.

A unique tribute to France!

Courtesy of Velocity Circus

Sumotech: a Must Have styling product

2011-12-09T14:11:00.001-08:00

“It is not a wax, not a paste and not a creme, but in some ways all of them.” — Bumble and bumble

Many of you already love Sumotech: in the few months since Atelier Emmanuel has stocked it, Sumotech has become our best selling product.

Sumotech is unique and versatile. It's a must have styling product for anyone who wants strong, flexible hold and a matte finish. Its lightweight texture and malleable structure makes Sumotech suitable for both men and women, even those with fine hair. We particularly recommend it for highly textural cuts.

How to use it?
Simple: spread a dime-sized dab or two onto palms and work through barely damp or dry hair with fingers and style. Work quickly, and try not to overwork.

Our stylists Britney and Anastasia both use it everyday:
“I recommend it for everyone who wants texture in their hair, everyday, and especially for men: the fragrance actually attracts a lot of men. Sumotech is perfect for people with short and texturized hair style. It leaves the hair with strong texture or hold without any waxing or pasty finish.” — Britney

“I use it very often (read: every day), mostly on men. As Britney said, it especially works well on short and textured hair. It does give a lot texture and works on every type of hair.

I tend to use it in between cuts: I structure the hair, apply Sumotech, style, re-texture and then re-cut if needed. A lot of our clients were really excited when we started carrying Bumble and bumble because most of them already used Sumotech. And now a lot of other clients who didn’t use/know Bumble and bumble buy Sumotech regularly.” — Anastasia

Never used it, need some guidance or inspiration?
These two videos may be of help:

Enjoy!

Our Booth at La Soirée

2011-11-22T13:36:00.001-08:00

La Soirée is the French American Chamber of Commerce’s (FACCSF) annual fundraiser. It is always held in celebration of the Beaujolais Nouveau, a major French fête.

Amidst all the wine and great food being offered, Atelier Emmanuel decided to host a booth this year as well. We offered mini-massages, makeup sessions, a hairstyling demo and gave away goodie bags (thank you to René Furterer for kindly supplying with products!).

Here are some pics of our booth below. As soon as we have them, we'll also offer up photos of the event!

Atelier Emmanuel featured in 7X7 Spa Guide

2011-11-16T16:53:00.001-08:00

"At this French spa-salon, an hourlong massage really is 60 minutes (not just 50 minutes, the standard at most city spas), the haircuts are “properly structured” (translation: they grow out well and hardly need products to look good), and there’s no extra charge to blow-dry and style hair after coloring. Oh, and that hard-to-ignore, 360 degree city view? Also yours at no additional cost."

Halloween 2011

2011-11-16T15:28:00.001-08:00

It's become a yearly tradition for us to dress up for Halloween. This year we featured a great selection of fancy candies for our clients. Any client who brought us candy got a chance to win prizes, and those who came in costume received a gift voucher for our salon.

This was Saturday. On Monday, for Halloween, we all went to Gregangelo's famed House/Museum.

Skilled Touch: Massage at Atelier Emmanuel

2011-11-15T22:27:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone! I wanted to talk a bit about the bodywork I offer. If you haven't gotten massage at our space yet, I hope this will entice you to schedule an appointment! — Margarita.

People will get a massage for different reasons: therapy, relaxation, pampering, and even for more transcendental reasons. I'm proud that Atelier Emmanuel offers bodywork which is tailored to each individual’s needs and has multidimensionality.

In my work, I celebrate the divinity of the human body and its many complex layers. Each person benefits from different modalities — or, more often, a combination of them. Deeper doesn’t necessarily mean better, and a yet bit of therapeutic pain can also free up the body. The key is to find the balance for each individual at each session. Sometimes deeper work is actually accomplished with so-called 'gentler' modalities like Craniosacral Therapy and Reiki. I feel like subtle work like this is often just the thing to get around the entrenched defenses of our bodies.

We keep our menu simple, and base it on whether you wish to address specific challenges in your body, or whether you are looking for overall unwinding. Below I will talk about Therapeutic and Relaxing Massage, our two essential options. I also offer Hot Stone Massage and Reiki.

Therapeutic Massage

When you request a Therapeutic Massage deeper, more focused, modalities are applied. These deeper modalities include Trigger Point, Myofascial Release and Deep Tissue.

Trigger Point (TP) Therapy helps loosen up muscles that have been locked by repetitive motion, stress, even diet and free radicals in the system. As the name suggests, TP focuses on specific points and their pattern. With focused pressure on each point, the whole muscle is released from pain. Range of motion is increased, and strength is regained.

In Myofacial Release Therapy (MRT), we work with fascia, the internal three-dimensional webbing of the body. This web is the white milky connecting tissue that wraps not only around our muscles, but also around each muscle fiber and each cell. This therapy is as deep as it is relaxing. Precise pressure and stretch is applied for several minutes to areas where fascia is restricted, until it frees itself. The stretch can be local to the area of pain or non-local. This makes it the perfect therapy for muscles that are in extreme pain, but cannot stand to be touched directly.

Deep Tissue realigns deeper layers of muscle and connecting tissue. Adhesions in the muscle and connecting tissue can cause pain, limit movement and inflammation. Deep Tissue is helpful in separating these muscles adhesions thereby reducing chronic muscle pain and bringing back circulation and range of motion. Who doesn’t want to alleviate stiff necks and frozen shoulders?

Relaxing Massage

When you ask for a Relaxing Massage you might get a splash of Trigger Point here and there, but mainly I use Swedish Massage, MRT, and Reiki.

We all know Swedish Massage for the delicious long strokes and petrissage with the soothing warm lotions and oils. Some people dismiss it, because it is not as "intense." But don't underestimate the power of this massage; its rhythmic flow helps ease stress and helps you get into a hypnagogic state between being awake and being asleep, where a lot of processing and self-healing occurs. Combined with a few craniosacral holds, you emerge refreshed and feeling like your mind has reset.

Reiki is a very old form of hands-on healing that has Tibetan Buddhist roots. You might have heard about its popularity with nurses in hospitals. In this subtle practice, we work with the body’s innate healing abilities by the laying-on of hands and channeling life force energy. Reiki is known for its nurturing nature and for being a non-invasive form of healing. This therapy is very suited to those who are going through depression, or those who are sensitive to touch. Reiki restores balance and harmony. It has a positive effect on the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system of the body, creating a balance in all of our internal organs.

Much stress and disease can be prevented through bodywork. With consistent bodywork, your body will have more vitality, and function at its optimum capacity. It also helps you become congruent with yourself, helping you attune to your aspirations.

Massage is not a commodity; it is a gateway to health and prosperity. Find out what happens when you receive it with consistency. Giving to yourself is a way to show how much you care for the world and others.

Find out about our packages and upcoming promotions at our website or give us a call to find out more and schedule your next appointment. www.atelieremmanuel.com 415-362.8063.

Feedback on René Furterer Hair and Scalp Treatments

2011-11-15T22:21:00.001-08:00

Scalp and Hair Treatments: Therapeutic and Relaxing Spa Services for your Head

About a month ago, our apprentices Nicole and Edgar qualified to provide René Furterer scalp and hair treatments to Atelier Emmanuel’s clients. As one of the only salons in San Francisco which offers these services, we thought you would be interested in hearing more about why they are so beneficial.

A Unique Ritual for Your Scalp and Hair

The concept behind René Furterer Treatments is to offer spa sessions focused on improving the health of your hair and scalp. Like a body massage or a facial treatment, a scalp and hair treatment offers both therapeutic and relaxing effects. In fact, because it incorporates both massage and the use of benefical bioactive products, these services are very much in the same league. This is why they’ve been touted as the next big thing in spa care.

Feedback from clients

Edgar: “While using Complex 5 during the scalp treatment, clients usually mention that they can feel their scalp tingling — which is them noticing the active ingredients working. Also, they usually like the smell of the citrus oils. The hair treatment is usually very relaxing, soothing: the massage helps clients to relief stress while the active ingredients repair the hair. I remember one client in particular who thanked me and told me she felt very relaxed and rejuvenated. When I called about a week after, she mentioned that she felt her hair was stronger.”

Nicole: “A client with sensitive scalp scheduled this treatment. I used the Astera formula with her. She said she didn’t experience any specific sensation during the treatment but that the smell and the massage were very relaxing. When I called her several days after the treatment, she mentioned that her scalp felt much cleaner, and her hair healthier.”

René Furterer Treatments and products work, but are not aggressive, unlike products which are based on synthetic compounds. Depending on the health and sensitivity of your scalp you may or may not feel any specific sensation like the tingling with the Complex 5. But you will soon notice the benefits of the treatments. The essential oils’ aroma and massage will help relieve stress. The natural ingredients will actively work to regulate unbalanced scalp and hair.

René Furterer Hair and Scalp Treatments

2011-11-15T21:51:00.001-08:00

Who or What is René Furterer?

René Furterer, the company, is a subdivision of the French based pharmaceutical and cosmetics company Pierre Fabre. Their laboratories combine science and beauty, developing high quality hair care products that incorporate the latest scientific innovations. Their formulas are tailored to specific needs and provide visible effects.

René Furterer, the man, was a pioneer in improving the health of hair and scalp. He began a long time ago, when women were bleaching, treating, and styling their hair to death in order to look like Marilyn Monroe. Drawing from his roots in the French countryside, and the herbalist lore he was raised with, he sought to create products that would be of benefit to the style conscious client and salon.

In addition to a solid product line, René Furterer was at the forefront of creating hair and scalp services that are half spa experience and half therapeutic treatment. Atelier Emmanuel is proud to be one of the few salons in San Francisco to offer the full menu of Treatments first offered at their Paris Institute.

The René Furterer treatments help with issues such as balancing a scalp which produces too much or not enough oil, dandruff, hair loss or irritated scalp. The products used are chosen based on the needs of each person.

Treatment Categories

Regeneration — provides relief for dry hair and scalp

Nutrition — this one takes it up a notch to nourish and revitalize very dry/damaged hair and scalp

Purification — cleanses and balances hair and scalp prone to oiliness. It also brings back lightness and volume

Vitality — gives oomph and body to fine, limp hair

Soothing — especially geared to sensitive or irritated scalp. A good choice if you experience irritation from your products or styling routine

Hair Loss Programme — the hair loss programme has two versions. One addresses hair loss that is progressive and hereditary; the other addresses thinning hair due to stress.

Anti-Dandruff Programme — designed to assertively address dandruff.

So what happens during a treatment? Read on to learn more!

Complete vs Express Treatment

The first thing to know is that there are two versions of the René Furterer Treatments, Complete and Express. The Complete Treatments last longer, deepening the benefits of the formulas used for your hair and scalp. They are also a fuller spa experience. The Express Treatments are a great addition to your blow dry or haircutting session. They give much of the same benefits and help maintain the health of your hair.

The basic steps of a Complete Treatment are:

(1) Consultation

(2) Scalp Care

(3) Hair Care

(4) Blow Dry

As a list, it sounds straightforward and not that luxurious — Which is, or course, why you should come schedule a session! We’ll get into more details below, though, which will help you get a better feel for these treatments.

Consultation:

With 50 products to draw from, the goal of a René Furterer treatment is to customize to the needs of your hair and scalp. During the consultation, the hair stylist identifies what treatment will better serve you. The natural and current state of your scalp, the quality of your hair, what hair services you generally get, and what your styling routine is — all these play a role in selecting your session products.

Scalp Care

Brushing, Scalp Treatment and Massage are the main parts of scalp care. These stages also maximize the benefits of the cleansing and treatment your head will receive afterwards

Brushing goes a long way to improving the circulation of our scalp. Ditto for removing dirt and sebum from our hair. In this case the stylists apply a little more technique than many of us do at home, of course. This will help treatments penetrate the follicle of the hair.

Scalp Treatment:

“Les beaux cheveux poussent sur un cuir chevelu sain, tout comme une plante sur un sol fertile.” — René Furterer

RF has long used this analogy from farming: for the plant to grow well, the soil must be healthy. By analogy, the scalp must be healthy, for beautiful hair to grow.

There are two options for this section. In brief, one is warming while the other is cooling. Each can be understood, in essence, as an exfoliating treatment for the scalp.

Complex 5: Its concentration of orange and lavender essential oils increase microcirculation. When it's applied, you’ll feel your scalp tingle; this is the effect of the citrus extracts stimulating blood flow and exfoliating dead skin cells.

Astera is recommended for the client with a sensitive or irritated scalp. Where Complex 5 provides a warming effect, Astera cools, soothes and calms the scalp. This cooling effect is provided by essential oils of peppermint, eucalyptus, and camphor. Another ingredient, extract of Asteraceae (Echinacea), provides anti-inflammatory and healing benefits.

Scalp Massage:

The scalp treatment is applied to the root of the hair and worked in. It is followed by a massage protocol which helps the essential oils penetrate into the scalp. René Furterer has a set sequence of massage strokes which are applied. Bonus: This can take between 10 and 20 minutes of your session!

(I love these type of old school illustration)

Hair Care

Remedy

This stage may actually precede or follow the shampoo and conditioner. This all depends on which protocol has been selected. For instance the RF80 and Triphasic, both treatments for thinning hair, are used at the end of the session. A steam bath of distilled water is used to help the treatment penetrate the hair follicle.

Shampoo

All the RF shampoos are bioactive. The preceding stages will have prepped your hair to soak the benefits of the shampoo. Your stylist selects one of these shampoos based on the consultation:

Astera for very sensitive or irritated scalp,
Carthame for dehydrated scalp and hair,
Karite for very dry hair,
Curbicia for oily hair,
Tonucia for aging, weakened hair.
Forticea shampoo for thinning hair, and to reduce hair loss.

Condition + Leave-in

Like the Remedy stage, a conditioner or leave-in will be used depending on the need of the hair. A steam bath might again be used, to deepen the treatment effect.

Blow Dry

Of course we don’t want you to leave with wet hair, so we do a simple blow dry at the end of your session. You can upgrade to a styling, if you choose. If you are getting a haircut that day, you can just transition straight into that!

Special recommendations

For specific hair care: clients who suffer from specific scalp and hair problems are advised to purchase the treatment products used during their session. These formulas should be used once a week to extend and maintain the effects.

For colored hair: It is not recommended to combine these treatments with same day color services: because color formulas usually contain ammonia that opens the cuticle of the hair, performing these service the same day could irritate your scalp and damage your hair. We advise you to first schedule your RF treatment, and then wait a few days to book your color services.

That's our rundown of the René Furterer Hair and Scalp Treatments. We hope that you're enticed to try one. You can always begin an Express Treatment, which will give you a feel for the benefits.

French (Hair) Revolutions: Beginning of World War II until the beginning of Mai 68 Revolution

2011-11-07T14:40:00.000-08:00

In celebration of Bastille Day on July 14, Virginie wrote the first of a series of articles showcasing French hair fashions from the 18th Century onwards. This month she covers the beginning of World War II until the beginning of the Mai 68 Revolution.

France, like most of the world, saw a lot of economical, political and artistic changes during and after World War II. Reconstruction, investment and media development after the war created a real dynamism which sees a dramatic change in people's mindset. A big contrast with the first forty years of the century.

It's hard to find much reference to hair trends in the middle of a World War. This makes sense, of course; the people of France were concerned less with appearances than fighting and surviving! One could surmise that the trend towards simpler and shorter hair which began in World War I persisted into the second war. For both women and men, hairstyles had to fit appropriately under a cap.

After World War II many sociological changes occur in France. Paris in the 1950’s sees the rise of intellectuals, jazz lovers and artists as arbiters of culture. They gather in clubs, mainly in Saint-Germain-des-Pres. They launch Existentialism, a movement inspired by the work of German Philosophers.

Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Albert Camus, Maurice Merleau-Ponty are the main artists who develop this movement which is half philosophical, half boheme. In the shadow of the war and of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, this movement conveys the sense of disorientation and confusion in the face of an apparently meaningless or absurd world. It thinks of the concepts of fear, boredom, absurdity, freedom, commitment, nothingness as fundamental in human life.

Existentialism has a strong influence on fashion trends and hair styles. Juliette Greco, a popular singer at the time, becomes a devotee of this bohemian fashion.

The cinema becomes more popular than ever before. The movies of Hollywood come overseas, importing an American culture which influences how the French dress and style their hair.

Marilyn Monroe, the diva of the 1950’s, launches a very popular hair style, copied by millions of fans.
The movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, in which the actress is featured, makes the platinum blond and blond in general fashionable worldwide.

In France, in 1960's artists such as Brigitte Bardo (actress, singer), Sheila (singer), or France Gall (singer) feature this color and wear a variety of hair styles that soon become popular as well.

At the end of the 1950's into the early 1960’s, the hair style of Elvis Presley, with sideburns and hair lifted on the top, is imitated by a lot of fans. This hair style is called the Pompadour. Sounds familiar? Probably, since it used to be a fashionable women hair style during the 19th Century.

James Dean, the movie star of East of Eden and Rebel Without a Cause, will contribute to make the pompadour even more fashionable.

Several French rock icons, such as Johnny Hallyday or Dick Rivers imitated this style very much:

Even actors feature this style. Alain Delon, who in France is considered as one of the sexiest movie stars is one of them:

At the beginning of the 1960’s, Anthony Perkins is declared as the sexiest movie star with a hair style intentionally disorganized, wild.

Meanwhile, in London, the Beatles popularized the mop-top: the hair long, free, open, will later on be named after them Beatles' haircut.

This style, copied by millions of fans worldwide, is a manifestation of non-conformism, in disagreement with the polished, polite style of the previous generations.

In France, artists such a Jean-Paul Belmondo (actor), Jacques Dutronc (singer), Serge Gainsbourg (singer) and even Alain Delon imitate them:

This mindset will lead progressively to the hippie movement at the end of the 1960’s.

One word could summarize what influences this period: Media.
Literature, cinema, music (rock’n roll and pop in particular), magazines, entertainment and show business in general, create icons that invade our day to day life.

After the trauma experienced with World War I, II and the 1929 credit crunch, people worldwide want to have fun, enjoy their live and express their feeling towards fashion, copying the look of singers, and movie stars. There is not one style but many. This variety and fickleness itself becomes an expression of freedom.

Why is the Bumble and bumble Mending Line so popular?

2011-11-07T14:09:00.000-08:00

So far this year, nearly a ⅓ of the services booked at Atelier Emmanuel are color and chemical services such as perms or keratin treatments.

If you are among this clientele, this product review's especially for you: Bumble and bumble (Bb) Mending line is specifically for clients who regularly color, straighten or perm their hair.

After repeated coloring, bleaching, straightening and curling, the hair loses its strength, shine and sparkle. These services damage the hair internally and externally by opening the cuticle and damaging the cortex.

The Bumble and bumble Mending line repairs, strengthens and protects the hair from future damage. It is ultra mild and moisturizing.

Mending Shampoo and Conditioner can be used whenever you wash your hair. 

The Mending Complex can be used daily: make sure you use enough to coat the hair and apply it evenly. It can be used either on damp or dry hair, no rinsing required.

The Masque is a once a week application. Massage it well into the hair while applying it, then leave it on 10 minutes before rising it out.

Most of our stylists have been using the mending line regularly with their clients. This is what they think of this line:

George Falcon, Senior Stylist: “Love it! This line is one the best lines I have ever used. It is perfect for over processed, heavy, thick, unruly, frizzy hair. I use the shampoo and conditionner on many of my clients. The tagline says it is for ‘(truly) damaged hair’ but clients do not need to have a lot of damage to use it. It contains sulfate which helps cleanse the follicle, which should be done on every hair, at least once in a while. It is very moisturising and will make any hair shiny.

I recommend they alternate this line with the Bb Concen Straight line, released recently. I don't recommend this line to clients with fine hair though.”

James McKey, Senior Stylist: “It’s my go to shampoo now. Mending is great for damaged hair. Recently, I used the shampoo and conditionner on a client with very fried hair: after brushing, combing and blowdrying the hair, the damaged was gone and there were absolutely no tangles. Also, bear in mind that it is a wear and care line. It is not just a one time effect. The line does repair the hair overtime: one of my clients who has been purchasing it at the salon for a few months mentioned that since she has been using it, her hair feels very soft, completely different.”

Paul, Junior Stylist: “Mending clearly smoothes and softens the hair without giving too much slick. If everyone can use it, two types of clients in particular should be using it: clients with damaged hair and clients who tend to wait a long time (ie 3 or 4 months) between their hair cuts.”

La Soirée - Friday, November 18

2011-10-17T13:00:00.000-07:00

La Soirée is the French American Chamber of Commerce’s (FACCSF) annual Beaujolais Nouveau event.

For those who are not familiar with the “Beaujolais Nouveau”, it is a red wine made from Gamay grapes produced in the Beaujolais region of France. It is the most popular vin de primeur, fermented for just a few weeks before being released for sale on the third Thursday of November. The release of the Beaujolais Nouveau is a popular event in France. Likewise, it's always a big event for the French community* here in the Bay Area.

*Francophiles and wine lovers, too.

This year is the 30th Anniversary of the annual event La Soirée and it promises to be an especially great fête. On top of the food and wine offerings, there will be a VIP tasting lounge, a fashion show, and of course a dance floor.

Atelier Emmanuel will be involved in the participation of this event, offering:

Hair styling and make-up design for the Fashion Show
On site demos for updos and make-up
Complimentary make-up application for the VIP guests
Complimentary micro-massages
Goodie bags
Donations for the auction

We are excited about this event and hope to see you there!

Learn more and Book Your Tickets.

A bientôt !

Paris est une fête

2011-10-17T12:09:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, September 17, Atelier Emmanuel was involved in a runway event showcasing Azadeh Couture Fall Collection. The event was part of a gala organized by the French American Cultural Society called Paris est une fête. Atelier Emmanuel was honored to have been chosen to implement its French touch, styling sleek French twists and applying glamorous make up.

We have a few 'behind the scenes' photos below.

Here are some photos from the event. You'll have to forgive their quality: since we were not official photographers, we didn't have the best vantage point.

Rock Dreamforce Fist Pump part 2

2011-10-17T11:22:00.001-07:00

More photos from the recent Dreamforce Gala held at Moscone. Emmanuel, assisted by Nicole, applied the wigs for performers of Velocity Circus.

Photos by Hiromi Yoshida and/or Scott Saraceno | Courtesy of Gregangelo & Velocity Circus

Introducing Bumble and bumble Quenching Line

2011-10-17T10:44:00.001-07:00

We began carrying Bumble and bumble (Bb) in early September. To help you learn which of their products are best for you, we will introduce them on a regular basis.

The tagline for the Quenching products is “for the (terribly) thirsty.” You can guess that it works for dry hair, then.

The basic qualities of the Quenching Line:

Ultra-mild
Color compatible
Extra-hydrating
Replenishes, Strengthens and Protects from beneath the cuticle

The Quenching line is very suitable for most women as it's designed for all the common hairstyling activities — blowdrying, flat iron, repeated brushing... Sound familiar? They are all the things necessary to get your style right; but the repeated heat and friction will eventually start to lift the cuticle of the hair, sucking out moisture and lipids, and leading to frizzy, dull, dry hair.

What distinguishes the line is that it is reparative. The products work from beneath the cuticle, infusing the cortex of the hair with lost lipids. This is unlike a deep conditioning product, which coats the hair in oils to achieve a similar, but only surface effect.

The shampoo and conditioner may be used whenever you normally wash. The masque should be alternated with the conditioner once a week (more often if your hair is especially dry). To properly complete the package, finish with the Quenching Complex for sustained moisture, flyaway control, and to further smooth and seal the cuticle. The Complex will bring shine to the hair, and protect it when you use your heat tools. If you like to mix up your product lines, this one is good to alternate with Bb's Creme de Coco products, which achieve a similar, though less penetrating, result.

That's it for our first Bb product introduction. More to come! If you've used the line before, please comment below and give us your feedback on it.

French Hair Revolutions | Part 3

2011-09-15T14:24:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to French Hair Revolutions. As we enter the 20th century, it becomes ever harder to truly separate the trends which occurred in France from those in other countries. As our world increasingly became global, so did trends.

20th CENTURY: From 1900 until the beginning of the Second World War
Technology and war impact hairstyles in the beginning of 20th Century in France. The influence of the aristrocracy begins to be supplanted by the show business and fashion industry. Where our icons of fashion were once royalty, now they will be entertainers.

1900’s - 1910’s - Long and wavy hair styles are still fashionable
During the first decade of the 20th Century, women hair length remains relatively long. Hairstyles are similar to those of the end of the 19th Century: Marcel Waving (l’Ondulation Marcel) and the Gibson Girl style is on. As long-lived as it was, this hair trend is described as bordering on a craze.

1910’s - 1920’s - The impact of the electricity and World War I on hair techniques and styles: The first perms and bobs
The popularity of the Marcel Waving and Gibson Girl style diminishes around 1905 - 1909, when Karl "Charles" Nessler creates the first permanent wave (now commonly called a perm). The German hairstylist first tries the method in Paris on a lady named Katharina Laible. Initially M. Nessler uses a mixture of cow urine and water to break and reform the bonds of the hair. He burns off all of Ms. Laible's hair twice, as well as part of her scalp, and then proceeds to marry her.

Electricity, which was introduced mainly for lighting and industrial use, begins to be used for heating and the application of the electric motor at the small business and domestic level. In 1909, Nessler’s electric permanent wave machine is patented in London.

Nessler's invention paves the way for a series of improved perm techniques and machines such as the one co-developped by Eugene Suter. Suter, is a Swiss immigrant who set up a fashionable ladies' salon in London's West End. He claims to have come from Paris, which in those days is the center of fashion and style. He delves into the possibilities of electrical permanent waving. Shorter hair allows for the design of smaller equipment. Eugene Ltd becomes synonymous with permanent waving throughout the world.

The Birth of the Bob: 1909 is an important year in the history of hair styling and cutting, as it is also when a new hairstyle is born which will have a dramatic impact on the perception of women. The Bob is first introduced by Antoine de Paris, a French stylist of Polish origin. The style is inspired by Joan of Arc (Jeanne d’Arc) and features hair shortened so that it does not pass the lower end of the neck. Actresses and a few "advanced" or fashionable women adopt the style — for example in 1910 the French actress Polaire is described as having "a shock of short, dark hair." Polaire might have been ahead of the times, as she reputedly adopted the style in the early 1890’s.

When it first appears, this bold and versatile haircut generates a wave of nervousness among men who are so used to seeing women wearing long, 'properly feminine', hair. It is the first World War which brings the style respectability. For women engaged in war work such as ambulance driving it is more convenient and sanitary to keep their hair short. Gradually other women in French civil life, as well as those engaged in auxiliary military duties, Red Cross Work, etc., adopt this simple, practical, youthful hair style.

1920’s - 1930’s: Short hair for both men and women
By 1921, following the lead of icons such as the fashion designer "Coco" Chanel, young women everywhere take the plunge and begin bobbing their hair. This new style is a real revolution, a statement of independence, an exhibition that women are equal to men. Many types of bobs are developed: the French bob, the Straight Bob, the Valentine bob and the Castle bob (named after ballroom dancer Irene Castle Castle). When the hair is shorter in the back, but longer in the front, this is a Shingle Bob (aka "Boyish Bob"). The wave technique has not disappeared, however; it is appropriated and remains very popular among women who sport a bob.

Men slowly start following suit and adopting shorter hairstyles. No siginificant change occurs in men's hairstyle during the two first decades of the 20th Century. But beginning in the 1920’s, men start shaving their face and wearing short hair: a flat hairstyle becomes the new trend. Another popular hairstyle for men is the military cut.

1930’s - early 1940’s: Longer hair with soft or hard curls
Short hair remains fashionable in the early 1930s, but gradually hair is worn longer again, in soft or hard curls. Women's hairstyles are often smooth at the crown to accommodate a hat, with curls framing the face and at the ends.

In the 1930s there is a return to a more genteel, ladylike appearance. Budding rounded busts and waistline curves are seen and hair becomes softer and prettier as hair perms improve. Foreheads which had been hidden by cloche hats are revealed and adorned with small plate shaped
hats.

By the early 1940s, shoulder length curls or page-boy bobs are most popular. Hats are worn for most occasions, almost always tipped to one side and decorated with bits of net veiling, feathers, ribbons, or brooches. The popularity of hats in this era might in part be a compromise between the recent hair trends and more traditional ones. In other words, a means to cover up the shocking new styles as befitting the situation.

Looking back on this period, it strikes us that here is the birth of modern hairstyling: the use of electrical tools and chemicals. The shift in who influences trends. Even as some women broke from convention, others remained with prior fashions. This split was most pronounced with the advent of the bob. But from that, diversification in style is also born. This then further sets the groundwork for individual styling. Trends come in more frequent waves; but none quite ever disappears. They find their niche. And, they become part of our modern vocabulary, enabling us to make social statements based on the hairstyle we choose. No longer is a choice of hairstyle simply about following or not following the majority. It is becoming about a more complex communication within one's surroundings.

Rock Dreamforce Fist Pump

2011-09-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

I mean, do you need us to say more?

Ah. You need a little more information? Okay how about:

Yes, these are the new Fall 2011 hair fashions. Please schedule your makeover appointment now.

Or, this is Emmanuel creating wigs for another event, this time a fundraising gala for the new UCSF Hospital. The headlining feature was a concert by Metallica (!). The theme was Rock 'n Roll Dreamforce (which deserves to be bolded) and the wigs were for a team of performers hired to mill amidst the crowd of attendees and entertain them.

Half our staff volunteered, just to be part of the glory of it all. We weren't worthy. So this is our first look at the results too!

Above are a bunch of random Glam Rockers. The line-up also included Circus renditions of Cyndi Lauper, Blondie, Young Elvis, Lady Gaga x3, Marilyn Manson, Tina Turner, Slash, David Bowie, Boy George, Bjork and, of course, KISS.

If we get some more pics, we'll post them here for you!

Photos by Hiromi Yoshida and/or Scott Saraceno | Courtesy of Gregangelo & Velocity Circus

French (Hair) Revolutions | Part 2, 19th Century

2011-08-15T13:16:00.000-07:00

- By Virginie Delplanque, manager

Last month, on Bastille Day (July 14), we started a feature about French (Hair) Revolutions since the 18th Century.

Our first article explained the impact the French Revolution had on hairstyles. The main change beginning with the Revolution, was that the French gave up wigs and started to style their natural hair. This trends carries on during most of the 19th Century, which sees hairstyle trends now being influenced by philosophers, artists and world rulers.

The Influence of the Romantics
During the first half of the 19th Century, the age of individualism begins with Romanticism. This art and philosophical movement strongly impacts hair styles. There's a break from etiquette. Hairstyles become a means to express one’s personal identity and thoughts. The trend becomes “wild”, “natural’, “simple”, “authentic” - without any chemicals or artificial components.

The Napoleonic Empire and Neo-Classic Style
Romanticism was just one influence in the early 1800's, however. During Napoleon's reign (1804 - 1815), Napoleon himself rocks his hair like a Roman emperor, short and combed forward. He was inspired and certainly trying to emulate past rulers of the Greco-Roman era. Women also style in a neo-classic manner, inspired by the Ancient Greece hair styles. Hair locks trail down along the forehead and above the ears, with the rest of the hair tucked into a knot or chignon at the back of the neck. Adornment, such as ribbons, headbands, strips or diadems are often used. By the 1820's, women start separating the hair at the center of the head and wear curls on the ears. During this period, a proper woman always wears a hat in public places.

The Victorian Era and the British Influence
Over in England, Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 to 1901. That we still know this period as the Victorian era shows the influence she had across the world: it is a period of industrial and economical development. At this time, the United Kingdom is a powerful nation at the height of its empire. Its fashions certainly reach across the channel to France.

Around 1835, men start wearing mustaches and beards. From the 1840's until about 1865, there is no standard to the length that a man might wear his hair, but a long mustache, sideburns or beard is always present. The puritan style of the 19th Century without mustache but with sideburns plugged to a short beard is also very popular. After the 1860's, and until the end of the century, men's hair is kept shorter. Mustaches and beards continue to be popular. At this period, they start using products such as bear or Massacar oil to style their hair.

During the same period from the 1840's to 1860's, women hair always finds a twist, either at the top of the head or at the neck, a part down the middle, and curls around the contours of the face. Combs, flowers, leafs, pearls, hairbands and jewellery serve as embellishments.

Around the 1860’s, curls and waves become even more popular: they start using hair curlers during the night to maintain a stronger curl. In 1872, Marcel Grateau patents his curling iron and crimping enters hairstyling. Crimping allows for a "turned up hairstyle" in which the hair is pulled over a hot iron, resulting in an attractive wave. L'ondulation Marcel" (the "Marcel wave") is a new style created by the hot iron, and consists of loose waves arranged around the head.

By the end of the 1880’s, the Pompadour style becomes extremely popular. This style was actually launched a century ago by Madame de Pompadour, member of the French court and the official chief mistress of King Louis XV from 1745. This is a style in which the hair is swept up high from the forehead.

Around the 1890's until the beginning the 20th Century, the “Gibson Girl” style becomes the new trend: women add fake hair pieces to the front part of their head to add height and depth. These pieces are usually made with their own hair trapped in their brush and collected.

Despite the use of 'hair prosthetics', the look of the Gibson Girl is much more natural than the previous styles such as the Pompadour. A bun swept loosely on the head becomes the crowning feature of young Victorian girls. The psyche knot is especially prominent. This was basically hair pulled back from the forehead and knotted on the top of the head. Small coiffures, relaxed pompadours, and French twists were also worn, along with hair ornaments.

It is also in 1890 that, in a beauty salon in Paris, Alexandre Godefroy, invents the first hair dryer. It looked... well, much different from now:

Next month: Hair styles in 20th Century hair styles

RF OKARA Travel Kit Product Overview

2011-08-12T11:53:00.000-07:00

It's still Summer, people are traveling, so it's a good time to remind everyone that we carry travel size hair products. While I was writing this up, Emmanuel came into the office to eat his lunch. Spying the kit on the desk, he commented that this really is the perfect kit for color treated hair. It has all the fundamentals you need to maintain your color’s radiance and vibrancy in those travel friendly sizes that airport security are so fond of nowadays. The Okara Shampoo maintains color vibrancy while gently cleansing. The Naturia Dry Shampoo keeps you from overshampooing your hair and also allows you to freshen up whenever. Finally the Okara Leave-in Spray guards against environmental wear on color treated hair.

Below is a more detailed rundown for each product.

Naturia Dry Shampoo An Allure “Best of Beauty” Award Winner in 2010, the Naturia Dry Shampoo allows you to clean hair without water. It’s a mainstay in the beauty industry for its ease of use and versatility.

Extends the life of blow-out and protects hair color
Removes odor
Adds volume and texture. Adds lift for updos and blowdrys.
Ideal for the first 3-4 days after keratin straightening
The ‘nude color’ makes it invisible on the roots.

Active ingredients & benefits

Rice & corn starch powders: Absorb oil and impurities
Clay & silica powders: Absorb oil and impurities
Colored iron oxides: Adds color to powder for invisibility
Essential oils of Caraway, Basil & Peppermint: Clean and balance scalp

Aroma Basil, Mint, Blackcurrant

During a recent trip back east, I was stuck in airports (Hi, Chicago O'Hare) for nearly two full days. And that's not counting the actual flights. I'm a guy, and not terribly vain. But somewhere in there, I wished that I had one of those travel sized Naturia Dry Shampoo. Learn from my experience, and get one of these travel kits before you go anywhere near a plane (especially if you're flying through Chicago)!

Okara Radiance Enhancing Shampoo Rene Furterer likes long names for its products; but at least they give you a sense of what this shampoo does: maintain and enhance the vibrancy of your hair color. This shampoo contains two principal natural components to protect and enhance color-treated hair. Hamamelis extract, a powerful pigment fixing agent, captures and maintains color while Okara extract, a protein from the soybean, repairs and rebuilds damaged hair. A gentle cleansing base helps resist fading.

Active ingredients & benefits

Okara extract: works to repair hair from deep within
Hamamelis extract: creates a bond between the keratin and the coloring agent to maintain color intensity

Aroma
Grapefruit, Peach, Raspberry, Rose

Okara Radiance Enhancing Spray
An Redbook Magazine MVP (Most Valuable Product), the Okara spray serves double duty as a detangler and UV proctector. With its acidic ph, it smooths the hair cuticle.

Active ingredients & benefits

Okara extract: works to repair hair from deep within
Hamamelis extract: creates a bond between the keratin and the coloring agent to maintain color intensity
Double UV filter and Vitamin E: enhance protection against color fading due to UV rays and free radicals
Cationic polymers: gently detangle hair

Aroma
Grapefruit, Peach, Raspberry, Rose

SF Fashion Week - August 8 to August 14

2011-08-08T12:18:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of SF Fashion Week, organized by SFFAMA (San Francisco Fashion And Merchant Alliance). The event will highlight the convergence of fashion and technology unique to the San Francisco fashion industry. Throughout the week workshops and runway shows will be offered in a variety of trendy locations.

Click these links to learn about the principal runway events:

Emerging Designers
Ready to Wear Fashions
Couture/Avant-Garde

Entry is $30 for each event.

For us, some of the free workshops sound just as interesting. A bunch of them are being offered at the downtown Apple Store. Go the Apple site to find out about them. All of them are from 5-7pm, Monday to Wednesday.

Another free event is the The Fashion Exhibit to be held the whole week at 5 Claude Lane. More info here.

We’ll be meandering into some of these events, so we hope to see you there!

Visit the event website for the full programme.

Prêt-à-Porter Hair for Men

2011-08-03T14:36:00.000-07:00

With this cut for Adam, I was inspired by males models of the runways this season in Paris.

Perfectly coiffed hair and razor sharp lines, mixed with military short sides, created wearable geometric art. Definitely for the distinctive, fashionable guy!

— James Mackey

Atelier Emmanuel Styles for Ads

2011-07-15T11:16:00.000-07:00

Our staff was asked to do hair, color, and makeup for two ads recently.

First, Darby Shields-Ciampi did hair and color for an i.Color ad:

And then, we were asked to do stylings for Chase Bank feature about Zem Joaquin, of Splendora.
Emmanuel styled Zem and Lena did the makeup.

Selections from recent photoshoots

2011-07-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

We had a slew of photoshoots in the last month or so, which we are slowly going through and using. Here a few selections, with some words from the stylists who participated.

Stylist Britney with Briana

"I had a 70s style in mind, but was limited by what the model could do with her hair while keeping her agent happy. She wanted to go lighter, which fitted in line with my idea, so we lifted her base about 3 shades, then added dome balayage highlites for a subtle, sun-kissed ombré look.

The cut was still 70s inspired but not quite as extreme, with shorter face framing layers and styled away from the face in loose waves."

Junior Stylist Paul on Jordan
"I just like bouncy sexy hair," was Paul's first response. "She looks glamorous to me, and that's how I want clients to feel once they leave seeing me." Jordan commented that she'd never seen her hair with that much bounce, before. There was definitely more movement to her than when she came in. This can be a challenge with some asian hair, which can often just lay flat. Paul kept the style soft around the face—not too curly, so it properly framed her features. Full curls near her face, he explained, would have made her cheeks look too full.

Stylists Emmanuel and Darby with Richelle
As with Britney's model, Emmanuel was limited as to what he could with Richelle's hair. She wanted to keep her length, and didn't want coloring. "The state of her hair was not the best," says Emmanuel. "A lot of what I did was cleaning it up, bringing it together, making it work." Emmanuel brought in Darby to do the final styling. Her solution was simple. A straightforward blow dry with one graceful element to set it apart.

Yay Edgar!

2011-07-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Edgar who passed his licensing exam on Friday, July 8. This means that he can now begin to work as an assistant in our salon!

He is taking on the ‘rigors’ of an apprenticeship with Emmanuel just as Paul is now transitioning to being solely a Junior Stylist, so the timing works well.

So what’s the first step of the apprenticeship? It’s going to sound funny, but the first thing Edgar will be trained on is giving a proper shampoo. As any of you who have been to different stylists knows, not everyone does it well. Some are too vigorous, some too soft, or sloppy, or.... It’s not an obvious skill. But an important one, since that’s when you first get a feel for your stylist’s skill.

French (Hair) Revolutions

2011-07-14T11:59:00.000-07:00

- By Virginie Delplanque

For Bastille Day 2011, we thought that it would be fun to do a little overview of French hair trends beginning with this seminal period in French history and moving forward to the present. We'll give a little historical background, and then present the hair trends of each era.

Part 1 - The 18th Century
Bastille Day and the French Revolution - Some Background

Bastille Day is the French equivalent of our 4th of July, except it is celebrated on the 14th of July.

It refers to the storming of the Bastille that occurred in Paris on the morning of July 14, 1789. This day marks the beginning of the French Revolution (Révolution française) which lasted 10 years, from 1789 to 1799.

It is a milestone in French History: the radical social and political upheaval that took place in France during this period led to the collapse of the absolute monarchy which had ruled for centuries and to the First French Republique. So the storming of the Bastille fortress-prison is seen as a symbol of the uprising of the modern nation.

The 18th Century Hairstyles - Before and During The French Revolution: The Milestones
This day played an important role in both our political and social history, changing fashion trends dramatically. The images below illustrate the evolution of the styles across the 18th Century.

Before the French Revolution:
At the beginning of the 1700s, hairstyles for men are more sophisticated than for women. The main style is the “Louis XIV style”, with wigs, big curls and shoulder (or waaay past) length . Women, from the beginning of the 1700s until 1720s, wear the “Fontange style”, named after the Duchess Fontange. The big styles reflects the standing of Louis XIV, who was both a highly successful monarch and a big personality.

In the mid 1700s King Louis XV imposes a style with smaller men’s wigs. Men start wearing a pony tail, fixed with a ribbon. Under his reign, women also adopt a new and simpler style called “tete de Mouton” (sheep’s head) with big curls and a few locks of the nape of the neck.

Styles usually changed along with rulers. It was a way to establish the authority of the new leader. In this case, Louis XV could not compete with the grandeur of his predecessor; and so he reined the style in and took a more reserved tact.

However towards the end of the 18th century (around 1770) but before the French Revolution, the trend changes completely: women start wearing exuberant and high wigs, (of 2" to 3' height) for special events. This perhaps was linked to the transition from Louis XV to his successor Louis XVI?

During the French Revolution
During the French Revolution, the luxury and exuberance of the Monarchy are eradicated with the new republican ideas. Hair styles become simpler and more classical. The French drop the wigs and style their natural hair.

What's interesting is that until the Revolution, the dominant style followed the insular world of the Royal Court, a setting cut off from the rest of France. This bubble reality bursts, and fashions are brought down to a more egalitarian level.

Up next: French Hair Trends in the 19th Century!

Platinum Hair Extensions Case Study

2011-07-13T12:31:00.000-07:00

Darby recently did an internal training on extensions. The demo was to introduce our stylists and apprentices to Platinum Seamless Extensions, which Darby has found to be one of the better hair extensions systems on the market today.

Here are two "Before" pictures of the model:

This model wanted length, of course. She also wanted a lot of volume. Many people don't consider the various effects that hair extensions can have. They can be about more than just longer hair!

This is a nice picture because it shows how dramatic the added length can be. We are in the early stages of adding the extensions. The model's hair was first washed and then blown dry to remove all oils and products, helping the extensions adhere. We start at the back and work our way up.

The Platinum Hair Extensions system uses wefts attached with a strong, medical grade adhesive instead of clips, cornrows, or little plastic beads. This allows the extension to flow like natural hair, without separation at the bottom, and causes very little tension at the scalp.

The extensions are almost all in. Already it's hard to see where the original hair ends, and the extensions start. This is due to the good color and texture matching of natural and added hair, and the precise placement of pieces.

This is where many stylists would stop. In this case, though, Darby is not satisfied with a wig-like, one-length look.

Darby makes the point that if you just put in extensions and leave it at that, the results usually look obvious and heavy-handed. It is absolutely necessary to shape the extensions so that they blend properly with your own hair, and so that you have a hairstyle that looks finished.

Some women are hesitant to cut any of the length off their lush new tresses. But remember that the point of adding extensions is not just to have more hair, but to have a new look that looks great on you. The length and shape should be believable, stylish, and flattering.

The end result. If you compare this photo to the one above it, you can see that the model did not really lose much length. However, the hair now falls naturally, tapering slightly at the ends just like real hair does.

In case you've forgotten, here's her original length:

And her new length:

Again, this model wanted length and volume. Darby also added a fringe to update and freshen her overall look. You can adapt extensions to create many different styles, even playing with a variety of haircuts during the life of your extensions without sacrificing your own hair. Our model felt like a glamorous new woman - she left the salon and went right out on the town!

Caring for Your Hair Extensions

2011-07-13T00:47:00.000-07:00

Please note that these guidelines are for Platinum Seamless Extensions, which we offer. Some guidelines might differ with other hair extension systems.

If you’re reading this blog, it probably means that you were lucky enough to recently get extensions at our salon! Below are all the guidelines you need to properly care for them. Understanding these guidelines will maximize the longevity of your extensions, meaning that you get to fully enjoy your new look.

If you don’t yet have extensions, but are considering getting some, it is worth glancing over these guidelines as they will help you better understand how to care for extensions. It’s not really that hard, but it is worth knowing ahead of time.

Here are the basics:

Try to stay out of damp environments (steam baths, etc)
Brush hair thoroughly to remove tangles
Keep conditioner and oil-based styling products off bonds
Dry bond sites thoroughly after washing
Don’t bump into your attachments with a hot curling iron

Follow-up Appointments

Schedule a 7 day check after initial application.
Schedule monthly check up appointments.

Shampoo Directions

*Wait 48 hours before washing after extension service.
Always brush and detangle hair before shampooing.
Platinum Products are recommended. These are included with an Atelier Emmanuel hair extensions appointment.
Thoroughly wet hair in an upright position, allowing hair to flow in a vertical direction down the sides and back.
Distribute shampoo evenly, starting at the top of your head.
Gently shampoo hair from root to ends one time.
Do not over-shampoo extensions.
Never rub, scrub, or bunch hair while washing.
Rinse attachments and hair thoroughly. Gently squeeze excess water from hair.

Conditioning Directions

Keep conditioner 1-2 inches away from attachments.
Distribute conditioner generously, using downward strokes, mid-shafts to ends.
Run fingers through or gently comb through to distribute conditioner evenly through hair. Leave on 3-5 minutes.
Rinse with warm water and finish with cool water to seal the cuticle of the hair.
Use a soft towel to absorb the excess water and blot firmly, never rub.
When conditioning, always avoid the attachment zone.
Never pull or tub when combing, apply leave-in conditioner or Maintain to easily comb through hair.
Always support extensions attachment by holding hand firmly on the scalp while combing and detangling hair to avoid tension at the root area.
Always blow dry your attachments thoroughly. Separate extensions while blow drying to ensure that attachments dry completely.
Always blow dry hair downward in the direction hair grows.
Curling or flat irons and heat rollers may be use at moderate heat levels when the hair is thoroughly dry.
Use silicone/shine styling products sparingly.

Nighttime Preparation

Never go to bed with wet extensions.
Apply a small amount of Rejuvenate, Maintain, or Revive to hair as needed for conditioning dry hair areas.
Loosely braid extensions before sleeping. Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase to avoid friction to hair.

Swimming/Chlorine/Salt Water

Tie hair in a loose braid securing with a cloth band.
Apply a leave-in conditioner to protect hair.
Avoid soaking the head in water for long periods of time as salt or chlorine damage can occur.
Be sure to shampoo and condition after swimming to remove salt/chlorine from hair and attachments.
Use a soft towel to absorb the excess water and blot firmly. Never scrub.
Use a wide tooth comb and conditioner to detangle.

Sport Activities

Place hair in a braid or ponytail to keep from tangling.
Apply Rejuvenate from mid-shaft to ends and at the base of the neck to protect hair from sweat.
After excessive sweating, shampoo hair and condition as soon as possible to remove
sweat/oils that may affect the integrity and condition of the extensions.

Hair Care Tips

Use Rejuvenate, Maintain, or Revive serum after shampooing and conditioning.
Use a leave-in conditioner before night braiding.
Keep extensions clean from sweat.
Avoid high heat appliances.
Use a loop or natural boar bristle brush.
Deep condition once a week.
Use cloth, lightweight hair accessories.
Use Maintenance Therapy Serum as directed.
Ask stylists for hair products with UVA/UVB block.
Thoroughly comb/brush hair twice daily. Be sure to comb/brush between attachments.

Have any questions? Contact a stylist at our salon:
415.362.8063 | atelieremmanuel at gmail dot com

Hair Down to THERE?

2011-07-13T00:23:00.000-07:00

An introduction to hair extensions by Darby Shields Ciampi, Stylist.

Hair extensions are a ubiquitous celebrity accessory. How else can stars like Rihanna, Jennifer Aniston, Britney Spears, and even Brad Pitt go from short to long so quickly, and change hair color so often? You’d expect their tresses to be a fried, porous mess! But they simply wear someone else's hair — and pay top dollar to keep it in perfect shape all the time.

What about the rest of us? We all see bad extension jobs on the street: girls strutting by with frizzed mushrooms on top, and limp, long strands of spaghetti hanging down their backs, usually mismatched in color.

(special thank you to Mischa Barton for the case study)

Is a beautiful head of long, healthy, sexy hair out of reach for the average salon client?

The answer, thankfully, is no.

Today the market is saturated with hair “enhancement” methods and products. With the help of an experienced and ethical stylist, most clients will be able to have the hair of their dreams without outlandish abuse of their wallets.

Many clients have serious concerns and questions regarding hair extensions in the salon: Is the hair real? How does it stay on my head? How much will it cost? How do I take care of it? How long will it last? How do you remove it? Is it good for everyone?

First, yes the hair we use is real. In fact, at Atelier Emmanuel, we use the highest quality hair available. It is “Remi”, meaning the cuticle is aligned in the same direction it grew out of the head. Certain companies sell non-Remi hair, and shave the cuticle layer down so that there is less tangling; however this hair degrades rapidly and will not survive repeated washings well.

There are several methods available for wearing hair extensions. These range from clip-ins, glueing, and braiding (wefts are sewn onto tiny cornrows), to fusion, and medical-grade adhesive attachments. Only an experienced stylist, accustomed to working with different hair types and knowledgeable about various methods, should recommend a type of extensions to you. Each has its pros and cons, and is better suited to different clientele.

As the methods differ, so does the cost. There is a huge range to explore between adding a few pieces as an accessory for the evening, to a full head of waist-length hair. Cost is determined by method, length desired, amount of hair needed, and stylist time. All prices are quoted during a detailed, in-person consultation, for which there is no charge.

Longevity of extensions is directly related to their maintenance. For details, click here.

With good care, some methods can last 2-4 months, and even longer. Removal varies, but is usually accomplished with a liquid dissolving agent and gentle separation of the extension from the natural hair. Because the added strands bear much of the brunt of styling, their removal often leaves a client’s hair in better condition than at the beginning of the process!

That said, extensions aren’t for everyone.

Hair that is fragile from illness, chemotherapy, or certain medicines often does not hold attachments well. This is due to the extra weight on the scalp, which would be minimal for regular hair. Also, clients suffering from alopecia will shed their extensions the same way their natural hair is shed. Finally, some athletes who spend large amounts of their day sweating profusely may have difficulty keeping extensions in. For very oily and/or sweaty scalps, there are successful methods of attachment, but a clarifying shampoo is usually necessary as a maintenance tool.

I'd like to close with an important point: A good cut is of paramount importance.

Many stylists attach extensions and charge top prices, then send a client out the door looking like she’s wearing a wig from the costume store. Your hairdresser should know how to blend your hair and the added pieces seamlessly, so that they flow naturally and are easy to style at home. The color, of course, should match flawlessly. At Atelier Emmanuel, we recommend having color services on your own hair done prior to ordering hair for extensions, so that we may make a perfect match.

It is good policy to ask lots of questions; we are available to give careful advice.

And dream big – the extensions experts at Atelier Emmanuel delight in providing you with the hair of your fantasies! Paparazzi, beware!

Below is a recent 'before and after' for a hair extension service which I gave at the salon. You can check out the full pictorial case study for more pics.

The Importance of the Consultation | Part 3

2011-07-12T23:42:00.000-07:00

Stylist Darby with Charlotte

In Part 1 we laid out why we feel the consultation is an integral part of a hair service appointment. Then in Part 2 we offered some tips on how you, as the client, can maximize the success of your consultation.
Now in the third part of our article, we give you 3 more tips. These are basic, juicy ones, so read on!

Bring Images
We love when clients bring in images! A lot of you do this, so keep it up. A picture of what you want is a great place to start a consultation. Images are a common language, so even if you don’t yet share a common tongue, images will help you and your stylist learn to.

Hint!
Ask “How could we make this work for me?” It gives your stylist the opening they need to pipe in. As we mentioned in Part 2, stylists are accommodating people and they might give you exactly what they see in an image because they think that it’s what you want—even if it they can tell it won’t work for you.

Recently Emmanuel had a new client, a younger woman with beautiful black hair. She wanted to look just like the starlet in an image she brought in. The problem? The starlet had very blonde hair. For Emmanuel to get the client’s hair to go that blonde would have required hours in the chair and a ton of processing. The health of the hair would have been ruined in the process.

Fortunately they were both engaged in the consultation, and comfortable speaking frankly. She asked Emmanuel what he thought. He laid out what it would take for her to get that blonde hair. He also expressed his opinion that her black hair was quite nice as it was. The young client opted to skip the blonde, but get the style. Afterwards, she was very glad she did. The look fit her.

Want your stylist to succeed
This might sound funny, but some clients come in with a pessimistic outlook. They set their stylist up to fail in the hopes that he or she won't. Sounds paradoxical? Yes, it does. Maybes it's because many clients have been burned by past stylists? We're not sure. But some clients come in wanting the stylist to REALLY prove themselves.

And, hey, it's great if they do. They're golden from then on.

But, well, it's just not necessary. Work with your stylist. Want them to succeed, help them succeed. You're just that much more likely to come out with the hairstyle you wanted.

Trust your gut
This is probably the best piece of advice we can give you. if you don’t feel comfortable that your stylist has understood you, speak up. If you can’t, or you don’t feel like they are getting you, leave!

It can take weeks and weeks for hair to grow enough to recoup from an unsatisfactory hair style. Better to go another day with your current look, than to risk one you won’t like.

If you give the consultation the time it deserves, you really minimize your chances of this happening, though.

Actually, lets put this another way: if you make sure that you communicated during the consultation, you will get the haircut you want.

Remember that communication is a two way process. You and your stylist both participate in order for the stylist to properly conceptualize what you are looking for. This could take a minute, or ten. Just make sure that it has happened, before you let your stylist snip a strand of hair!

Hopefully this article has helped clarify some pitfalls to avoid and some tips to try out. We'll soon write an article about the consultation from the stylist end of things.

If you’ve had a haircut that was a success because of the consultation, or an example of how communication failed, let us know in the comments below. We'd really like to hear about your experiences!

The Importance of the Consultation | Part 2

2011-07-12T23:21:00.000-07:00

Stylist James with Adam

In the first part of this article, we presented why we view the consultation as so crucial to your hairstyling or coloring session (or any other beauty and health services, for that matter).

It might seem obvious when you hear us say it. But in practice, we see many stylists and clients gloss over it, spending a scan minute or two on the consultation. It's our belief that many of the mistakes which cause clients to leave unhappy occur because the consultation failed.

Our goal is to help you take charge of your consultation and make sure that you and your stylist are on the same page. Keep reading for some of our suggestions to help you do that!

Specific vs. General language
What does “short” mean to you? What is “don’t cut too much?”
It’s better to specify. The best way to do that? Use body landmarks as markers.

“I want my hair in the back to fall to the top of my shoulder blades” is much clearer than “I’d like it cut medium.”

Show versus Tell
Instead of talking about what you’d like, show your stylist. Use your hands! Move the hair around to illustrate where you want it to fall. This is called “shaping.” Shaping the hair to show what you want, according to Emmanuel, is much more meaningful than the usual descriptions like “long layers” or “bangs.”

Again, we want to get away from the abstract to the concrete. We’re talking about your hair here, so why not include it in the conversation?

Know What Kind of Client You Are
It’s good to understand how you communicate.

Are you timid or tend to minimize what you truly want? Some people, for example, might say “I want to go a little red,” when really they mean to go quite a few degrees of red more than “a little.” If your stylist doesn’t pick up that you really do want to go red, he might only do a mild change that will leave you dissatisfied.

And then there’s the “Whatever” client. They'll tell their stylist to do whatever they want... When does “anything goes” really go, though?

The “Whatever” client usually does have an idea of what they want. They just don’t know how to express it, or aren’t used to having the space to figure it out. Or they hope that the stylist is psychic. Don't assume it. Take the time to spell it out.

Remember, no good haircut can happen without a good consultation.

And if you really are open to any kind of style of color, make sure to have the stylist spell it out first. No surprises is better than a bad surprise when it comes to your hair!

Be an Equal Partner
Want to know a good way to help yourself? See yourself and the stylist as equals. You are collaborators for the next hour or two. Your stylist is an expert of hair; you are an expert of your hair and what you want. It’s a great match!

Allow yourself to feel comfortable, act like there’s no pressure. Part of the goal of this article is to help you not feel pressured by the consultation. I know in my own experience I feel like I need to rush through it, and let the stylist get to the haircutting—as if I’m using up their time. And some people think that the more time the stylist spends snipping or coloring the better the outcome will be. But it really isn’t the case.

Recall that Emmanuel thinks of the consultation as 50% of a good haircut!

Resolving Contradictions and Paradoxes
In French, we joke “On coupe, mais on garde toute la longueur” (We cut, but lets keep all the length).

Quite often we hear clients wanting to accomplish things which are simply not compatible.

“I want to get rid of about 4 inches; I want to let my hair grow longer”

“I’d like it cut really short, but keep the part.”

Well, you can’t really have a part with short hair!

What often happens is that stylists are nice people, and they try to fulfill conflicting requests, leading to unsatisfactory results. A lot of the responsibility of this part of the consultation falls to your stylist. It is their job to point where there are inconsistencies in your requests. But you can make it easier for them by picking up their cues.

Result vs the Steps to Get There
A lot of these contradictions and paradoxes come when clients confuse the result they want with the steps it takes to get there. Problems can arise when we don’t distinguish the two. Our recommendation? Focus on the result you want. Trust your stylist to know what it will take to get there. That’s their job!

Ready for more tips? Click here for the final part of this article!

The Importance of the Consultation | Part 1

2011-07-12T23:12:00.000-07:00

Junior Stylist Paul with Jordan

If there’s one thing to get from this article, it’s that the consultation is a vital and invaluable part of your appointment. Don’t shirk it, don’t rush it.

“The consultation,” Emmanuel recently said, “is 50% of the haircut — at least. The cutting is no big deal.” Bold words!

Of course Emmanuel doesn’t mean that anyone can cut hair well. But it is true, in practice, that knowing how to cut hair isn’t enough to produce a good haircut.

So what does produce a good haircut? You could break it down this way:

Consultation
Conceptualization
Cutting
Finishing

The consultation is so important because without it a stylist cannot conceptualize what he or she will do. Think of “conceptualization” as the image in the stylist’s mind of what they will do. Without this step, a stylist can only resort to a generic approach, and at best an ‘okay’ haircut. Not knowing where they are to trying to go with your haircut means that it is hard to create a style that truly comes together.

A stylist can't properly conceptualize a hairstyle without a successful consultation. Thus the consultation is the foundation for all the other steps leading to good hair services.

So what’s a consultation? Simply put, a consultation is when you and your stylist get on the same page. You clarify what you want (with the stylist; but also with yourself!), see if the stylist can do it, and develop a shared vocabulary for future sessions.

A consultation is all about communication.

Your stylist is not psychic. Experienced, yes. REALLY intuitive, yes. But not a mindreader. He or she needs you to be able to communicate, just as much as you need him or her to listen to you.

In an upcoming article we will talk about practices that help a stylist improve the consultation.

Meanwhile, click here for part 2 of this article, where we cover some suggestions that will you maximize the success of your consultation.

Remember: while we'll probably keep referring to haircuts, the consultation is important for any hair services, as well as other beauty and health services like manicures and massages.

Prêt-à-Porter SF 2011

2011-07-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

Attended by Britney, Stephanie, James, George, Paul, and Virginie.

The San Francisco Fashion and Merchants Alliance (SFFAMA) hosted the SF Prêt-à-Porter show last Thursday at Madrone Studios. Atelier Emmanuel — represented by Britney, Stephanie, Paul, James and George — styled the hair for the models.

The collections were an amalgamation of global fashion, technology, sophistication; the designers came from Ireland, the Middle East, South Africa, Thailand, China, Russia and the United States. Owen Geronimo, founder of the SFFAMA, asked us to match the fashions with a natural and simple look. Our team was tasked to create sophisticated pony tails for about 24 female models within one hour. We were pretty happy with the results and felt that they fit the variety of looks presented.

The test for us was the time limit within which we worked. Doing many styles in a short time frame is a skill in itself, even if the styling is simple. We look forward to doing shows which will allow us to show our creative chops, though!

It was great to be involved in a professional fashion show, and we appreciate SFFAMA's effort to bring San Francisco unto the global fashion scene. You can see more about the event by following the link to their website: Prêt-à-Porter SF.

Moroccanoil Travel Kits

2011-06-30T14:56:00.000-07:00

Good news for Moroccanoil lovers who’ve been waiting: the travel kits have arrived!

For those of you who are not yet familiar with Moroccanoil products we’ll first give a quick rundown of what makes people love the brand. Afterwards we’ll go over what is in the kits.

“Moroccanoil is what I call a very cosmetic brand in the sense that it feels good, smells good and will help you obtain luxurious hair.” — Emmanuel Noel, Salon owner and Master Stylist

"All we usually hear about it from clients is “I love it!” — Britney, Stylist

About Moroccanoil
Moroccanoil is named after argan oil, produced from the kernels of the argan tree, common to Morocco. This oil is valued for its nutritive, cosmetic and numerous medicinal properties. A powerful antioxidant and UV protector, Moroccanoil's proprietary argan oil blend is rich in vitamins and natural elements that fortify the hair, including Vitamin F (Omega 6), Vitamin A to improve elasticity, Vitamin E to protect against free-radicals, and Phenols to shield against environmental stressors. The Moroccanoil products restore shine and softness, are not tested on animals and contain no animal ingredients.

"Touchable hair" is the one comment which sums up our clients' experience of Moroccanoil products.

“I usually recommend Moroccanoil for thick, dry, curly and colored hair,” says Emmanuel. “Because Moroccanoil products are heavier than other lines or brands, I might not recommend them for clients with thin and fine hair as they won’t be able to obtain the volume they may be looking for.”

The Travel Kits
Moroccanoil has actually launched two travels kits. Both kits come with

The Moroccanoil Oil Treatment
Moisture Repair Shampoo
Moisture Repair Conditioner
Choice of the Intense Hydrating Mask or the Luminous Hair Spray

"The argan oil is good for both your hair and scalp,” says Meredith. “It’s moisturizing and shining without being too heavy.” The shampoo and conditioner included in the travel kits can be used daily or every other day. If you opt for the kit containing the mask, Meredith recommends only using it once a week in place of the conditioner.

As part of our front desk staff, Meredith gets to hear a lot of the feedback about our products from clients who have actually used them. “For the Moroccanoil, I’ve only ever heard one negative comment. It was from someone using the Moroccanoil Treatment, but using waaay too much. You have to use it sparingly.”

The Oil Treatment for All Hair Types (0.85 fl.oz): This oil is the foundation of all Moroccanoil product. It is the original Moroccanoil treatment. Don’t be afraid of it because it’s an oil! You can apply it on a daily basis before styling. Start with a small amount in the palm of your hands, and work it carefully through your damp hair.

The oil treatment provides you with a natural, silky finish and brilliant shine without any residue. It protects your hair from damage caused by drying or over-processing, and helps restore over-processed and damaged hair to its natural condition.

Stylist Stephanie also recommends cocktailing it with your favorite styling products. Again, just add a drop to your product, emulsify the two together in your palm, and then lightly work through your hair. She has added to a spray, for example, to enhance the anti-frizz benefit. Stephanie finds that it generally plays well with most products, so experiment!

The Shampoo Moisture Repair (2.4 oz) and The Conditioner Moisture Repair (2.4 oz): The formula for each product contains keratin, healthy fatty acids and proteins. The two products are sulfate-free, phosphate-free, and paraben-free. They are safe to use with color-treated hair and help repair chemically treated hair.

This Shampoo and Conditioner set is good when you want to get rid of static, and if you don’t want your hair to feel ‘squeaky’ from being needlessly stripped. Because they do not lather excessively, they are well suited to travel.

You can choose between getting the kit that includes the Intense Hydrating Mask or the one with the Luminous Hairspray:

The Mask (2.53 oz) is particularly effective for dry, thick, and coarse hair, hair that craves moisture to stay healthy. Use up to twice weekly until hair restores itself.

The Spray (2.3 oz) is perfect for any hair type. It produces a long lasting natural hold without stickiness or build up. The spray is a great humidity blocker, and helps give texture to hair. Junior Stylist Paul does many of our client blowdries. He has found the Moroccanoil Spray very workable and that it does not over-stiffen hair. He finds this true even if you apply it before drying the hair, which is relatively rare quality for a styling spray.

The products come in a white waterproof holder that is perfect for the bathroom, beach and swimming pool and that can be reused as a beauty case.

That’s our overview of Moroccanoil and its new travel kits! If you’ve not experienced it yet, we invite you to try the line out when you next visit your stylist at Atelier Emmanuel.

Travel Kit w/ Hair Spray: $43
Travel Kit w/ Mask: $45

2011 June Edito

2011-06-16T11:57:00.000-07:00

The continued rise of the smartphone has brought on many other trends with the overall direction being promotions geared towards Right Now.

In this current landscape, a monthly promotion has come to seem almost...quaint.

Given the accessibility between clients and businesses which now exists, it seems better to offer promotions which can be altered more often and more efficiently. Though we’ll miss the art of the postcard, it also seems less practical nowadays to produce physical promo cards.

So we’re doing away with our monthly promotions, but we will continue to offer promotions. In fact, we offer them through more channels than ever. We use Twitter to regularly post specials. We’ve made use of Bloomspot and Yelp deals. Presently, we’re also trying out LocBox, which enables us to send promotions exclusively to our regular clients. Occasionally promotions also crop up on Facebook, and even in some of our blogs.

Promotional stuff aside, we’re looking at what we can do to be a better salon and day spa for you. Just this week we’ve begun using QualityBack, which was created by one of our clients. QualityBack is an expedient way for you to give us input about what you like at our salon, or might like to see changed. Atelier Emmanuel’s team wants to do its utmost to offer you a great experience, and we think this could be a great system to let us know if we’re meeting your expectations. Click here and try it out!

Recent Photoshoots

2011-06-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

We did a couple of photoshoots in May —for fun, and to populate our website. We worked with Tara Arrowood who’s always game for our ideas. We did two days of shooting. The first one was primarily with models provided by Look Model Agency, which lives two floors down from us. Jeffery, Al, and Nicole are also longtime partners who are always happy to help us find models to work with.

We went into the first photoshoot with ideas of what we wanted, knowing that we'd have to adapt them to the state of the models' hair. For the second photoshoot we decided to take the idea further. More models, less planning! We managed to get 9 models, principally via Model Mayhem. With few exceptions, we didn’t know what they would actually look like until they showed up. Once they did, the fun started...

We're still putting together a slideshow to showcase all the styles we played with. Until then, here is sampling:

Style by James Mackey
Model: Sayaha Aida (Model Mayhem)

This is an example of us doing a rendition of an image we'd seen. The inspiration, on the left, is a photo by Robert Jaso. Click on his name to see his site. He has some really amazing work!

On the right is our version. The style was done by James Mackey. This is a case where we didn't know the model beforehand, and so had to adapt to her hair. We're not sure how Jaso managed to get his model to crane her head like that. She must have a really long neck!

Styles by Stephanie Martin Model: Carlos (Model Mayhem)
Model: Trinidad (Model Mayhem)

Stephanie wanted to do rocker styles. Fittingly enough, it turns out Carlos is a drummer in a local band. That shot, btw, was taken as Tara was repositioning his head. Sometimes the best expressions come just when the model is distracted from posing.

Style by Britney Ketchie
Model: Alicia from Look Model Agency

The style by James, earlier, was about perfection. Getting very clean lines and hair which falls perfectly. With this model, Britney took the opposite tact and created a style which embraced the messiness and chaos our hair can have. There's an art to the controlled use of wildness in hairstyling.

Styles by Darby Ciampi
Model: Briana (Model Mayhem)

And to round off for today, some everyday styles by Darby. Hair bands across the eyes will be the big hit in sunglasses in 2012, offering a much higher spf than standard lenses.

Makeup
Julie Dy
Lena Chavez

Lena and Julie are our go to ladies for makeup, and as usual they did great work, and were great troopers about the volume of people they had to handle. Sometimes you have to be careful that makeup doesn’t take the stage from the hair. But more and more we want to go with stronger looks, so next time we are going to let Lena and Julie push the envelope even more.

Wardrobe
Sometimes we get so caught up in the hair, that we neglect the wardrobe. We were lucky with most models that they brought interesting fashions with them. In a few cases, we had to run out and get something. We'll learn to specify what we want. Also, we would really like to work with local designers — so if you know any, please have them contact us!

Hope you enjoyed this sampling from our recent photoshoots. Look for more photos soon!

Product Review: BC Bonacure MEN Shampoo, Styling Gel

2011-06-15T14:28:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of hair care products out there. Pretty much every week we are solicited with a new line. Though we are selective with what we carry, even Atelier Emmanuel has quite a bit of product on offer. Sometimes we realize that some great products have become lost to us on our own shelves, so we can imagine what is like for you!

With a few new staff members coming on board in recent months, we realized we needed to begin an in-house review of our products. We're going to catalogue both our most popular items and least popular items. Along the way, we'll report our impressions to you. The aim is to give a brief overview of our products. Maybe also look at the worth of what we carry. These reviews won't be thinly veiled hype for every product. So we hope it will be of use for you.

Bonacure MEN Oily Hair Shampoo and Styling Gel

We launch this series with two products for men, both part of Bonacure (BC) Hairtherapy, developed by Schwarzkopf Professional.

What Schwarzkopf Has To Say:

BC Men oily hair shampoo
"BC Bonacure MEN Anti-Grease Shampoo is an Oily Hair Shampoo with Sebolin™ that actively degreases scalp and hair. The product entirely removes oil, product residues and also prevents the production of sebum in the sebaceous glands. Its ingredients, which include menthol, refresh and calm scalp, stimulate circulation and prevents skin irritation."

BC Men styling Gel:
"BC Bonacure MEN Styling Gel includes special care ingredients, like Panthenol, which moisturize and strengthen the hair to make it supple and smooth. The gel can be applied to damp or dry hair and gives strong hold for perfect style control."

Our Take

“I would say that the main selling point for these two products is the price: they are cheaper than others. I personally prefer other lines that we sell but for low budgets, BC Bonacure will do the job." —George Falcon, Senior Stylist.

We originally began carrying these products because they were an attractive product at an attractive price.

The BC Oily Hair Shampoo, for instance, is about a quarter of the price of René Furterer CURBICIA Regulating Shampoo, another shampoo designed for scalps prone to oiliness.

Now, we should clarify that the Curbicia Shampoo is a more concentrated product with a stronger effect. It is clay based, natural, with a much more absorbent quality. Curbicia is effective, but it has no froth, unlike the BC Shampoo. And its potency might be in excess of what your scalp and hair need.

We’d say, then, that the BC Oily Hair Shampoo is a good selection if
(a) You like the feeling of a standard shampoo (froth, bubbles)
(b) Your hair is not especially oily
(c) Want a more affordable product

The BC Styling Gel is a classic men’s gel. I like it because it has a nice smell, it is strong and affordable. The packaging as well is attractive. —Emmanuel Noel. Master Stylist, Owner

This comment from Emmanuel pretty much says it all for the BC Styling Gel: it does what you expect a gel to do. If you want more sophisticated styling, there are other modern styling products which would be more suitable. But you can’t beat the BC styling gel for the average guy. It’s straightforward, the smell is subtle and, again, it’s affordable. It’s really suited for the man who want to run a dab into his hair and move on.

That’s our wrap-up of these two products. Let us know what you think. Have you tried them? Is there more information you would have liked to hear? Let us know!

Buy either product and receive $5 off!
Bonacure MEN for Oily Hair Shampoo (8.5 oz): $12.05
Bonacure MEN Styling Gel: (5.1 fl oz): $14.24

Agenda | Who's Off When?

2011-06-14T00:46:00.000-07:00

Salon Schedule
Monday: 9a — 6p
Tuesday: 9a — 8p
Wednesday: 9a — 8p
Thursday: 9a — 8p
Friday: 9a — 6p
Saturday: 9a — 6p

Salon closed Monday, July 4.
Thursday, July 14 (Bastille Day): French treats at the salon.

Anastasia: off July 9
Claudia: off June 28 to July 13
Stephanie: off on June 21, July 2 to 6

2011 Menu

2011-06-14T00:40:00.000-07:00

If you haven't seen it at our salon yet, here's a slideshow of our latest menu.

We tried to keep it simple and readable. Oftentimes menus include a lot of verbiage. We thought that it was better to streamline. What do you think?

ScissorBoy: Hair Shimmering With Clippers

2011-06-07T16:27:00.000-07:00

ScissorBoy is Grant, who used to come by our salon regularly to stock us up on styling tools and sharpen our blades. He would arrive on a Segway, sporting a ponytail, another wonderful character in the extended AE family. Currently based in London, ScissorBoy has been posting hair styling related videos on his website for the past year or so. We’ve gotten into the habit of watching the weekly episodes, as it gives us a way to connect with other high end members of the styling community. Sometimes we’re lucky and catch a new trend that is emerging. Sometimes we see how another stylists works and it helps clarify our own approach.

Recently we watched an episode from Scissorboy called “Hair Shimmering With Clippers” to which we felt kinship. We’re presenting it to you, because we thought it would actually help introduce our own approach. The guest stylist in this episode is Pat Wood, based in Manchester. While there is a key difference in how we work, there are some fundamental concepts that we share. We invite you to watch the video here. Or you can view it below.

Two key concepts presented by Pat Wood in the episode are
(1) working visually
(2) working 50% on wet hair and 50% on dry hair

— Working “visually??” I don’t recall ever seeing my stylist cut with his eyes closed!
— That’s because you come to Atelier Emmanuel!

What we mean is that it is one thing to implement hair cutting techniques you’ve acquired, and quite another to take the time to visualize how to apply those to a particular person. This is what Pat Wood means when she speaks about “watching and looking all the time.” Our stylists have studied with world renowned instructors and schools like Vidal Sassoon or Tony & Guy. The techniques are not used blindly, however. We plan the cut around what we see in the hair and in the client’s features. We let go of ideas about what the cut should be and instead work with the reality of the client.

It’s a more dimensional approach. And the result, like in the video, is hair which falls naturally and can style itself.

The next common feature is that 50% of the cut happens on dried hair. Why is that? Quite simply, because you don’t walk around with wet hair! Working on dry hair allows us to better see the results of our work. Working on wet hair is a preliminary phase to build the foundation of a style. We cut the perimeter and give the main lines of your cut. Then, on dry hair, we refine the cut and tailor layers that fall naturally.

Irregular layers, by the way, seems to be another another shared approach with Pat Wood. Creating irregular layers brings more movement to hair and really helps lift up the face. Building up a cut from such layers requires skill, patience, and confidence. You have to be able to “get” each person’s hair and head shape. But the result is a cut which honors the individuality of that person, and this is how you get a cut which grows out well.

Now, the tool we use is the main difference between what you see in the video and the way we work in the salon. We don’t often work with clippers. Clippers are efficient, but we prefer the precision of scissors. And, we feel it offers a completely difference experience for both the client and the stylist. If nothing else, we’re still able to converse over the snip snip of scissors! Either clippers or scissors can give good results; but despite the fact that it takes more time, we prefer the control of scissors.

We hope you enjoy watching the video and that it helps you understand a bit more how we work at Atelier Emmanuel. We’ll leave you with a final tidbit which Emmanuel always emphasizes: that you finish a cut. This is what working visually and cutting 50/50 on wet then dry hair contribute to. They allow a stylist to create a hairstyle which fits you.

The Spring/Summer framesi Italian Style Show

2011-06-06T15:52:00.000-07:00

or, Is Chopping Hair Considered A Technique?

On a recent Sunday Atelier Emmanuel attended the framesi Spring/Summer evening event. It was held at the Palace Hotel in downtown SF and produced by framesi in partnership with SalonCentric (the professional products distribution operation of L'Oréal USA). The purpose of the event was to showcase new trends and techniques in hair design.

In terms of organization everything was very well orchestrated: the music, the lights, the service and the timing were in place, making the attendee experience easy. The demos themselves left us unimpressed, if not slightly horrified at times...

The doors opened at exactly 7 pm into a grande salle booming with the requisite electronic music, indicating that this was to be a vibrant and fast-paced atmosphere. Hostesses welcomed us with smiles, white roses, glasses of wine and appetizers. Scattered across a main stage and four satellite ones, a dozen models stood as still as props, while guests mingled.

After a bit of time for everyone to arrive, the electronic music lowered as did many of the lights. The main stage was spotlighted. Boyd Parris, framesi's North America Creative Director, stepped on-stage to open the show. In addition to Parris, the principal presenters of the evening were Jonathan Swaim for a color demonstration, Tom Mascarenas with a haircut and Lanette Dwyer with an Up-do demo.

Like anyone else, we like to be glamored at shows. And there was certainly a lot of verve to these demos. We could see that the framesi stylists knew their technique; but there was a certain aggressiveness to their style which was discomfiting.

There was maybe too much verve, in fact, as one stylist grabbed a thick ponytail of a model's hair and swiftly, unceremoniously, chopped away a good twelve inches of hair. It made for good television but it did not lead to a good outcome. Emmanuel later noted that there was a haircutting concept at work here: the idea is to twist long hair up into a ponytail, hold it taut, and then chop it. It’s possible to have it fall properly, but you need a lot of control to do this. And you need to know how to finish, afterwards.

Unfortunately this model came away with a decidedly unfinished style (une coupe trop sauvage, if you will). We came away wondering what we were being shown. That drama beats technique? That speed beats results? Meandering to the other stages, we found a healthy variety of styles. Again nothing that took our breath away.

We like structure, attention to detail and preciseness at Atelier Emmanuel. We found the framesi demos short on these. There are, of course, constraints to working in an event environment. No one wants to watch a 45 minute haircut on a stage. But better to prepare the model beforehand and then bring her onstage to illustrate a few key points.

If you are going from long to short, you cannot really do a good haircut in a short amount of time. To get rid of so much hair makes for a good show, but it does not teach much. A 10 minute presentation of a technique would have been more interesting.

The idea of going fast is an interesting one, in a demo setting but also with a regular haircut. In a demo, the more you prepare ahead of time, obviously the more you can demo quickly. In real life, a fast haircut begins with the concept in your mind. The better formed it is, and the more you know your client, the faster you can work. And going fast doesn't preclude finishing on the style.

The framesi event was good entertainment. However we were quite happy to come back to our salon the next day and focus on creating hairstyles that are structured and wearable. No matter how long they take achieve.

— attended by Emmanuel Noel, Nicole Siri, and Virginie Delplanque

Edito

2011-05-16T11:54:00.000-07:00

This is the kind of month we like at AE! A couple of runs of nice weather, and lots of action in our salon...

We participated in a number of photoshoots and events including Yelé Jewelry, Netsuite Awards Gala, SF Magazine, and a 1920's styled shoot.

Our massage therapist Margarita popped up in The Examiner's My City. Paul graduated to junior stylist. Meanwhile Virginie continues to build our online presence, and creating avenues to announce our daily specials to you.

We certainly hope to continue in this vein next month. First up? Complimentary desserts by Galaxy Desserts, next week. We hope to see you soon!

Paul's Graduation Promotion

2011-05-16T11:27:00.000-07:00

Our assistant Paul graduated to Junior Stylist status at our salon this week.

After nearly 2 years with Atelier Emmanuel, over 80 intense training sessions, nearly 3,000 hours of observation, assistance and apprenticeship with senior stylists... Paul finally qualified to become a Junior Stylist.

Yes, it requires patience and skill to become a professional hair stylist — especially with Emmanuel, who has built the Atelier Emmanuel brand around the ideals of craftsmanship and Old World apprenticing.

To celebrate, and introduce himself to clients who don't yet know him, Paul is offering Express Hair Treatments with a complimentary blow-dry for $30 — which saves you 50% off the standard value of $60.

Express Hair Treatments are a boon to your hair and scalp as well as a soothing, relaxing experience so we encourage you to try a session!

Until June 15th

How to Get In On Special Promotions

2011-05-16T10:58:00.001-07:00

We always feature a monthly promotion meant to introduce you to new services, products and people at our salon. In addition to these, we've been getting into offering last minute (and sometimes spur of the moment) promotions. This might happen, for example, when there has been a last minute cancellation or re-scheduling, leaving us with an appointment opening that we want to fill.

If you'd like to benefit from these last minute promotions, all you need to do is follow us on Facebook or Twitter. This is where we will post these first come, first served specials. Facebook is where we also post articles and thoughts on hair. If you want only the deals, Twitter is the best venue for you.
To start following us, click on the logos below:

Hair at the Cannes

2011-05-16T09:59:00.001-07:00

As a French owned atelier, we always keep an eye on France for events which combine beauty, fashion, and art.

The main draw this month is the Cannes Film Festival, currently underway. As the most famous international movie stars gather under the sun of the Côte d’Azur, fashionistas and the press keenly look for who impresses most with their look.

So far, in our opinion, the most striking entrance on the red carpet has been Jane Fonda, in attendance for the premiere of Sleeping Beauty.

The media mainly focused on the elegance of her white and sheer floor-length Emilio Pucci dress. But as stylists, we were impressed by the look and structure of her hair: the association of light and radiant highlights with perfectly tousled locks uplifted her cheekbones, eyes and smile.

This 'chic and sauvage' hair cut also conveyed a sense of dynamism and spontaneity that could make you forget that Ms. Fonda is in fact 73-year-old...

That’s why we definitely like this hairstyle!

Agenda | May 15th to June 15th

2011-05-16T09:33:00.000-07:00

The salon will be closed for Memorial Day on Monday, May 30.

George: off Friday, May 27
Darby: off Monday, June 6

Coming soon:
A sampling from our in-house photoshoots
Our photoshoot for San Francisco Magazine
Beautiful Things Cocktail Party and Fashion Show at BellaPelle Skin Care Studio

And last but not least:
Complimentary Galaxy Desserts at Atelier Emmanuel!
Thursday, May 19 (from 4:30 pm) through Saturday, May 21.

Salon Schedule
Monday: 9a — 6p
Tuesday: 9a — 8p
Wednesday: 9a — 8p
Thursday: 9a — 8p
Friday: 9a — 6p
Saturday: 9a — 6p

Photoshoot for Yelé Jewelry

2011-05-13T17:44:00.000-07:00

We got to work yet again with our longtime friends and collaborators Tara Arrowood and Kevin Meynell. The goal of this photoshoot was to populate a website for Yelé Jewelry by Lauren Dils, a regional jewelry designer.

Yelé (Ye-lay)

"The fundamental operating principle of Yelé is to provide superior jewelry, raise awareness, offer consumers an alternative for sustainable jewelry and to give back.

Each piece is designed and hand-made, with a commitment to making as little environmental impact as possible. The current collections — Pebble, Raya, Sansu & Wassa — have been named after mines that need reform or a proposed mine that, if implemented, is expected to cause irreversible harm to the environment and surrounding communities.

Getting to work with Lauren's collections first hand during the photoshoot, I can attest that there are some very nice pieces in them. What I like about them is the subtle touches she brings to seemingly simple designs, the tactile textures, and how the pieces play with light.

I've credited everybody who was involved below. Most of them have links. If you have need of similar services, I recommend all of these guys. Atelier Emmanuel has done many shoots with Tara, Kevin, and Lena and they are always a pleasure to work with, to say nothing of the excellent work that they do.

Credits:
Hairstylings: Emmanuel Noel
Photography: Tara Arrowood & Kevin Meynell
Jewelry: Lauren Dils
Model: Tory (Look Model Agency)
Makeup: Lena Chavez
Fashions: Bridget Hook

Emmanuel, Hairstylist to the (Circus) Stars

2011-05-13T16:56:00.000-07:00

Emmanuel again worked with Velocity Circus for an event, this time Netsuite's Award Show and Gala. In addition to styling the hair, he assembled (and in some cases built) the wigs for the characters in the various performances.

The Photos below are courtesy of Gregangelo with Velocity Circus and photographer Hiromi Yoshida.

AE Massage Therapist Margarita pops up in Examiner Feature

2011-05-13T16:18:00.000-07:00

Margarita participated in the "My City" feature on The Examiner's website this month. Margarita was interviewed by Paula Grace about things which make San Francisco her home.

Click here to read about her life in SF and then click here to read about the skills she brings to Atelier Emmanuel as our resident massage therapist.

AE participates in a 1920's inspired shoot

2011-05-13T15:44:00.000-07:00

This shoot was organized by photographer Bailey Harada-Stone.

Bailey wanted to do a slightly modern take on the classic style of the 1920's. The project was shot to benefit everyone's portfolio and give all of us a chance to collaborate on a creative venture.

All the stylists at AE love to do this kind of work, of course, and it was great to have Nicole get her first taste of working for a photoshoot.

This ended being a warm-up for two more photoshoots which Nicole got to participate in. The next was our May 2 in-house photoshoot and then Nicole also recently assisted Emmanuel at the Netsuite Awards Gala.

Credits:
1920's Style Photoshoot | 2011, April 29

Hairstylists: Nicole Siri and Emmanuel Noel from Atelier Emmanuel

Photographer: Bailey Harada-stone & Photo Assistant: Marcelo Honrada

Wardrobe Stylist: Sara Taves
Makeup Artist: Keira Rowland
Models:
Caity Maclennan (freelance)
Hannah (FORD model management)

Location: Sir Francis Drake Hotel / San Francisco

Edito | Using Twitter + Trying Out Odacite

2011-04-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the last day our Twitter Daily Special Month. It was challenging but fun to come up with something different each day. The daily specials gave people a chance to get deep savings on products and services. At times we even gave away freebies, like a hair cut with James, who joined the team this month.

Our goal, of course, was to have you start to follow us on Twitter. But not so you can hear us expound on the random minutia of our lives.* Our goal is principally to use Twitter as a means of letting you and your network of friends know about last minute openings at our salon. These are often offered at discounted rates due to the last minute nature of the appointment. Occasionally we hope to also chime in about current and upcoming hair trends.

*Like how Virginie, our new manager and marketing expert, doesn't like mustard.

Odacite

AE began carrying Odacite Skin Care Kits a few months back because we liked the company's ethos, and the effective simplicity of their product line. Reassuring packaging notwithstanding, a lot of skin care products contain dubious ingredients. Odacite steers clear of these, and provides a fresh product with a normal shelf life, much like food.

You've heard of not putting something on your skin that you wouldn't put in your mouth, right? I'm not suggesting having Odacite products as snacks, but they fall more in that category of something you could put in your mouth than most beauty products.

In preparation for this month's promotion I decided to try a kit out for the last few weeks. I'm not the type of guy who just uses regular bar soap on his face; neither am I the type to spend a heck of a lot of money for facial products. I figured I'd be a good candidate to see if there was much difference while using this line.

The kits come with a daily cleanser, toner, and moisturizer. A repair serum is used at night time, and a jojoba beads exfoliant is used once or twice a week. Sponges are also included, as well as a hair band to keep your hair out of the way.

I found the products effective, but not excessive. There are no razzle dazzle scents and fanfare. The products work, simply. I was surprised by how little moisturizer, for one, was needed to keep my skin feeling supple and protected.

My sense is that the Odacite Detox Kit is best suited for a midrange of skin types, including sensitive and mature skin. Meredith at the front desk found it less appealing if you have oily or combination skin, and my sense is that it would not be helpful if you have very dry skin.

We are offering the kit free with purchases of $300 or more starting April 15th. You can also purchase it by itself, at 40% off during the promotional period, so it's a good time to try it! If you have a usual regiment that you use, this would make a good break from it, which is always useful for the our skin, just like our hair.

Promotion: Odacite Skin Detox Kit

2011-04-14T17:45:00.000-07:00

Odacite offers a superb, clean natural line of products for skin care.

The ethos of the company is to offer products which are as minimal and pure as possible while remaining effective. All their products are Fresh: they do not add any unnecessary (and toxic) preservatives. Instead, all the products are labeled with a “Freshiency Date”, a window of time when its potency will be it at its maximum.

To learn more, check out their philosophy.

We are offering the Detox Skin Care Kit, which provides a complete regiment for daily facial care. We’ve found it especially beneficial for ordinary to sensitive skin types.

During our promotion, the kits will be offered for $48 — 40% off the retail price.
Additionally, a kit comes free when you spend $300 or more on services or products during your session with us.

April 15th to May 15th

Introducing Virginie

2011-04-14T17:42:00.000-07:00

After two years in Paris as PR Project Manager and three years in London as Events Producer and Market Research Analyst, French native Virginie joins Atelier Emmanuel as part of the management, focusing on our marketing strategy.

A background in art, an international career, and a Master’s degree in Communications make Virginie a natural fit at AE. She shares our interest in beauty married to craftsmanship. We are incredibly excited at the ideas Virginie is bringing in; under her impetus, look for a lot of new projects from us. Most importantly, Virginie will help us find new, innovative, and convenient ways to meet your needs as our client.

Anything you’d like to see us try? Email Virginie & Felix: atelieremmanuel@gmail.com

James Mackey, Senior Stylist

2011-04-14T17:37:00.000-07:00

Atelier Emmanuel was fortunate to be able to add another skilled stylist to our team this month! Hailing from New York state, James Mackey will be on our schedule full time.

Here is a brief bio, followed by his current schedule:

For James Mackey, 16 years of devotion to cutting, coloring and styling hair began with formal training at the Vidal Sassoon Academy in Los Angeles. Vidal Sassoon was a perfect match for his interest in precision, perfection and high fashion. James then completed his training at the Toni & Guy Academy, whose fashion forward looks still drive mainstream trends. He has since continued advanced education with Vidal Sassoon in Toronto, Jingles Academy New York, Toni & Guy and Goldwell Color.

James uses precision cutting techniques, with only scissors and a comb, to create beautiful lines and build sophisticated shapes. Freehand sculpturing follows for masterful detailing, creating stunning styles. Your look is not dependent on product for its maintenance: signature to James’ work is hair that moves effortlessly and can be styled with ease.

James appreciates stylish women with beautifully coiffed hair. High style and head turning is the goal!

Schedule
Monday: off
Tuesday: 12p — 8p
Wednesday: 9a — 5p
Thursday: 9a — 5p
Friday: 9a — 2p
Saturday: 9a — 5p

Agenda | Who's Off When?

2011-04-14T17:33:00.000-07:00

Anastasia: back from vacation on April 19
Britney: off April 28, 29
Claudia: off May 10, 11

Edito

2011-03-15T12:02:00.000-07:00

Our promotion is a little different this month.

We had many different ideas so we thought, why not try them all?

Also, we wanted to encourage clients to follow us on Twitter.

Now, this is not because we want to compete with Charlie or Kanye (pairing hair talk with New Yorker cartoons doesn’t work. We tried).

Rather, we realized that it’s an efficient way to let everyone know about last minute appointment opportunities.

Like any other business, we’d rather not have too many openings in our day. Sometimes they happen. We thought Twitter would be a great way to put the word out that someone at the salon has availability.

This is great for those of you who prefer to be *ahem* spontaneous. It’s also useful in case you have squeezed in your appointment on a less ideal day: now our last minute opening might be your golden opportunity to book your appointment at a time that suits you better.

Plus you save, since we usually discount these last minute appointments.

So you won’t be hearing about how Emmanuel doesn’t like cinnamon, and all the other minutiae of our lives. But following us on Twitter might just land you some great discounts on your next beauty appointment!

If you see a promotion that interests, or see an appointment opening that suits your needs, Just call our reception at 415.362.8063!

Promotion: Daily Specials Month

2011-03-15T11:50:00.000-07:00

Follow us on Twitter for DAILY SPECIALS

Everyday we will feature a different promotion or giveaway. The discounts will usually be deep but available only for that day, so keep checking! Note that these daily savings will only be offered via Twitter!

March 15th to April 15th

TEXT: “follow atelieremmanuel” to 40404
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/atelieremmanuel

Darby Returns

2011-03-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

Darby is slowly returning from maternity leave (her daughter, Tiger, was born July 7th of last year). She’s found a nanny, and is ready for action—part-time, anyhow; we still need to train Tiger to be a stylist assistant.

Monday 11a to 4p
Wednesday 11a to 4p

For those of you who don’t know her yet, Darby has a great pedigree as a master stylist, including a long stint in NYC and acting as an ongoing guest artist for Joico/ISO.

A few words from Darby on her approach:

I love to help clients break through the limitations they perceive with their hair, and express their inner glamour! I specialize in dry cutting, nuanced color, and texture services, as well as hair extensions.

Face Framing Highlights

2011-03-15T10:48:00.000-07:00

A Quick Affordable Way to Update Your Look and More
— Stephanie Martin, Stylist

One really useful application of quicklites is to create Face Framing Highlights. I’ve been offering these to my clients for years.

They’re an easy, fun and affordable way to brighten up your look. When styled to frame the face, highlights help attract light, which creates a youthful "glow" around your features and brightens your complexion. They add color subtly without going overboard, giving you a fresh look that's still understated and professional.

Face framing highlights can be done with foils or balayage. You'll frequently see celebrities using them — recent examples include Sarah Jessica Parker, Leighton Meester, Minka Kelly and Helen Mirren.

When worn down, face framing highlights are seen from underneath and around the area where you part your hair. Pulled back, these highlights add a little "interest" to your ponytail or bun. Whether you want to look like you just returned from a relaxing beach vacation, or you're just trying to bring out the sparkle in your eyes, face framing highlights are the way to go.

Never colored your hair before and not sure what color would be right for you?
Look at pictures of yourself when you were young. If you had light hair as a child, use that color as a guide, It will be most natural for you. Typically I choose a color that is one or two shades lighter than your natural color. This keeps you from looking too washed out. Face framing highlights can be done on anyone, it doesn't matter if you are blonde, brunette, red or gray!

Feeling like you need an update but not sure what to do? Not sure if you're ready to commit to coloring your hair? I recommend face framing highlights as a great first step.

Agenda

2011-03-15T10:43:00.000-07:00

Who's Off When

Anastasia | vacation April 5 to April 18
Britney | off Monday, April 4
Stephanie | off Friday, March 25

AE Wigs for Events

2011-02-25T13:59:00.000-08:00

Emmanuel recently created wigs for Velocity Circus, which provided entertainment to two events: a private fundraiser at Stanford, and another event held at San Francisco's City Hall.

Policy Updates — Effective March 1, 2011

2011-02-23T10:48:00.000-08:00

Please be aware that Atelier Emmanuel has made changes to its policies. Updated information can be found below and is effective as of March 1, 2011. Please be in touch with us if you need any clarifications.

CONFIRMATION CALLS
Confirmation calls will now be done 48 hours in advance, instead of 24 hours.

CANCELLATIONS
Atelier Emmanuel wishes to accommodate all its clients. In order to do so, we must have at least 24 hours notice if you wish to cancel an appointment.

A charge will be administered if you cancel within 24 hours of your appointment. The charge will be no more than 50% of cost of service. We will notify you by phone to resolve this cancellation fee, which may be paid by credit card. If we are not able to reach you, this charge will be added to your next appointment fee.

SELECT SERVICE DEPOSITS
Because of the impact on the schedule of certain services, a deposit may required. Examples are listed below.

Deposits will be no more than 50% of the standard rate for that service.

If you book more than 1 week in advance, deposits will be made 48 hours prior to the date of service, during the confirmation call. Failure to make the deposit may result in loss of your appointment slot.
Deposits will be fully refunded if you cancel at least 24 hours in advance!
You have the option of keeping the deposit as a credit towards a future appointment.

For your security, Atelier Emmanuel will not hold your credit card information, a practice common with many establishments. Taking a deposit is a substitute practice which protects the ability of our staff to schedule clients appropriately — while, most importantly, protecting you from credit card fraud.

Appointments requiring deposits may include:

Keratin Treatments — first time clients.
for parties of 3 or more clients.
Bridal services.
Hotel guests.
Clients who have 'no showed' or have cancelled without proper notification.

CHECKS 
No checks for first time clients. Checks will be accepted with your second appointment, and henceforth.

DOG POLICY
Dogs must be contained (in your lap or a carrier) or kept on a short leash, lying by your side. They cannot roam in any salon areas.

REDO
 All our service providers want you to be completely happy with the results of your appointment. You have 2 weeks from the time of your service to request a correction*.  
*Redo times may vary based on service.

REFUNDS
There is a maximum 75% refund for any service, regardless of outcome. We retain a portion of payment to cover lost wages for employees and product usage.

Monthly Promotion: Waxing

2011-02-14T17:29:00.001-08:00

Get a free brow arch with your brazilian wax

A savings of $25 | Ends March 15, 2011

Help Us Get Our Props

2011-02-14T17:16:00.001-08:00

We've been nominated for BEST HAIRCUT
with San Francisco Baylist!

Click here to vote for us!

Voting ends March 18th

Edito

2011-02-14T12:28:00.000-08:00

Keratin Treatments have been wildly popular and at the same time wildly controversial in the past months.

This is due to the revelations by OSHA Oregon of appallingly high formaldehyde levels it found in products by the Brazilian Blowout brand. OSHA claimed to have found levels as high as 10%. The blogosphere took this figure and ran with it, so that you might find sites citing much higher levels.

Meanwhile, the Brazilian Blowout brand has claimed that the test results were faulty, and also disputed that it was even their product being tested (because the stock for this treatment is so pricey, counterfeit brands are often found online).

Other brands have come on the market reporting that they are truly formaldehyde free.

Of course, this is not so simple.

Much like MSG in food, formaldehyde can show up under many moniker's (*see below). And, in fact, it is not only formaldehyde, but all aldehydes which pose a risk. Formalin, for example, when exposed to the high heat of a keratin treatment, releases varying amounts of formaldehyde.

Similarly to MSG, certain amounts of aldehyde are legally permitted and found in many cosmetic and beauty products — not just keratin treatments. They are also found in other types of products such as scented candles. It is a question of quantity, and release.

We carry two Keratin treatments: Cadiveu and Coppola Keratin Complex.

To our knowledge, both are free of formaldehyde beyond the residual level (below 0.2%). You can also read about Britney’s experience with offering the Coppola treatment.

Again, like with MSG, we have encountered references that some people are more naturally sensitive to aldehydes. If you suspect this may be you, we do not recommend this treatment.

• We do not recommend this service for pregnant women or for children.
• Stylists agree that proper training and technique are essential.
• Unlike a color treatment, only a thin film should be applied.
• Proper ventilation should be used.

The consensus of our team is to keep offering these services. We remain vigilant for proper use, unexpected ingredient disclosures, and new alternatives.

*Alternate names for formaldehyde: formalin | methyl aldehyde | methanal | methylene oxide | morbicid acid | oxy methylene | quaternium 15 | imidazolidinyl urea diazolidinyl

Mini-Contest Winner: Maria Ferro

2011-02-14T12:16:00.000-08:00

This past month we asked clients to post a comment on our Facebook page to win a free haircut.

We wanted to hear what actions you are taking to fulfill your New Year's Resolutions. Everyone who responded was entered in a raffle to win a free haircut with the stylist of their choice. Congratulation to Maria Ferro for winning the raffle.

Stay tuned for more mini-contests!

Revisiting Coppola Complex

2011-02-14T12:05:00.000-08:00

Coppola Might Be The Right One For You
—Britney Ketchie, stylist

Atelier Emmanuel introduced Coppola Keratin Complex before Brazilian Blowout and our other line, Cadiveu. Coppola has always offered fantastic results, but due to the 3-day wait period between application and results, client have not used it as frequently.

We are now rediscovering our love for Coppola. I have found that on certain clients it is more appropriate. What I find is that the Brazilian Blowout and Cadiveu don't necessarily improve the health of the hair whereas Coppola does just that. With Coppola, you get pure Keratin being infused into the hair and left to harden on the hair shaft for 3 days (and with minimal residue if cared for properly!). It straightens the hair by adding to it, rather than taking from it.

At this point, I’ve tried all three treatments on my own hair. I’ve preferred the results of the Coppola Keratin Treatment. It doesn’t straighten hair as strongly as Cadiveu, but this might be what you want. In the long term, I’ve been happy with how Coppola left my hair.

Which Keratin Treatment you pick is a case by case situation.

My experience is that Coppola is a less intensive treatment, but this is often what you need. It is fantastic for people with finer hair, or color damaged hair. It’s especially good for the first time Keratin Treatment client: my experience is that there are lighter fumes, and it feels less harsh. Yes, the 3 day waiting period is kind of a bummer; it is a small price to pay for hair that works.

AE featured in Today's Bride

2011-02-11T13:43:00.002-08:00

Atelier Emmanuel hairstyling is featured on the Spring cover of Today's Bride!

The Mad Men inspired photoshoot featured our stylist Anastasia and makeup artist Lena Chavez. We worked with our regular photoshoot partner Tara Arrowood, of Arrowood Photography.

The feel of the era depicted in Mad Men was of course our base, according to Anastasia, We wanted the updo to have that mix of being structured yet soft and feminine. We modernized it a little with the colors we chose for the hair, and by giving the look a slight 'country feel' to go with the the photoshoot locale.

Lena is one of our regular collaborators on photoshoots. Here's a little bit about her approach to this shoot:
That era was very peaches and cream, very matte since there was no shimmer yet in cosmetics. I made her look very classic and clean with a focus on her lips. I love how everything came together from the fantastic hairstyle to the gorgeous dress, shoes and accessories.

If you look to page 181, you can also see our ad, featuring hairstyling by Charles! The updo is from a photoshoot which Charles also did with Tara Arrowood.

Agenda

2011-02-10T14:04:00.000-08:00

Clients of Charles please be alerted that his baby is due near the end of February or beginning of March! We hope you will understand if there are any unexpected changes to his schedule.

Salon Closed for Training | February 21

Claudia | off March 1
Anastasia |off April 4 — April 18
George | March 2 — 8
Stephanie | March 25/26

Looking ahead, our building will be closed for the following holidays in 2011:

Monday – May 30th - Memorial Day
Monday – July 4th - Independence Day
Monday – September 5th - Labor Day
Thursday – November 24th - Thanksgiving Day
Monday – December 26th - Christmas Day

Hot Stone Massage Promotion Extended

2011-01-18T16:44:00.000-08:00

It's still cold out, so come bring up your core heat with a hot stone massage!
Save $30 — only $120 for an hour and a half of deep relaxation!

Promotion ends February 15th

Mini-Contest:: Win a Free Haircut!

2011-01-14T15:43:00.000-08:00

On our Facebook Fan Page, tell us what actions you are taking to fulfill your New Year's Resolutions & you are entered in a raffle to win a FREE HAIRCUT with the stylist of your choice!

So many times we make resolutions we don't follow through on, we'd like to hear what you are doing to keep yours!

For our Fan Page, click here!

Edito

2011-01-13T17:08:00.000-08:00

Tired of hearing about the New Year yet? We won’t belabor it, but to offer this notion:
Change is not the resolutions we make but rather the actions we take based on them. So. What actions are you taking towards your resolution? Post to our Facebook page and let us know to enter a raffle for a free haircut with the stylist of your choice!

Marina is the winner of our last contest, which asked participants to share something which expressed beauty for them. We enjoyed the image she submitted, which for us seemed like a natural yantra. As runner-up, Karen Kay received a gift bag for her contribution as well. Thank you to those who took part!

Please feel free to contact us with any other ideas for mini-contests that we could hold.

Other than our latest mini-contest, we also have a promotion running from January 15th to February 15th, which will help you express your love and appreciation to others. We are also happy to reintroduce Vitalfan, after a year’s absence. Reformulated and better than ever, it’s a solid combatant for thinning hair.

Welcome to 2011!