Emmanuel's Tour With René Furterer

As one of their leading retailers in the U.S., René Furterer invited Emmanuel to visit their facilities in France. It was a whirlwind tour in late September from Paris to Toulouse, visiting key places in the world of René Furterer.

Day 1: Arriving, Food, Booze and Rest

"Actually, the rest came first," Emmanuel says. "They picked us up at the airport, took us to the hotel, and I went straight to bed for a few hours. Once everyone was ready, we went to visit the René Furterer Institute."

This is where our own Charles worked before coming to San Francisco. In addition to standard hair and color services, they offer the full range of treatments created by René Furterer to benefit the hair and scalp. Recently renovated, the setting is that of a spa, with private cabins for guests to enjoy their services in.

The guests and members of the RF team standing of the René Furterer Institute in Paris.

An interesting side note: In France, René Furterer products are only available at the Institut or from a pharmacist. While you don't need a prescription, it isn't like going to a Walgreen's here. A French pharmacist is medically trained, and consults with you before recommending products.

These obligatory pictures of the Eiffel Tower are brought to you only because this is where everyone met to launch into a dinner cruise on the Seine. This was followed by drinks at Buddhabar (except for old man Emmanuel who opted for the extra hours of sleep. "Plus I've been to the Buddhabar a thousand times before. I don't need to go again.").




Day 2: Mondial Coiffure Beauté, René Furterer Gala and Dinner
Mondial Coiffure Beauté is an international beauty trade show. In the past it has been one of the biggest ones in the world."This year was actually a little weird," Emmanuel reports. "Major players like L'Oréal were not in attendance. So the event felt empty compared to times I've gone in the past. René Furterer did have a truly beautiful installation, though. It featured artwork and photography highlighting the development of an ethical Shea Butter supply branch in Toussiana [located in Burkina Faso, near Ghana and Cote D'Ivoire]."

Shea Butter is a key ingredient in RF's Karite line of products. RF has partnered with SOTOKACC (Société Toussiana Karité Comestibles & Cosmétiques), a local Shea producing organization founded by Nathalie Ouattara. This relationshiop with SOTOKACC is fair trade at its most intimate.  René Furterer guarantees high quality Shea butter, produced pure, solvent-free and additive-free; the women of the organizatoin gain a supportive and accountable long term relationship with a business which extends their reach.

René Furterer's Mondial exhibition included paintings and bios for some of the local Toussiana women, photography by Titouan Lamazou, and an exhibition of African-inspired hair styles by RF Art Director Philippe Tapprest. Shots of the exhibition are below. There are also a few samplings from the Alexandre de Paris exhibition.

Mondial Coiffure Beaute

After the Mondial Expo another rest period, and then the René Furterer Gala and Dinner held to introduce the new Artistic Director Marisol Suarez. Marisol showcased hairstyles that extended the themes of the Mondial exhibition.

We'll have to show more from Marisol's portfolio in another post, as she has done some pretty amazing work!

Day 3: Toulouse, René Furterer Facilities
The group left Paris, went to Toulouse. The day was spent touring René Furterer facilities. These included the Cauquillous, shown below. The Cauquillous is named for it's shell-like architecture. "The only complex we didn't get to see, " Emmanuel says, "was the Oncopole de Toulouse, a cancer research center operated by Pierre Fabre, RF's parent company. We got to see it from the air, and heard a lot about it, but there wasn't time to visit."

Cauquillous and Toulouse

Day 4: Botanical Conservatory of Pierre Fabre
Pierre Fabre devotes much of its property, and 20% of its proceeds, to research. The same knowledge directed towards areas such as cancer treatment is also put towards creating effective, botanically-sourced René Furterer products. Their botanical conservatory houses plants from all over the globe. They serve as a presentation of all the plants and flowers which are used in René Furterer products and  studied for their healing qualities.

After lunching at Mr. Pierre Fabre's beautifully appointed home, the group visited the Vitrine Pierre Fabre, a product display museum showing René Furterer history from inception to present.

Day 5: Return home
"A great trip!" Emmanuel says. "Not really a vacation, since I didn't sleep a lot, but we were well-fed and they took good care of us. The René Furterer team were gracious hosts. It was interesting to spend time with owners from other salons across the States. Very refreshing, actually."

Guest List

WEST COAST
Emmanuel Noel of Atelier Emmanuel, San Francisco, CA
Dawn Michelle Ellinwood of Ubunto San Diego, CA
Sophie Carrie Noel of The Cutting Edge Ontario, CA
Iida Lahidji of Salon 1757, Kensington, CA
Cara Hellings of Robert Leonard Salon & Spa, Seattle, WA
Rebecca Lynn Stordahl of Robert Leonard Salon & Spa, Seattle, WA

EAST COAST
Badrie Negaran Shahbodaghloo of Tanaz Bethesda, Md
Heath Ryan Trefethen of Studio One Westbrook, ME
John Jerry Vella of Izzazu Salon Wexford, PA
Young Hee of Young Hee Salon New York, NY
Salvatore Minardi of Salvatore Minardi Salon Madison, NJ
Tracey Pearson of Soda Salon Atlanta, GA
Rhonda Jean Bailey of Studio 135 Bargersville, IN

Halloween 2012

From the team that brought you these fine two ladies

Comes 2012's batch of style purveyors

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!*

*Ali and Edgar ask that we add "Go Giants!"

New Stylist, Adrien Flammier

(Another) French Colorist Expert and Master Stylist Joins Atelier Emmanuel!

We actually recruited Adrien over a year ago, when he visited us from Paris. Coming from France it can take a while, of course, to get everything in order. Lots of immigration paperwork, retaking licensing exams on this side, etc... Tenacity pays off, however; Adrien and his family are settled in San Francisco and he is officially in place at Atelier Emmanuel!

Adrien has over 10 years of experience in the world of French haute coiffure, serving as hairdresser, manager and trainer at many big name salons like Jean Louis David, Franck Provost and Dessange Paris. He knows the full breadth of styling and coloring techniques. He has served as Lead Stylist and Manager and has participated in fashion runway shows and photoshoots.



What appeals to you about hairstyling?
The appeal of hairstyling was there by the time I was 18, just after finishing my general studies. I was attracted to women and feminine beauty, their unfolding through clothing, makeup and hair.

However a woman is, it fascinates me how we can transform her self-regard and therefore how she shows up with others. A hair style, color or a cut tremendously affect a woman's appearance. That's always the goal, and it's a new challenge every time. So I like that. I like that hair fashions change, and we have to constantly reconsider what we are doing and learn new things. I like learning it, and also teaching it to other stylists.

Of course, all this holds true for men, as well. But women were my first inspiration!

If I sit in your chair, what should I expect?
I enjoy what I do, so even above my professionalism, that's what shows: someone who's interested in understanding what you are looking for, and does it with good humor.

What do you value in hairstyling?
"Ce travail de mise en beauté de la personne." I'm not quite sure the best way to say that in English? It basically means bringing out the beauty of a person...

How do you describe your hairstyling?
Chic, glamorous. Extroverted: cuts and colors that are slightly de-structured without being too asymmetrical or extravagant.

How do you describe your personal style?
Like my hairstyling, I like things which are beautiful, and slightly out of the ordinary. I like fashion, dressing up just a bit avantgarde. My day to day style definitely shifts with the occasion and my moods, rather than having just one look. I'm pretty curious, like to look at people, get ideas from what they are wearing and blend them with my look.

What is one of your strengths as a stylist?
I'm very good with Balayage. I like working with blond in all its shades, tones and levels. Painting and playing with contrasts, creating shadows and light in hair is pretty fascinating!

If you weren’t a hairstylist what would you do?
Professional athlete!

Your Neck: Bridge to Health

By Margarita Camarena, CMT

Bridge to Health

The neck holds intrinsic muscles that if tight, swollen or stressed, can really deteriorate the harmony of our proprioception, sense mechanisms and affect our clear thinking.

A pain in the neck doesn’t just hurt, it impacts a lot of our day-to-day functioning.

Home to the thyroid gland, major arteries, nerves, lymph channels and nodes, the esophagus, vocal cords and specialized vertebrae, the neck is a narrow but vital bridge between the head and the rest of the body that receives a lot of strain and stress. Being a narrow but busy thoroughfare in the body, the neck is especially susceptible to kinks and these kinks are more likely to impact other functioning. However unpleasant a tight arm muscle might be, it won’t affect your cognition, grace, and health the way a tight neck muscle will!


Given this, it’s amazing how often I receive clients who report that our session is the first that has included any detailed neck work in it! For me the neck is one of my favorite places to work, precisely because it can translate into so much benefit. A healthy, relaxed neck keeps the bridge clear for respiration, blood, and craniosacral fluids. This helps the thyroid, lymph nodes and brain work optimally. A nourished brain means a clear mind. The converse is that blood and oxygen deficiency can cause headaches and muscle pain.

Why is Therapeutic Massage Important for the Neck?
Having read this far, you probably don’t even need an answer to that question: you’re likely just craving a massage, aren’t you? The neck is really one of those areas of the body that can get the most benefit from bodywork as it gets some of the least respite of any body areas. Being so packed with functions, relaxing the neck stands to create a slew of positive benefits like getting rid of tension headaches, congestion, sinus pressure, vertigo, and increasing memory, clear mindedness, happiness and a sense of liberation.

It is extraordinary to discover how many nerves and arteries run through a space already taken up with vertebrae, thyroid glands, the esophagus, and layers of muscle.  On top of all that, the neck serves as a base and cradle for the brain. Further, the neck muscles are responsible for micromovements that stabilize our vision and ground our sense of proprioception (which helps us locate ourselves in space).

As you can imagine, there are a lot of aspects of the neck to work with, in a massage session. Below I am going to mention a few muscle areas, to show how they benefit overall well-being.

The Scalenes
Does that picture to the right look like anyone you know? Someone at work or in a café? Maybe yourself? Working in front of a computer quickly compromises the posture of most people. The slumped posture common to most people while they type and work creates tight pectorals and intercostal muscles. The forward head and neck posture also foreshortens the scalenes, creating strain to the neck, upper-back, and shoulders. Left uncorrected, this can contribute to serious medical conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis and other chronic disorders. This is why Massage Therapy is your best friend! Therapeutic work in the scalene triangle can feel intense at the time; but it helps your nervous, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. In some cases people see benefits with their thyroid as well, and higher levels of energy.

The scalenes run beneath the sternocleidomastoid (that big long muscle on the side of the neck) and help flex the head from side to side. They are famous for referring pain and symptoms to other parts of the body — including the hands: some cases of "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome" are actually the result of trigger points in the scalenes. On top of moving and stabilizing the head, they also help in breathing.

The Sub-Occipital Muscles

The Sub-Occipital Muscles are a conglomerate of muscles in the back of the neck. Run a hand over the base of your cranium to where it meets the neck, and you can easily find them. These muscles allow us to nod and perform micro-movements that help keep our vision aligned instead of going on wild rides as we bounce away with every step we take. This magical seat is also the connection to many major muscle groups that extend to the rest of our back. Working with sub-occipital muscles we also indirectly work with deeper structure located within the cranium. Releasing them invariably leads to relaxation for clients.

Another Reason to Receive a Neck Massage
I find that through the neck, I am able to release muscle and myofascia that has been constricted throughout the body, even all the way to the feet. So maintaining your neck nice and open can translate into benefit across the body.

* How can working on the neck affect something all the way at my feet? This is actually a great topic that I will write about in a coming article. For now, I will quickly say that it is due to myofascia, that magnificent structure keeping us upright, wrapped up and connected. In the bodywork world, we more properly call it the "Syntegrity Matrix."A fancy sounding phrase, it refers to the way that myofascia is functionally a three dimensional webbing system, wrapped around all our tissues and bones. Pulling on one part of the web affects other, sometimes unexpected, parts of the web. Enough of that for now, though!

Get frequent focused therapeutic massages.
If your time and finances are short, make it a 30-minute bi-weekly therapeutic massage. You will see great benefits from this ritual of self-care. Later on you can switch to a full body massage here and there as your body requests it. The nice thing about having frequent massage, is that you learn more about your own body and you begin to sense when it is starting to go out of balance. This will empower you to shift and modify habits. Massage Therapy, if you choose it to be, can be a place where you can learn more about your body’s well being.

Just as your neck can be a bridge to health, I hope to be as well. I look forward to our next massage session. As always, if you want more details, please comment below!

Margarita Camarena offers Swedish, Trigger Point Therapy, Deep Tissue, Craniosacral, Stretching, Mobilization Work and Reiki at Atelier Emmanuel. She uses multiple modalities to reach the goals desired by her clients. 

Academy Photoshoot | Edgar

Atelier Emmanuel runs an Academy for our apprentices, a sort of post-graduate training in the Old World style. Before we took a Summer break, we decided it would be fun to organize a photoshoot for them. The apprentices were given little guidance, other than that the shoot would be indoors with a basic backdrop. We supplied the photographer. They came up with the concept, model, wardrobe, makeup and, most importantly, the hairstyle.

Edgar: I wanted to create a vintage style, like a 40's or 50's pin-up. I went with barrel curls for the bang and on the side temple areas. The toughest part of this hair style is to get the right proportions between the front and side curls. The sides have to be balanced to the bang, and all three curls have to fit the model's head. 

I was the first of the apprentices to turn in his idea and secure a model (I 'cheated' and used Meredith, our receptionist). Because of that I was able to schedule to be first to shoot. This gave me time to do a second look while the other shoots were going on. I pulled down the curls from the pinup look and created a finger wave that was still pinup, but also modern. This second look really played well with the highlights we had added to the Meredith's hair.

Overall an easy shoot. Meredith is good to collaborate with. She takes directions well and understands how to move with the camera. Because we work together, I was able to practice the style a couple of times beforehand so that on the day of shoot, styling went smoothly. Time management is key: I find that a big element to a successful session.

For a next photoshoot, I want to style both a male and female model for a couple's shoot. Probably still in a vintage style.

Hairstyling: Edgar Carubio
Makeup: Clifford Hashimoto
Photography: Tara Arrowood
Model: Meredith Harris

Edgar was a student of biochemistry, who realized his real calling as a hairstylist. He graduated from Skyline College of Cosmetology two years ago then began with a front desk position at our salon to get his foot in the door. Now a full time apprentice, Edgar is building his menu offerings for clients.

As part of the Academy programme, Edgar trains every Monday on cut, color, style and other hair services. To be a model, please contact us.

Academy Photoshoot | Anthony

Atelier Emmanuel runs an Academy for our apprentices, a sort of post-graduate training in the Old World style. Before we took a Summer break, we decided it would be fun to organize a photoshoot for them. The apprentices were given little guidance, other than that the shoot would be indoors with a basic backdrop. We supplied the photographer. They came up with the concept, model, wardrobe, makeup and, most importantly, the hairstyle.

Anthony:  Yes, that's me fixing the model's hair. It's a recurring thing in photoshoots: some of the best expressions happen while we're primping the hair. It must be because the model is unguarded in those moments.

As far as the shoot goes, I was happy with the results.

The texture came out really well and suited the model's personality — once we got her into it, and a bit more sassy and flirty. This is a style I would do again, without isolating the technique. Instead of the entire head being done, I would like to see the curls patterns in smaller areas with other textures, and even colors, thrown in to create a different overall effect.

I would probably have chosen a different top for her to wear, too. We weren't really planning on having it show in the shots. But to crop the top out, would throw the image off-balance.

Overall, though, I loved doing it in this environment and was very happy to work with my model.

The shots we picked here play off a sort of doll-like, mannequin look. It wasn't necessarily what we'd been shooting for, but it's an unintended result that I love. 

We let the hair get looser and crazier as we went on. With a blank setting, the hair ends up being its own background.

Styling: Anthony Tanno

Makeup: Clifford Hashimoto

Photography: Tara Arrowood

Model: Jordan, with Look Model Agency

A graduate of the Cinta Aveda Institute, Anthony is happy to be with us and living his dream of being a stylist. 

Academy Photoshoot | Nicole

Atelier Emmanuel runs an Academy for our apprentices, a sort of post-graduate training in the Old World style. Before we took a Summer break, we decided it would be fun to organize a photoshoot for them. The apprentices were given little guidance, other than that the shoot would be indoors with a basic backdrop. We supplied the photographer. They came up with the concept, model, wardrobe, makeup and, most importantly, the hairstyle.

Nicole: I immediately knew I wanted to focus on bridal and special occasion updo’s for this photoshoot. I love doing updo’s, and I believe that styling for weddings and special events is a part of the market that AE should tap more into. As we build this part of our business, I want to grow with it and be the go-to stylist that people want for their special occasion.

I'm happy with the results of the shoot. I feel it shows my skills in updos, and conveys my interpretation of wedding hair: timeless and elegant, yet playful and modern.

Having never done a photoshoot before, it was an interesting experience — especially because I had my sister as a model.  Directing her was hard. We're just used to smiling for photos, so it didn't come easy for her to make different expressions and give different looks. I also wasn’t used to how the model’s wardrobe looks completely different on camera than in real life. Next time I would pick outfits that have a little more flair. The plain white dress I chose didn't really work. We ended up getting rid of it and just using the sheer material seen in the pictures. 

All in all, the photo shoot was a great experience. For the next I want to focus on hair color, doing something which expresses seasonal trends.

Styling: Nicole Siri

Makeup: Clifford Hashimoto

Photography: Tara Arrowood

Model: Gina Siri

After graduating from Cal Poly in 2009, Nicole decided to follow her passion for hair. She enrolled and completed the cosmetology program at College of San Mateo. Nicole was licensed in fall of 2010 and immediately pursued Atelier Emmanuel for an apprenticeship. After 18 months of apprenticing, Nicole is now a Junior Stylist.