Welcome to Hi-Lites, Atelier Emmanuel’s blog! Every month, learn about the latest news, events and promotions and discover our services and beauty experts. Throughout, we'll also be sprinkling tidbits about care, beauty, and trends in the beauty industry. Scroll through, and if there is anything you would like us to add, let us know!
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!
"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."
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.
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.
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, 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.
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.
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.”
