VAIN Blog

Photo: Drugstore.com. Curious: Rebecca P.

All-in-one. Microwavable. No rinse. Amazing?

Saturday night was fantastic! Many new friends were made, and equal numbers of our nearest and dearest dropped by to join in the fun. Not one cupcake survived the evening.

Our models, Racheal and Beth, greeted guests out on Ballard Avenue and invited them to join us for floral updo’s and discounted boutique treats. Makeup for both ladies was done by VAIN artist Christine Cherbonnier; Racheal’s full on faux hawk by Megyn and Beth’s romantic twist by Aran.

As Victoria mentioned in the comments on our last post, our most enthusiastic fans devised a cheer to be “a PART of the ART!” It was performed with style in the park across the street. To our young fans, thank you for bringing so much joy to the evening!

The full set of photos can be found on our flickr page here. All guerilla hair gorgeously created by Valentine, Melissa, and Megyn - with a few bonus rounds courtesy of Jenny and owner Victoria Gentry!Thank you to everyone who came by, peeked in the windows, scored goodie bags, and (as the cheer shouted) took part in the art.

xo,

VAIN Ballard

Tonight’s the night- our lovely Springed-out hair models are giving out VAIN goodie bags at Ballard’s Artwalk from 6 to 9, and one bag will have a gold ticket worth $100 in services at VAIN Ballard. See you on Ballard Ave for your chance to win!

Kevin Murphy’s Leave-In.Luxury: I thought that dreams belonged to other hair.

Almost paradise
We’re knocking on heaven’s door
Almost paradise
How could we ask for more?
I swear that I can see forever in your eyes
Paradise

I’m back and I’m in love. I told you a few months ago how VAIN hairstylists had fallen hard for the awesome new line of Kevin Murphy hair products, and now it’s happened to me. If his natural ingredient-rich Angel Wash shampoo and Angel Rinse conditioner were the dinner and a movie of our budding relationship, then Kevin Murphy’s Leave-In.Luxury leave-in conditioner was our first weekend together. And it was fantastic.

It’s got silk proteins, mango butter, and extracts of Peruvian bark (really?) to moisturize and protect colored hair and reduce frizz (please and thank you). It smells like a fancy organic spa and a nickel sized amount left my bleach-weary hair soft, smoothed, and soothed. I always worry that leave-in conditioners are going to weigh my hair down, but not this time. Not Kevin Murphy’s Leave-In.Luxury. I’ve found my silky, no-sulphate, paraben-free forever.

-Rebecca P.

Get your hands on my man! Kevin Murphy hair products are available at both VAIN downtown and VAIN Ballard.

It hasn’t snowed anytime recently, and we feel safe in saying that Spring truly has arrived. Given that we’re knee deep in the month of May, let’s just say… it’s about time. To celebrate, we’ll be doing Spring up-do’s [and more!] this Saturday, May 10th, at our Ballard location.

Festivities should begin around 6 pm and last until at least 9 pm. Items in our boutique will be 15% off throughout the celebrations, and we’ll have free goodies to give out as well. Best of all, one lucky visitor will receive the ‘gold ticket’ worth $100 in hair services at VAIN Ballard! Stylists will be on hand for “Guerilla Hair” up-do’s - a quick 5 minute style transformation. We’ll be exploring the neighborhood, too, for Ballard’s Artwalk - be sure to stop by OKOK, 20twenty, or Miro Tea, just to name a few!

Bring your Spring-fevered self out of the house for a night of hair + art - and free treats + discounts!

xo,

VAIN Ballard

Hello friends,

After a 2007 victory, we’re once again looking to see if we’re your favorite salon! Let your voice be heard at nwsource.com/peoplespicks

Vote early, vote often!

Thank you, we love you… we pick you, too!

xo,

VAIN
Downtown
2018 1st Avenue
206.441.3441
Ballard
5401 Ballard Ave NW
206.706.2707
Everywhere
www.vain.com

Victoria Thomas Gentry’s dahlia hair, 1999: “It was a color obsession that built up.”

Last month we challenged VAIN Blog readers to consider going cherry tree pink for Spring, and mentioned VAIN owner + styledriver Victoria Thomas Gentry’s onetime dahlia-inspired hair color. After locating a photo in the VAIN archives (they are so vast!), we asked VTG herself to share the dahlia hair story:

“I had the inspiration when one of my favorite clients brought me a dahlia from her garden. You don’t see a lot of dahlias on the east coast where I’m from and I had no idea there were such big varieties.”

“The biggest question I got was “so what do you call that color?” Pink just didn’t cut it as a description. Depending on the light and what I was wearing it could be cherry or coral or blush pink. I loved it!”

Grab your favorite flower and call VAIN for a free consultation with one of our hair color experts: 206.441.3441 (downtown) or 206.706.2707 (Ballard).

One of our nearest and dearest clients, Paige, recently left Seattle for some fancy job in New York. After years of seeing Carly and Jenny Slay, she was worried about finding another salon that felt like home sweet home.

Luckily former VAIN stylist Shaun Surething has created Seagull, our unofficial ’sister’ salon. Paige recently went for her first cut with Shaun to update her look to something a little less formal. Though we’re still waiting on ‘after’ photos, I love this shot mid-cut:

Please note the shoes: Hot Pink Nikes! Snakeskin Marc Jacobs! If this isn’t New York, it’s heaven.

Photo courtesy of yet another VAIN client, Andrea “Shiftercars” Chapman.

So I’m sitting here watching Entertainment Tonight, eating dip, and all of a sudden I see my haircut (or a slightly overdone version of it) in a segment called “Hollywood’s Top Hair Trends.” It’s on Katie, Rihanna and Renee, and it’s supposedly “causing a commotion” with its crazy short style. It’s called the Daring ‘Do, and I think it came in at #2 after headbands. Look out!

I don’t know about you, but I think a daring ‘do is going from full-length to fauxhawk, from platinum to jet black, hot pink for the hell of it, or that one time when I quit my job and all but two inches of my hair on the same day. Don’t get me wrong: my current cut looks great and it’s shorter than it’s been in a while, but it’s no brave leap into the hair unknown. But I’ll take the compliment, ET, and hope to see even stronger examples of adventuresome styles coming out of VAIN downtown and VAIN Ballard this Spring. Let’s show ‘em how daring a ‘do can be.

-Rebecca P.

Taken by our downtown front desk + photo champ My back in December… or was it earlier today?

Stylist: Bijou

Client: Caitlin

Full Disclosure [and nepotism alert]: She’s my sister!

Bijou has been cutting Caitlin’s hair for over a year now. Initially Bijou created perfect a posh bob - a gorgeous cut, but one that’s hard to maintain with a busy schedule. Since then, Bijou has helped her evolve into the cut pictured above; one that better suits her personality and one that requires half the styling commitment. Though Caitlin sees Bijou at VAIN’s Downtown location, she spent the day celebrating Ballard’s artwalk with a visit to neighboring boutique 20twenty.

Thank you, Bijou, for creating such a perfect look - and thanks to Caitlin for being so lovely and wonderful!

xo,

Sarah Jo

Melissa Witherwax: one of 400,000 and one in a million.

If you’ve been to VAIN then you’ve been in the presence of Melissa Witherwax, or Mel, as she’s known to our staff, stylists, and clients. Her compassion, her kindness, her sense of community and social awareness, her style and her great brightness of spirit are just a few of the things - not to mention her amazing laugh - that make her someone who you just want to be around. Mel is a true one-and-only.

So the news seemed that much harder to hear at VAIN when Mel let us know a few months ago that she had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. But she immediately took positive control of her situation by educating herself on the disease, getting proactive with her treatment, and even making us all feel a little better by asking if anyone wanted to join her for yoga or tai chi sessions in the park. Typical and wonderfully endearing.

Mel is one of 400,000 people in the United States affected by MS, and this weekend she’s walking to raise awareness and make a difference. This Sunday, April 13, Team Witherwax will hit the streets (ok, the Burke Gilman Trail) for Walk MS, and we hope you’ll be a part of it. Visit the Team Witherwax page to make a donation in any amount big or small, or to sign up online to walk. Last-minute walkers are welcome, too- day-of registration starts on Sunday at 8:30 a.m at Husky Stadium.

Whether you donate, walk, or just tell a friend about Walk MS this weekend, VAIN thanks you from the bottom of our hearts for taking action and making a positive impact. You’ll be helping thousands of people, among them someone who we couldn’t hold any more dear.

To learn more about Multiple Sclerosis and this Sunday’s Walk MS event, visit the National MS Society Walk MS Web site.