VAIN Blog

Do you like pop music and getting your hair done? If so, do we have the show for you! This Saturday April 4, VAIN is teaming up with Three Imaginary Girls on their “Top of the Croc” pop showcase at the Crocodile. See the splendor of the new Crocodile! Check out live sets by Awesome, Tullycraft, BOAT, and hot newcomers iji! Get FREE, stage-side 5 minute “Crocodile Hair” updos by VAIN superstar stylists Megyn, Sarah B and Cassie (complete with electric green hair)! We’ll also be giving away over $150 in VAIN gift certificates live onstage later in the evening between bands, so this is one night out you won’t want to miss.

Doors at 8pm, music all night, VAIN Crocodile Hair from 8 - 9:30 or until we run out of hair to do. 21+, $10. Check out full details here.

See you at the Crocodile!

Our apprentice hairstylist Cassie has been rocking the $15 haircuts lately, so we want to make sure that all our VAIN Blog readers get in on the action. Uptown looks for downtown prices!

Cassie offers $15 cuts on Mondays + Thursdays at VAIN downtown, and $15 cuts on Saturdays at VAIN Ballard. She’s great at adding texture to any look, and will make your 15 bucks look like a million.

To book a $15 haircut appointment with Cassie, call VAIN downtown at 206.441.3441 or VAIN Ballard at 206.706.2707.

xo to your hair + your wallets,

VAIN

VAIN’s apprentice stylists are fully licensed hairstylists who have undergone extensive education, training, and VAIN feats of strength + style.

Earlier this week, VAIN participated in Planned Parenhood’s Chic For Choice event.

VAIN senior stylist Jenny Slay donating her time

With a generous matching grant from the Gates Foundation, VAIN + other local salons raised over $8000 dollars. There was great hair, great treats [thank you Cupcake Royale!] and best of all a great cause. Planned Parenthood has earmarked these proceeds for Suzanne’s Fund. As our owner Victoria explained it, “This will go to building a pre and post natal care clinic in a rural area where there is no other option for women’s health care. Not no better option. No option. This money will help save lives.”

Thank you to everyone who participated - Alexis, Sarah B., Jenn C., Janae, Megyn, Scarlet, Aran, Bash, Jenny, David, Carly, Cheri, and our front desk superstar Courtney. A huge thank you to everyone who came to make donations and get an awesome haircut - this event could not have happened without your participation!

If you’d like to make a donation but didn’t have a chance to join us on Monday, you can still do so online via Planned Parenthood’s website. For more photos from the event, check out VAIN’s flickr page.

And, as always, you can look chic at VAIN any ol’ time. Call us at 206.441.3441 to schedule with us Downtown, or 206.706.2707 for our Ballard location.

We stole that photo of Rachel’s cute cut - but that’s ok, we stole it from our own Kellianne. Stay up to date with her style and inspirations, as well as ours, via her own site. To schedule your own cut +/or color with Kellianne, give us a call at either location - 206.441.3441 for appointments Downtown, or 206.706.2707 for Ballard.

Fashionably yours,

VAIN

Happy Equinox, everyone! Little bits of green are popping up everywhere, showing it is Spring. Stylish heads are no exception!

Amanda, pictured above, went for bright + beautiful contrasting pieces of greens, yellows, and even a touch of blue underneath a black crown. The super-natural color was created by Kelly at our Downtown location.

Whether your seasonal update is a soft blonde or a neon green, our stylists can update your color + cut. To schedule with Kelly, please contact our Downtown location at 206.441.3441

xo,

VAIN

Our friend Laura of lauratakespictures.com celebrated our VAINiversary with us back in December, perfectly capturing our festivities with her photo magic.

Yesterday she came back to see us for this sweet cut:

Rachel did the cut - and the DIY color is by Laura herself! She’s got that gorgeous face that works with bright blonde to black and everything in between. [Ed: I think I have seen her with literally every color at least once]. The style of the cut was inspired by Marianne Faithful circa Rock ‘n Roll circus, only slightly shorter in back.

See the original cut + icon in action via youtube.

xo,

VAIN Ballard

Guest blogger and VAIN Ballard senior stylist Rachel shares her own style, in her own words.

Dandyism: one who gives exaggerated attention to personal style.

4 years ago I wore nothing but jeans and white v-neck Hanes tshirts, ya know the ones that come in a four pack. 4 years before that I did not even wear pants for two years, I wore layers and layers of slips and fancifull dresses. I was the girl no one would talk to because I wore “unconventional” clothing. I was a little spooky but, alas, it made me happy.

These days I have a hard time dressing down I sometimes change my outfits 3 times, and this is just to go to work, lord knows I will stop at a champagne bar on the way home so one must look presentable. I now only feel comfortable with some sort of neck accoutrament.

I mean, a girl needs to feel put together.

I live for 1920’s-60’s mens fashion. The fine lines the tailoring the amazing detail. I feel like a proper british dandy, again whatever makes you happy. I do believe in the old belief you look good you feel good. This of course applies to hair as well. I first notice ones hair, there sense of style and their clothing. I love style. however you put it out there I love it.

I am but a hairstylist yet somehow I believe I deserve my own clothier, I think anyone who cares does at least a few important pieces. This is where Michael Cepress comes in - a true dandy if I ever did see one, a true believer of self expression and the loveliness of fine tailoring. I have taken him on as a custom designer for myself. He is in the midst of making me a cape with collapsible neck accoutrements. Please check out his website at michaelcepress.com

My bartender told me about a lovely blog Tavi - a twelve year old girl with mad personality and music and fashion sense to boot. She photographs most of her outfits she wears to school. She has great shots of runway shows and her favorite designers work. Very much worth looking at, every day!

Now for true dandyism. Lord Whimsy. You must see him to believe him. He is walking, talking, writing self expression historical art and a bag of rubies. He lives the life of extravagance true lovely life affirming extravagance. Champagne brunches and shined up shoes, I hope you will love him as I do.

Historically a dandy was sometimes a pauper who very much lived beyond their means, celebrating being working class by living the high life with the social elite. Living hard, artfully and extravagantly.

So, I may go broke on champagne cocktails, Blackbird shopping, my clothier Michael Cepress but, alas I will look amazing which brings on…feeling amazing.

Now. Come get a lovely haircut.
with love,
Rachel of Vain.

Ever see a picture of yourself and think, “who in the h let those two caterpillars crawl up onto my face and die?” Yeah, me too. It’s the price you just have to pay sometimes when you let your eyebrows go. It’s rough.

I’ve always been pretty defiant when it comes to getting my brows waxed. What can I say? I like a strong brow (Brooke Shields, Kate Winslet, my mom) but as of late seemed to have confused “strong” with “all kinds of busted.” Until today. I let VAIN’s resident waxer Belinda have at me, and the results are great: not overly arched, not too skinny: my brows, but better. And still strong.

So: for all of you out there still at the Frida Kahlo/Madonna circa 1979 convention, there is hope. Her name is Belinda, and she will make your perfect eyebrow dreams come true.

-Rebecca P.

To make a waxing appointment with Belinda at VAIN downtown, call 206.441.3441. New clients get $5 off their first appointment- if you refer a friend you get $5 off your next service, too.

VAIN downtown + Ballard hairstylist Carinn does some of the most amazing, vibrant hair color around (she did the color pictured above), and now she’s sharing her expert tips for keeping your hair color looking bright and fresh for as long as possible. Here they are from the color queen herself:

1. Wait 48 hours to wash your hair after a color service.
2. Use color-safe shampoo and conditioner. This really helps your color last longer and retain its vibrancy. I love Pureology. With their anti-fade color technology and their garuntee to help color last longer I can really see the results with my clients. I also like the Redken’s Color Extend. It is dedicated to the semipermanent color line we use at VAIN to help keep the color vibrant.
3. When rinsing your hair after shampooing and conditioning use cool water. This helps keep your hair cuticle closed and your color in your hair and not down the drain.
4. Use a color depositing shampoo or conditioner once a week. This will help keep your color looking brand new. This is only recommended for hair color that is all in the same color family. Example: Your hair is red with copper highlights. Use a copper colored shampoo or conditioner. Not reccomended if you have multi colored hair in different colors i.e. red hair with copper and blonde highlights. The color in the shampoo or conditioner will color over your blonde hair.

Carinn says: “Each of the steps alone are helpful and when used all together they will markedly improve the overall longevity of your color and its vibrancy!”

To make an appointment with Carinn, call VAIN downtown at 206.441.3441 or VAIN Ballard at 206.706.2707. Oh and don’t be afraid to bring in some random deep red leaf or cool colored plum that you want your hair to look like- Carinn will make it happen.

Hair + photo by Carinn.

Get your hair cut, support choice: for the second year in a row, VAIN is participating in Planned Parenthood NW’s Chic for Choice, which raises much-needed funds for reproductive healthcare and international family planning programs.

14 VAIN stylists at our Ballard salon will be offering $35 haircuts at VAIN Ballard on Monday, March 23 as part of the fundraiser. Haircuts are by appointment only and must be pre-purchased through Planned Parenthood online (no phone, sorry!). To book your Chic for Choice haircut at VAIN Ballard, visit our page on the Chic for Choice site. Appointments sold out fast last year, so get yours while you can and thanks in advance for supporting a most worthy cause!

Now on VAIN’s shelves, right next to your favorite curl-loving product:

These Jersey towels are handmade by VAIN stylist Aran. They’re perfect to use when plopping curls, and much more aesthetically pleasing than keeping an old t-shirt in your bathroom.

For those already using the plopping technique, you know it is great for long curly hair. If you haven’t tried it/heard of it, you’re probably wondering what on earth we’re talking about. Here’s a quick rundown on how-to:

- After washing + conditioning, apply your favorite product to wet hair
- Put a jersey towel down on a chair or the bathroom vanity
- Lean over the towel with your head hanging down, bent over from your waist
- Position the wet hair onto towel so the curls are all concentrated on top of the head
- Pull the towel taut against the top and sides of the head
- Grab the 2 sides and twist them into long rolls near each ear
- Pull the towel extensions to the nape of the neck + tie together to secure
- Leave on hair for 15-20 mins
- Take the towel off and gently shake down the curls, then diffuse or air-dry
- For extra control, scrunch in a bit more gel after removing the towel

Not only are the Jersey towels a lot prettier to look at, the material helps prevent the frizz that terrycloth towels can cause. Aran’s towels are currently available at both locations. Appointments with the creator herself are available at VAIN Ballard - call 206.706.2707 to schedule!