VAIN Blog

Let’s take a minute to sit down with Scarlet, our fabulous stylist at VAIN downtown, to learn a little bit about the process of glazing hair.

What is glazing, you ask? We asked, too, and Scarlet has answers. Technically, glazing is the application of a demi-permanent (i.e. long lasting semi-permanent color, which should last 6-8 weeks with a proper product and care regimen), sheer color with a hint of tone. It’s gentle and, because the glaze is translucent, the results are very natural. Variation in your hair color shows through the glaze (even with dark coloring), and the new growth looks much more subtle since there is no solid line where your color application ends. The benefits don’t stop there. Glazing is rich in silk protein and helps improves texture and manageability by smoothing the cuticles of the hair strands.

When is it used? Scarlet loves to use glazing in all kinds of applications because it is so versatile and foolproof. She gradually blends in gray hair, and with all the sunny weather we’ve been having she’s been treating faded highlights by refreshing their color. She also glazes to correct the yellow that can occur after bleaching by subtly bringing in more natural tone or warmth. Or if clients want more kick in their color, glazing can pump it up! “Glazing is a good way to introduce color to clients who would normally be apprehensive to color or are commitment phobic,” Says Scarlet.

For those who want shine and manageability without the addition of color, there is even clear glaze. Fine hair, which tends to become greasy under the weight of most smoothing products, is an excellent candidate for this process. And the benefits are lasting.

Thanks for chatting with us, Scarlet! Glazing sounds awesome and the cost is the same as a normal coloring job with a quicker process time. So if you’ve been waiting for the right excuse to try some color with more natural and gentle results, glazing is perfect for you!

Scarlet and other color specialists offer glazing at VAIN. Call VAIN downtown at 206.441.3441 or VAIN Ballard at 206.706.2707 to book your appointment.

VAIN downtown stylists Bijou and Kelly with Poison frontman, Rock of Love star, and goldie-locked rocker Brett Michaels. Yes, that Brett Michaels. Speaking of extensions, Kelly does some of the best around, whether you want them completely subtle-looking or backstage big. Call VAIN at 206.441.3441 to find out more or to schedule a free consultation with Kelly.

Editor’s note: Kelly could not confirm that Brett had extensions… they were just that good.

Jenny Slay: puttin’ the senior in senior stylist, 10 years at a time.

This past week marked VAIN senior stylist Jenny Slay’s 10th anniversary with VAIN. Jenny’s unparalleled cut, color, updo, and Great Lengths extensions skills are legendary, and she has the loyal clients to prove it. She’s been the stylist behind more perfect highlights and haircuts, more bold color transformations, wedding day perfections, instant long lengths, and every hair service in between than any other VAIN stylist, and she’s helped make VAIN what it is today with her signature style and talent.

When asked to comment on her milestone, Jenny said, “I feel really satisfied to have been here for so long, to watch VAIN grow and help make it what it is. It’s been really really good to me.” Asked how she and VAIN have changed since 1998, she offered this: “We both have significantly less facial piercings now.”

VAIN owner + styledriver Victoria Thomas Gentry had this to say about Jenny:

Jenny is the queen of hair that’s been colored into a corner. She is fearless in her ability to take even a seemingly helpless corrective color problem and make it gorgeous! I’ve seen her stare down a fierce head of ashy mud-toned highlights and turn them into spun gold. She is the alchemist of hair!

Jenny also makes the fun happen at VAIN. She lifts our spirits by bringing her powers of sharp and witty observation to bear on our daily lives and activities. When you have your life experiences reflected back at you with such quick and funny commentary your day is always bound to get better. I love Jenny so much!

For 10 years of hard work, great humor and amazing hair, VAIN salutes Jenny Slay. We love you!

Jenny Slay works her hair magic at both VAIN locations. Call VAIN downtown at 206.441.3441 or VAIN Ballard at 206.706.2707 to book a free consultation or schedule an appointment. You’ll be glad you did.

Cool stylist, cool style: if you can dream it up, Roxie can make it happen.

When superstar stylist Roxie left VAIN and Seattle last year, you could practically hear the collective “noooooo!” from her loyal following of clients. Since then she’s had a baby girl, has continued to do hair in her new home state of Arkansas, and plays guitar and sings in a pop rock band called (you guessed it) The Roxies. Lucky for us she’s returning to VAIN for a limited engagement. So get your hair ready: Roxie’s back.

Stylist: Roxie

Specialties: very low maintanance cuts and colors that grow out really well and are tailored to the individual, and fun, imaginative fantasy color jobs.

Steel Magnolia: Roxie now has Southern big hair blowout skills to rival the best of them.

Roxie says: “My commitment to self expression and positive change through hair is stronger than ever after having a baby and having to work a little harder to maintain my sense of self and style. I truly see the importance of making hip and confident looks be effortless. ”

On coming back to VAIN: “This summer I hope to reconnect with the VAIN community that I have sorely missed, and I look forward to meeting new people coming to see me for their first time. I’m excited to bring my hairdos back to the streets of Seattle! ”

Roxie returns to VAIN downtown for six weeks only starting June 15th- call 206.441.3441 to book your appointment.

First haircut becomes a lesson on how pretty embracing your natural hair texture can be: VAIN downtown stylist Alexis and her new client… also named Alexis. Front desk ace + VAIN photog My said, “I’ve never seen a client leave the salon looking so happy.”

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.

Check out all-new online bios of VAIN downtown apprentice stylists Aubrie and Valentine on VAIN.com. Aubrie cites 70s rock as a personal style inspiration, while Valentine is quickly becoming the fauxhawk champ of the 206 (”they’re not for your emo kid brother anymore.”).

Both Aubrie and Valentine have gone through extensive hair education and rigorous hands-on training to get client-ready (including, and we’re kidding here, a VAIN ropes course, a feats of strength challenge, and an exhausting round of “would you rather…”), and we’re excited to have their skills on the VAIN salon floor. They both bring a passion for hair and personal style to VAIN that’s great to have around. Visit our stylists page on VAIN.com to learn more about them and any of our other talented stylists.

Call VAIN downtown at 206.441.3441 to find out about Valentine and Aubrie’s $15 haircut specials or to book an appointment. VAIN apprentice stylists don’t really go through a ropes course, but they tell us training can feel a little like beauty boot camp.

Miss Idaho gets her extensions done by Kelly at VAIN: before and after.

No April fooling: a Miss USA 2008 contestant flew to Seattle last week to get her hair done at VAIN for the big pageant. VAIN stylists are well-versed in special occasion hair, working with everyone from brides and grooms on their big days to our prom clients, but this might be the first national beauty pageant contestant to check out VAIN’s hair services.

Her name is Tracey Brown and she’s Miss Idaho USA (check out her page on the Miss USA site). She’s a full-time student and breast cancer awareness advocate, and she heard about VAIN dowtown stylist Kelly’s extensions skills from her sister who lives in Seattle. Kelly did a whole head of braided extensions on Tracey to add length, dyeing the extensions to match Tracey’s hair color. The result is a perfectly color-matched head of wavy, natural-looking, lustrous hair with that we think any crown would look hot on.

Tracey Brown competes in the Miss USA pageant on April 11. To schedule a free extensions consultation with Kelly or any of VAIN’s other extensions pros, call VAIN downtown at 206.441.3441 or VAIN Ballard at 206.706.2707.

Spacial reasoning dictates that VAIN Ballard will always be a bit more petite than VAIN Downtown - but two new chairs means more room than ever before! Jake has added a day here on Tuesdays. Ballard will also feature two new members of our VAIN family, Aran and Megan. Our stylist bio page will soon be updated with full profiles for these ladies and recount the many skills and ideas they bring to VAIN. Aran, a transplant from North Carolina, has been a stylist for over 7 years. She also creates her own line of jewelry and stationary that we can’t wait to see more of. As for Megan, who has already made herself at home here in Seattle since moving from Detroit 6 months ago, she has extensive experience including assisting top-level Redken colorists.

A growing team of stylists means more available appointments, so feel free to request these ladies at either Ballard or Downtown. And despite the fact that things are bigger, better, and faster, the front desk staff will always have time to answer questions, schedule consultations, and make the right recommendation for you.

xo,

Sarah Jo + VAIN Ballard

VAIN downtown stylist Krista is known for her stellar hairstyling skills and sense of personal style, and it’s all captured beautifully in pictures of her by talented local photographer (and her husband) Peter Kearns. Whether it’s a picture of her doing her own hair or a client’s, eating cereal or just walking down the street, each image captures an intimacy and loveliness that we just had to share. Enjoy.

Check out more of Peter Kearns’ photography at peterkearns.com and on his official blog.

You know how it is when you’re trying to describe the hair color, cut, or style you want and it’s just not coming out right? And then you’re flipping through Modern Hair! or something with your stylist saying, “not like that one but kind of more like that one, but maybe a little different?” I do, even though I work for a salon. It happens. And it was happening last night as I was sitting at VAIN downtown in senior hairstylist Jenny Slay’s chair. I’d forgotten the photos I’d planned to bring in so there I was, describing various shades of nut and talking about sun kisses and not making any sense at all. Or so I thought. Jenny asked me a few key questions (“Which lingerie catelogue was the picture in?” and “How do you feel about warmer tones?” being most notable) and then said, “so you want to look kind of like you were at the beach like six months ago?” Got it. It was a better Valentine than a box of chocolates.

I’ve had similar “a-ha!” moments with VAIN stylists throughout the almost ten years of getting my hair done here, but it’s still great when it happens. And it was happening all around me at the salon last night. So the next time you’re in for your appointment, put down that copy of Cool Cuts Today! for a second and get talking. Your stylist is listening. x’s and o’s to Jenny Slay for reminding me of it last night.

-Rebecca P.