Rene Furterer Gives Back: The Pierre Fabre Foundation

We work hard to bring you products you can believe in. Yes, that means bringing you great hair, but it also means supporting social and political issues we care about. We are always in awe of the work by The Pierre Fabre Foundation—the French pharmaceutical company behind Rene Furterer. Check out their latest work supporting Dr. Denis Mukwege in the Democratic Republic of Congo:

Dr. Denis Mukwege and Pierre-Yves Revol,
Fondation Pierre Fabre's president

"The South Kivu region in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been a conflict zone since 1999, where many armed groups are employing violent tactics with near impunity against the civilian population, particularly against women, using rape as a weapon of war. Dr Denis Mukwege, the founder of a centrally located hospital in this region, has devoted his life to saving female victims and denouncing sexual violence. The Fondation Pierre Fabre is going to support his work.

Dr Denis Mukwege is a surgical gynaecologist who is internationally renowned for his work in reconstructive surgery for victims of sexual violence in the DRC, a commitment that earned him the moniker “The Man Who Repairs Women”. In 1999, to provide treatment for the victims of sexual violence, he founded the Panzi Hospital in Bukavu that offers a full range of services (a holistic model or “one-stop treatment centre”), including medical, psychological, socio-economic and legal intervention. Since the hospital opened, it has treated nearly 50,000 victims of sexual violence.

A militant activist for women’s rights and the eradication of rape as a weapon of war, Dr Mukwege has received a plethora of international awards, including the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights, the 2013 Fondation Chirac Prize for Conflict Prevention and the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

Replicating the Panzi treatment model in a rural hospital in Bulenga

On 6 December 2017, before the Fondation Pierre Fabre Board of Directors, Dr Mukwege presented a project to replicate his model for comprehensive victim care at the hospital in Bulenga. This facility, located 165 kilometres from Panzi in another area affected by the conflict, has 62 beds and currently sees 1,800 patients a year, but lacks the human and material resources it needs. The Fondation Pierre Fabre will fund all activities related to providing medical care to the victims at this hospital for the next two years and will work with Dr Mukwege’s team to assess how this structure can be sustained.

The Fondation Pierre Fabre is proud to support the work of Dr Denis Mukwege in his daily fight to care for these female victims of violence. This project is another way in which the Foundation is taking action in accordance with its mission, which includes improving access to healthcare for populations embroiled in serious crises."

(quoted from Fondation Pierre Fabre)

New Favorite: 5 Sens Enhancing Dry Oil by Rene Furterer

Sometimes the only difference between dry & lifeless and a fabulous hair day is the right product. What are we reaching for these days? 5 Sens Enhancing Dry Oil by Rene Furterer. 

This spray-on dry oil is really a full-body experience (I mean, five senses, get it?). This unique product is a combination perfume and finishing oil for both hair and body. As things cool off here in San Francisco, it’s giving us just the right amount of weight and moisture to combat dryness and fly-aways while also intoxicating us with it’s luxurious scent and feel. The blend of super nourishing oils (think jojoba, sweet almond, castor, avocado, and safflower) leaves hair naturally soft & shiny. It’s the perfect remedy for winter locks. 

With holidays right around the corner, we know you’re going to need some self-care after all those awkward questions from your weird aunt. Ready to treat yo’self yet? This new release from Rene Furterer is now 20% off, just in time for your winter hair refresh. 

Take a Dip into Chroma Hair

Your hair is your crown and sometimes that crown needs to take a deep dive into a pool of color. Will it come out silver, pastel pink, lavender, blue, sea foam green or a blend? Whatever color you choose, you should be prepared before you head into the salon. Fashion colors are notoriously hard to upkeep but new technologies are coming out everyday to improve that. We've listed multiple options for you below.

How many sessions will I need?

It will typically take 1-2 sessions. The lightening process can cause the most damage to your hair so we never want to rush it. If your hair needs to be further TONED (depositing color)  we will have you come in for a complimentary 2nd session within the first week of service. If your hair needs to be further LIGHTENED (lifting color)  we will need to charge you for a 2nd session at full price. Pricing is based on each round of services, not the total look, and while we try out best, it's not always predictable how many sessions it will take to achieve a look. Your stylist will discuss the process with you and if a second service is needed, what the price will be. 

Cost:
Emi and Tee start at $550
Mishi starts at $650
All Services include Royale (Toner and 2 powerful conditioning treatments)

Disclaimer: It might sound like a lot of money to spend a nearly or over thousand dollars to achieve a look however it takes a lot of time, energy, and expertise that goes into doing a chroma color, and the pricing is actually lower that the amount a stylist will make doing a regular highlight. Our goal is to make chroma color pricing attainable for our clients, while making sense for us as a business. Thank you for understanding.

How long does a Chroma Service take?
A Chroma Service can run anywhere from 5- 8 hours, occasionally takes 9 hours. Bring snacks, dinner, a book, your computer, or whatever you feel you need. Also, expect to be switching chairs, so be mobile. There is both iPhone and Samsung recharging plugs available at the salon.

How long does a color last?
Color longevity depends on several factors: 

• How often you wash your hair
• How active your lifestyle is
• The products you use
• Your hairs porosity

After Service Upkeep:
We recommend using great products that will help keep your color fresh. You will need a color safe shampoo, conditioner or mask. (We carry several options here and a color wash that is amazing at depositing color in between appointments.)

The more you shampoo your hair the faster the color will fall out, and keep that hair moisturized! We highly recommend a great leave-in conditioner. We carry diamond serum, kendi oil, okara leave in and solarie leave in.

Use Olaplex once a week. It is a game changer when it comes to having healthy strands.
We also recommend a toner every 6-8 weeks. However, you can choose to skip the toner and stay blond or choose a completely different color.

Products we Recommend:

Viral Shampoo ($35) Maintain your color at home at an affordable price.

Purple toning shampoo for platinum blond, gray, or white hair ($29)

Okara radiance enhanancing spray ($26) Maintain your color while protecting it from UV rays

Karinga ultimate hydrating mask ($35) Masks are essential and we love how healthy and hydrated this makes us feel.

 

MORPHIC'S CHROMA Before Photos

MORPHIC'S CHROMA after COLOR 

MORPHIC FAVE: RENE FURTERER ABSOLUE KERATINE

Here at Morphic, we've got a new favorite product, and we want you to get your hands on it too! 

One of the highlights of salon life is getting first try at the newest and best products, so we were stoked to check out Rene Furterer Absolue Keratine. 

The "keratin" part provides hair with really amazing gloss and shine, so it's perfect for those who need a little extra oomph for dry strands from things like heat styling, color treatments, or even just cold weather (so it's perfect for winter). Plus, it smells amazing. To turn those limp locks into silk for the holidays!

Mishi says, "This is product is great for anyone who feels like their hair is dry and damaged, or anyone who just likes to treat their hair with something super rich every once in a while. Just use more or less, depending on preference. Perfect for hair that's been highlighted."

Mishi created a beautiful ombre that she sealed with the Absolu shampoo and conditioner. Instead of looking dry you can see that her hair is shiny and healthy.

We're so excited about this line, we're offering a Rene Furterer Absolue Keratine Gift Bag.  The set includes shampoo, conditioner, leave-in, and a $25 treatment gift card for just $99 (a $150 value). Get yours today! 

STYLE SPOTLIGHT: LAUREN

Welcome to our second Style Spotlight! Lauren is rad as hell, and we just love her grey hair. She's so cool, let's just meet her already! 

Want this look? Book the Chroma Hair service.

YOUR HAIR IS AMAZING. WE HAVE TO START THERE...

What inspired your hair look?
My hair inspirtation came from my favorite color grey. I wanted grey hair for years and extensively searched for a stylist who could help me achieve it. I went through one failed attempt a while back that faded to a horrible bleached blonde. A couple years ago I found Mishi and she agreed to embark on this hair adventure with me, the rest is history!

What is your hair regimen?
Because my hair is so heavily processed,  I try to take really good care of it. I rarely wash my hair—only once every couple weeks to preserve the color as much as I can between salon visits. When I do wash it I leave Olaplex 3 ($28) in my wet hair for 15 minutes, then use Rene Furterer's Okara Mild Silver Shampoo ($29), and leave it in for about an hour. Then I wash that out and do the Absolu Keratine Mask ($52 )for about 15 minutes. For in between washes I usedry shampoo. I try to use very minimal heat styling, but I've enjoyed practicing with my Caruso steam rollers. I'm so busy my day-to-day routine consists of brushing my hair and running out the door.

Blow Dry or Air Dry?
Air dry! With everything I do to get my hair color perfect, I try to use as little heat styling as possible! I usually blow dry just a bit so it's not soaking wet, then let it finish air drying. 

Top 5 favorite hair products?

1. Rene Furterer's Okara Mild Silver Shampoo! ($29) It's my number one product for keeping my hair color looking great.
2. Bamboo Kendi Oil ($25) I use it all the time, usually on my ends.
3. Dry shampoo ($28) I used different brands, but it's a lifesaver since I wash my hair so infrequently.
4. Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray—I love big hair, and this builds volume and smells amazing!
5. Elnett—The classic! Still the best hairspray I've ever used!

What’s your best tip for someone with your hair on a budget?
Grey hair is probably not a great choice for someone on a budget. It takes a lot of upkeep and maintenance. I would say just be realistic about what you want to spend, but definitely only go with someone you trust and take really good care of it.

Lauren is wearing Harputs' Own

What is the coolest thing you own?
I have a WWII-looking rusted out bomb sitting in my living room. It's pretty awesome. 

What current fashion trend you're over?
I was hoping that trends were over! Really, though, I hope that the world's appetite for low-quality, cheaply made, trend-driven clothing decreases. It's bad for the environment, more often than not is made by extremely underpaid workers, and contributes to a culture of wasteful consumption.

Let's talk career...

What do you do for a living?
I'm the Director of Product Marketing a startup called Pantheon. I specialize in the developer tools space.

Coolest thing about your job?
I'm always learning. I have to be constantly learning new things and improving to stay engaged, and there's never a dull moment when it comes to my job. I also really love working with developers, who I tend to get along with well.

What are you passionate about?
I'm passionate about being the voice of the user, data, and always staying curious! 

And you live in San Francisco...

 Describe SF in three words...
"It's so expensive" 

Would you ever leave?
I'd like to live in Japan. And if our gentrification problem doesn't improve, I'm not sure I'll want to live here forever.

How long have you lived here?
I was born and raised in The Bay! I stayed for college in The Bay and have lived in San Francisco since.

What is the best way to decompress?
I love to play records, watch movies or Rick and Morty (the best show on television right now) with my boyfriend, go on hikes, and gardening.

FOOD & FUN

Who is your favorite musical artist?
Four Tet

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
I've always wanted to be able to use the Force. 

Favorite word?
Galaxy

Favorite curse word?
Putain—a habit I picked up living in Paris and never shook!

What's the wildest thing you've ever eaten?
Hmm...I ate crickets and grasshoppers recently—that's pretty out there. They were really tasty. I've also eaten ox penis.

If you could have one last meal, what would it be?
There's a Vietnamese dish that consists of a whole roasted fish that you cook and then roll spring rolls with at the table that is simple but just so good, and reminds me of my childhood.

Name your favorite restaurants in San Francisco?
We're lucky to have such awesome food here.
I love Bar Tartine.  

REAL TALK. WHAT IS THE PROUDEST MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE?

I was out in the desert shooting guns with my friends. We were trap shooting and I'd never shot a shotgun before. The guys weren't having much luck. When it was my turn, the guys were all about to make fun of me because the shotgun was about as big as I am and I was standing there in this billowing white desert getup with feathers sticking out of my hair. I did not look like I could do this. My friend started pulling and I started blasting those clay pigeons out of the sky, one after another. When I was done shooting, all my friends shut right up! I was pretty satisfied with myself.

Thanks, Lauren! 

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Initially, when I did Lauren's hair I bleached it three times starting with the mid lengths and ends. Later, I do the roots since it has to sit for a shorter time then the rest of the hair. Her toner is the ashiest toner possible, which is 911 and 802. We always use the Olaplex and Powerdose treatment to keep her hair healthy.