Is Your Scalp Looking Like a Winter Wonderland?

Is your scalp feeling dry, itchy, and sensitive? Do you notice your partner scratching their head or leaving snowflakes on the pillow? Fear not! I’m here with solutions!

First—why does this happen when the weather changes? Maybe we’re spending too much time indoors, or drinking too many hot beverages without enough water to hydrate. Maybe it’s the stress of the holidays and year-end affecting our circulatory system. Who knows?

To calm my irritated scalp, I use Astera Fluid and Astera Serum from Rene Furterer, and it works! In fact, I’ve started giving myself a little more scalp love by doing my Astera treatments twice a week. To do this I base my dry scalp with the oil and do light brushing with a gentle boar bristle brush and let it sit overnight. The manufacturer recommends to leave it in for 5-10 mins, but it doesn't hurt the scalp to leave in longer. But no matter what - don’t forget to rinse and shampoo! (There's also an Astera shampoo.)

While the oil helps to treat the problem and rebalance the scalp, sometimes you just need something more. This is where the the Astera serum comes in. It actually cools down the area you apply it to by 4 degrees! It’s a spot treatment to address the symptoms before they’re made worse by scratching and inflaming the area even more.

The name Astera actually comes from the word "Asteraceae", which is the scientific name for Echinacea. The active ingredient in the line, asteraceae extract, helps to reduce inflammation and soothe the scalp. Other pure essential oils included are mint and eucalyptus, giving the products a clean, cooling feeling. You can practically hear your scalp give a sigh of relief!

So if you’re scalp has the winter blues, come in and see me. Book online for an in-person consultation or text or email us to schedule a time to stop by for a complimentary demonstration of what you need and what to do. You can also book for a professional scalp treatment which includes manual exfoliation (brushing with a gentle scalp brush) and massage as a stand-alone treatment (with a shampoo and blowout) or an add-on to a service like a haircut. (Note: scalp treatments are not recommended 2 days before or after any color service.)

I hope this helps you or someone you know out!  Show you care, share the hair!

Questions/Comments? Email info@morphicbeauty.com or text 415-789-6682.

Thanks, and may you and your scalp be well.

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. 

Rocking the Braid Bar @ Femme Fair

This year there have been no shortage of inquiries about our braid bar. Blame it on Coachella or Burning Man all you want, but braids are so beautiful and functional that they have catapulted to popularity. 

Overall, I did 21 unique hairstyles in 6 hours! Talk about a lot of work! I had a great time braiding up these mavens. 

I was so excited to work my magic at Femme Fair this year, a local blogger event rocking all things female empowerment. Check out some of my favorite looks!

Are you looking for braids for an event? Wondering about our next braid bar? Get in touch and we'll hook you up! 

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.

Mishi gets married

There are many ways one can choose to get married these days. Destinations, elopements, churches and theatrical events are all fair game! Match the event to your personal style, and you can't go wrong. 

When Mishi and her other half Earl were tasked with the responsibility, they chose Costa Rica for the big day. It was an absolute whirlwind 2 weeks filled with family, surfing, fishing, and of course, great food! They topped it off with a sunset ceremony and reception, where all the guests ended up in the pool! 

Now that Mishi has taken the plunge herself, she has some advice—on hair, planning, and chilling out—for all the brides-to-be out there. Sit back, relax and enjoy a Morphic wedding...

MISHI'S MUST-HAVE ADVICE:

Be seen! Think about where you're standing for the ceremony when styling your hair! Usually, brides are on the left, so if you're wearing your hair down, you'll want to part to the right to be seen. Though if you're feeling shy, maybe a left part is for you!

Rock your curls. Having your ceremony along the coast or in a foggy area? You'll have to embrace your curls. The weather surely will!

Plan!  If you're having a destination wedding, I would highly suggest getting a wedding planner. Ours made sure to secure all the details that we didn't even think of or could even take care of before we got there!

FOOD! Choose amazing food for your reception, because it makes everyone happy. Happy guests make for an even happier wedding.

Surrender! Hand your phone, email and book planner over to a friend for the day.  Enjoy marrying your one and only in front of all the people you love.

What about you? What's your best post-wedding advice for brides-to-be? Let us know!!