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.

EMI'S BACK! DECEMBER 20-22 ONLY!

If you’ve been missing our beloved Emi as much as we have, now’s your chance to see her! 

Emi’s going to be working her magic in the salon  just in time for your holiday events. (We’re looking at you, Christmas & New Year’s Eve!).

We can’t wait to spend time with her & see what lovely looks she creates for you. Want in? These spots will fill up fast! 

BOOK NOW! 

Need some inspo? Check out some of her recent masterpieces:

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! 

Dexter Thomas talks hair

We love talking with cool people from all different backgrounds and when we spotted that Vice journalist Dexter Thomas was in the Bay Area last month (thank's Twitter) we invited him over to Morphic for some a conversation on his uncompromising hairstyle choices, and how it affects his work. 

Interview by MISHI NOVA     
Photos by CHRISTINA E. CAMPBELL

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Mishi: Hair says a lot about a person. You’re a serious journalist, and you're expressing yourself with your hair, do you feel like your hairstyle says something about the changing climate of journalism?

Dexter: It's something that I think about more than I probably should, and not my specific hairstyle per se. People say you should never read comments [on yourself], but I do because it tells you a lot about what people are thinking. And on YouTube comments, I’ll see people say, “you can’t be a serious journalist with that hairstyle.” Sometimes I do some fairly heavy stuff like the heroin epidemic or the [Oakland] fire, so people will say I’m ruining [the piece] because of my hair. Of all the things to be upset with in the piece, my hair is what ruined it for you? Of course, it’s not really about my hair, it’s about me being black and the fact that I’m expressing myself in a small way. It’s easier for them to attack my hair because it represents something else that they're not comfortable with saying. When you look at comment sections, women and LGBTQ journalists get attacked on an appearance basis. So, I can tell that it has nothing to do with my hair, it’s just easier to talk about than talking about my race.

“It’s easier for them to attack my hair because it represents something else that
they’re not comfortable with saying. ”

M: It must be hard because, at the same time, your hair makes you lovable too. I’m a fan because your hair says to me you’re being true to yourself. Did you ever think about that?

D: There have always been times where I've been made aware that my hairstyle is “not appropriate” for whatever I'm supposed to be doing. I would go abroad representing someone, and people would say “you need to cut your hair for this,” and I would say no. I was teaching on a high school campus, and I was banned from campus for wearing a [hair] pick in my hair. They said I couldn't wear a pick in my hair because it was “gang related” which obviously is not true. I did it anyway, and I was straight up told I couldn't come to the campus anymore. I say all that to say; I never set out to say, “I'm gonna ruffle feathers”, it was more kind of thrust on me. I like this hairstyle, and then people would tell me “you can’t do that, that’s not appropriate”. It would be very easy for me to say, “Oh okay, that’s not appropriate, so I’ll cut my hair” but see, I’m not gonna do that. I don’t want to say it’s resisting, but the idea that someone can come in and make me change something that I liked – I wouldn’t feel right about myself. I’m not willing to bend on that. So in my small way that’s how I say this is who I am.

M: You're talking to high profile people for VICE all the time, how does that work when you get someone who doesn't take you seriously?

D: The funny thing is, most of the people I work with, you wouldn't find us in front of the camera reporting the news. You could say it's “just window dressing” or that there’s nothing revolutionary about it. It shouldn't be revolutionary, but it is. The fact that someone says, “Hey Dexter we don’t want you to just talk to the rappers, musicians or athletes but politicians, congress people or scientists" [is important] because I'm capable of that. It’s not just me; it’s everyone on the show, you wouldn’t see them [other places] because the standard journalist is a straight white dude. We have this broad range of people, and for a lot of people, it takes a second to accept, this is who you’re gonna get to tell you the news, and you're going to take it and accept it. Eventually, you have to go "yea this is my source of information, " and I think that’s powerful. In 2017 it shouldn't be, but it is.

M: Last question, who does your hair?

D: This dude Larry at Good Barbers in LA does my hair. When I’m abroad or in upstate NY, and I’m not sure who can do my hair then I’ll do my own hair. I do okay on the shape, but the fade isn’t that good. 

Dexter Thomas is a culture correspondent for VICE News, covering the intersection of identity and art. He previously wrote for the Los Angeles Times, where in 2015 he contributed to Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the shootings in his hometown of San Bernardino, Calif. Dexter is a PhD candidate in East Asian studies at Cornell University, and is writing a book about Japanese hip-hop.