After weeks of perpetual rain, we needed something to brighten our mood - and our hair. Howse proposed perking up our drab brown with not one, not two but nine different splashes of color. Using a foam brush, he painted strand after strand with artisan-like fastidiousness, scattering threads of red, chestnut, mahogany, and gold all over to create a surprisingly uniform glow. $170 and up.
Top Affordable Stylists under $50
Jeff Carlson
Phase 3 by Gary Manuel Salon
Belltown
2123 First Ave.
206.728.9933
Price: Cut, $35; single-process color, $50 and up; foils, $82 and up Expertise: "Edgy, hip, outside-the-box hair—I like pushing the envelope." Biggest hair peeve: "Not doing something you want to do to your hair because of what someone else thinks, like, ‘I kind of want to go short, but my boyfriend likes long hair.'" Celeb hair I covet: "Agnes Dean's and Rihanna's. I like the fact that [both of their styles are] short and bold, so they sort of make a statement with their hair. It's not your typical long layer like a lot of celebrities have." Favorite hair trend: "Androgynous looks—girls with short hair, boys with long hair. I love that." One hair product to have on a desert island: "Aveda Control Paste." If I wasn't a hair stylist, I'd be: "Playing music." If you give me free rein, I'll: "Do something probably shorter, funky, edgier with some sort of disconnection and…not your normal hair color—not blond foils. I like to do more color paneling. Something with more of a bold statement and not as soft."
Parker Ford
Gary Manuel
Belltown
2127 First Ave.
206.728.1234
Price: Cuts, $50; single-process color, $70; foils, $140 and up; up-do, $70 Expertise: "I love [doing] color. Color has been a passion of mine since I started doing hair. I think I can bring out the best in your [skin and eye] coloring with hair color." Biggest hair peeve: "Ponytails. I think they're OK for working out, but for going out, it just looks great to have hair around your face." Celeb hair I covet: "I love redheads, so I'm going to have to say Kate Walsh." Fave hair trend: "Disconnection [having long and short layers that are not blended well]. I love seeing fun disconnected hairstyles that have bold, interesting colors. And short hair styles—for so long, girls have been hiding behind long, straight hair." One hair product to have on a desert island: "A leave-in conditioner, Aveda Smooth Infusion—it's perfect for every type of hair. Who doesn't always need that? If you're on the beach, you're definitely going to get some flyaways." If I wasn't a hair stylist, I'd be: "Working with rescued dogs." If you give me free rein, I'll: "Color your virgin hair. Everybody's natural hair color can be enhanced."
Gary Manuel Salon is listed in Elle Magazine's Top 100 Salon in America
In 2009, Gary Manuel Salon and Gary Manuel Aveda Institute raised more than $22,000 for the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, a Seattle-based group that works to preserve Puget Sound, a system of interconnected waterways and basins in Washington.
Gary described Hair Help for Woman's Day
Last-minute plans happen. So, when you're suddenly expected to look your best and your hair is not cooperating, try an updo. "This quick-fix style is easy to create and will turn your hair from drab to polished in minutes," says Gary Howse, co-owner of the Gary Manuel Salon in Seattle.
1. Divide dry hair into two sections. Run your thumbs through your hair from the top of each earlobe to the center of the back of your head. Create a ponytail and secure with an elastic band.
2. Next, pull the bottom section into another ponytail (right below the first) and secure with an elastic band.
3. Twist the top ponytail counterclockwise and wrap into a bun; pin into place.
4. Twist the bottom ponytail clockwise and wrap it around the top bun and pin into place.
5. Finish by spraying your hair with a strong-hold hairspray to set the look.
Check out Gary's favorite new flat iron - VibraStrait - in May's Lucky Magazine. It has digital temperature controls, ceramic plates & it vibrates!