Red Union Hair Salon – San Francisco

Every day I get asked about color. So, I thought I’d try explaining the method to my madness.  It is my “passion” and therefore a little bit of madness. Color is all I think about some days!  If you where one of my color clients and I saw you on the street, instead of your name, the first thing that would pop into my head, is your color formula. 
 
Many things go into the process of designing hair color just for you!
  
First of all, I look at your own unique coloring.  Virgin Hair color, Skin color and texture, Eye color, colored contacts, even your lip color.  How much make-up do you wear, or not. Are you “high maintenance” or “low maintenance?” Meaning how often do you visit a salon to upkeep your look and color.  

Then I take into consideration your personal style.  Are you casual or more dressy most days.  Flashy, Classic, Conservative, Exotic… How old are you? How old do you look.  A good color can take 10 years off. How many days a week do you style or change your hair. Are you using  products to achieve your look.  Do you have a work persona? What is your personal persona? Your day play persona? Your night life persona? Your dating persona? etc…

Then I go into the current season and how that translates to your personal coloring. Spring I tend to start lighting your hair keeping it on the cooler side.  Summer months your color would be its lightest and on the warmer side. In Fall I deepening your tresses with warm autumn shades. Winter you will be your darkest and back to your coolest pallet.
  
Let’s not forget what Styles and colors fashion designers dictate every season and the color pallet that the world wears for the next 3 months. You can walk down any street, look in the windows and you will see what that color is. 

Achieving all these outstanding color spectrums I have to attribute to my 58 Permanent shades of “Socolor” by “Matrix“.  Great for lifting and lightening your hair. My 58 hughes of “Shades EQ” by “Redken” is my semi-permanent Color that bills itself as “the color that thinks its a conditioner.” It leaves your hair with amazing shine and much healthier looking than when we started. Mixing and matching a total of 116 color shades I achieve endless shades of blonds, reds, brunets and blacks desired.  I feel just like my mother who was an artist with her painters pallet. 

So in short, you will never get bored with at least 4 different color formulas I would love to design just for you throughout the year.  Each and every one of them designed to your own personal coloring, personal style and Fashion colors for the season. My job and my passion is to accent all your best features making what mother nature gave you even better. Outstanding color is what I strive to achieve every single time

Tags: hair color, hair coloring, hair salon san francisco, Hair Stylist, Matrix, Redken, Shades EQ, Socolor, Summer Hair Coloring

Privé‘s Styling Gel Herbal Blend #31 delivers control and shine in a medium to firm hold gel. The alcohol free formula holds your style without build-up or flaking. This blend of Chamomile, Comfrey and Lemongrass renders soft natural control and healthy shine to your style.

Perfect for sculpting, taming and spiking hair. Just work a small amount through damp hair. Comb through for a sleek look or blow dry to add volume and shine.

Be sure to check out the other hair products we carry at Red Union Hair Salon in San Francisco.

Tags: Hair Product, hair salon san francisco, Privé Styling Gel Herbal Blend #31, Red Union Salon

Yesterday, I wore a sundress, sandals and a sunhat to keep the heat and sun off my face and body. Today, it is thigh-high boots, sweater, hat, scarf and a wool coat—wishing I had brought my gloves, and no sun in sight. You’re probably thinking that I must be traveling the globe. Oh no! This is just summer in San Francisco.

Every year I write a blog post about our unique summers here. For many folks, hair is a real problem! Red Union Salon likes to carry and keep abreast of the best hair products. Privé is how we deal with freezing high winds and rolling fog in the San Francisco summer.

Privé just launched a brand new product called Concept Vert Volumizing Froth, perfect for fine hair. It is a revolutionary non-aerosol mouse that provides incredible body, volume and definition, leaving your hair soft shiny and full of body. Go ahead blow in the volume!

For ultimate curls, mix 3 parts Leave-In Treatment to one part Shine Serum and apply on the shaft and ends. Layer hair with Foaming Styler and Curl Activating Cream from scalp to ends. Either blow dry with diffuser or dry naturally, scrunching it to create soft, defined curls.

When it comes to great curls I say product, product, product!

Edgy texture for short styles is best achieved by mixing a pea-sized amount of Extended Texture Clay with a quarter-sized amount of Foaming Styler, then apply to short hair. Style as desired. For amazing shine spray Flash Brilliance lightly to the finished style.

So here you have it! Call us if you’d like to make an appointment to come in and have your hair styled with these amazing new products. We’ll show you how it’s done in person.

Happy styling!

Tags: Concept Vert Volumizing Froth, Curl Activating Cream, Extended Texture Clay, Flash Brilliance, Foaming Styler, hair, hair salon san francisco, Leave-In Treatment, Privé, Shine Serum, Summer Hair

I love it here at Red Union Salon and can’t wait to serve you! My favorite technique is to use the razor and I excel at cutting thick, straight, coarse hair which responds so well to that treatment.

For curly hair, undercutting is the key technique to free the client from excessive weight. I also stay current on the trendiest short haircuts like the millennium bob, spikes, and short layers!

Now that you know my specialties, do not hesitate to make an appointment to come in, even if it is just to talk with me. I am confident that you will leave with a smile and new look!

Carlo Martini’s personal recommendation:
LookingGlassSurgery.com

Carlo Martini is very passionate about his dog Blanca:
samoyed.org

Comments or questions are welcome.

Tags: barber, Carlo Martini, coarse hair, curly hair, hair, hair salon san francisco, hair treatment, haircut san francisco, hairdresser, millennium bob, salon, short layers, spikes, straight hair, thick hair

Erika Redding, also known as Hairika, is the founder and owner of Red Union Salon, and loves running a dynamic hair salon on fashionable Union Street. Erika opened Red Union Salon to merge hair, fashion, and art all into one space. Now this vision has come true, and Red Union Salon frequently hosts art openings and continually displays new artwork in the salon.

Her hair and fashion expertise has included work both in front and behind the camera as a hair designer, fashion designer, makeup artist, model, set and wardrobe designer. Her advanced international training by Martin Parson, Redken, Matrix and Vidal-Sassoon has enabled her to educate other stylist at hair shows across North America. She has even modeled and designed hair backstage at Prêt-à-Porter, the famous international fashion event in Paris. Her closest friends and clients include many actors, actresses, athletes, artists, models, and fashion designers here in the United States as well as back in her native land of Germany and throughout Europe.

Erika has been called the “Zen” hairstylist for her grounding, calming effect, on her clients, and takes you from “Zen” to “Ten!” With her expert haircutting and hair coloring techniques, she is a true artist at work that loves designing a breathtaking new look for you!

Comments or questions are welcome.

Tags: actors, actresses, art, artist, athletes, barber, Erika, fashion designer, Germany, hair, hair designer, hair salon san francisco, haircut san francisco, hairdresser, Hairika, makeup artist, Martin Parson, Matrix, model, models, Prêt-à-Porter, Redken, salon, set designer, wardrobe designer, ZenVidal-Sassoon