Makakilo, HI Beauty and Salons

For Salon Blanc co-owner Alan Vuong, hair is more than something to tuck behind an ear or sweep over a shoulder—it's an artistic medium that inspires creativity and pride. The salon's website even asserts that "hair is an expression of the moment we live in." Nothing could hold truer for Vuong and his team, who are continually educating themselves on the latest cutting and coloring techniques and products. They displayed these to full effect when they journeyed to California for the 2011 International Salon and Spa Expo—one of the largest professional beauty events on the West Coast—a trip chronicled on Living Local.

Vuong's trendsetting artistic vision earned him the title of Honolulu magazine's Editors' Pick for Best Hairstylist in 2009, and according to that publication, "he even has clients flying in from Japan and Guam to get the Vuong vibe." He and his crew rely on the Kérastase and Shu Uemura lines for haircare, and also offer services such as bridal packages, makeup, and waxing.

It should come as no surprise that Vuong is as concerned with the salon aesthetic as he is with his clients' satisfaction. His blank-canvas hair philosophy is much like the look of the Ala Moana Beach–facing salon itself; in fact, he compared the space to an artist's studio in a feature in American Salon magazine. The minimalist, white-on-white interior is accentuated by black leather chairs and feathery chandeliers that are lighter and more elegant than a performance of Swan Lake on the international space station.

Traditional Chinese medicine and Western beauty practices join forces at Advanced Medi-Spa Hawaii. Practitioner Cindy Chang draws on her experience as a licensed acupuncturist and cosmetologist to deliver face-lifts—which rely on fine needles instead of scalpels—and skin-clearing treatments that use intense pulsed light and herbs. A few zaps from a cold laser help erase age spots, freckles, and birthmarks, and the radio-frequency energy emitted by the Lamprobe machine banishes skin tags, clogged pores, and the other blemishes caused by not living in a car wash.

Salon C is a full-service salon that updates clients’ looks while bestowing them with personalized attention and complimentary beverages. The experienced and well-rounded staff—composed of Paul Mitchell educators and graduates of the Aveda Institute—keeps their skills current through continual education. Ever on the hunt for the most flattering looks, they begin each service with a thorough consultation that evaluates clients’ eye color, skin tone, and DNA.

On the spa side of the treatment menu, aestheticians use Dermologica skincare products to foster younger-looking facades, while waxing techs create hair-free surfaces. Makeup artists forge temporary or permanent enhancements, and nail techs add another dimension to fingers and toes with 3-D nail art.

The aestheticians at Lotus Skin Studio focus on the face, performing a quintet of services that makes complexions healthier and brighter. Facials involve seven steps, each one infused with potent, nutrient-rich Dermalogica products. Peels and microdermabrasion rejuvenate complexions by eliminating topmost skin layers and causing underlying proteins to multiply. Waxes for both the face and body yield smooth, hairless surfaces that soak up less dew when you logroll down a hill. Makeup applications, designed for everyday life or special galas, include lessons on how to tend lashes.

In medical school, Dr. Carolyn Mai's mentors wanted her to become a surgeon. They noticed her uncanny attention to detail and that she possessed the steady, certain hands and a keen eye—skills which she now uses to administer noninvasive treatments that correct blemishes and signs of aging.

In Dr. Mai's office, patients don’t bounce from specialist to specialist, nor does the doc bounce from patient to patient. She keeps every appointment one-on-one, delivering close, personal attention that not only maintains the continuity of treatments, but also helps put patients at ease. Dr. Mai sees herself as being an approachable doctor who seeks to see her patients feeling more confident on their way out of the office than they did upon entering.

In keeping with this down-to-earth caregiving philosophy, Dr. Mai designed her office to feel light and airy with light blue walls that wrap around white, contemporary furniture. Large leafy plants overlook patients sipping tea and coffee, creating a relaxing atmosphere.

As a L’Oreal exclusive salon, Elements Salon and Wellness Spa beautifies bodies with a bevy of aesthetic treatments, including hair upgrades, massages, facials, and mani-pedis. The salon’s stylists specialize in customized haircuts, extensions, and coloring, whereas the team’s spa techs dispense nutrients during oxygen and vitamin C-infused facials, mineral salt aromatherapy, and chakra-balancing therapies that use massage, chakra crystals, and a fistful of tuning forks.