Meghan Doyle has been styling hair in San Francisco for four years—or 16 consecutive seasons. She’s no stranger to the challenges of the warmer months, when the heat and the fog team up to stress out your tresses. So, with August fast approaching, we visited Salon V (1609 Vallejo St.) and asked her how to maintain happy, healthy summer hair.
GROUPON: When the days get longer and the nights shorter, how can we keep our tips top-notch?
MEGHAN DOYLE: Instead of getting a full haircut every six to eight weeks, in the summer opt for a professional deep condition, blow-dry, and “dusting” of the ends with scissors every three to four weeks. You'll get the extra moisture from the treatment, and keep your ends looking constantly fresh without losing length. At home, use a hydrating shampoo and conditioner in these warm, sunny months. I love and use Pureology’s hydrating formula in the salon—it’s also sulfate-free.
GROUPON: Summer means lots of sunshine, but too much sun can cause hair color to fade. What do you recommend to preserve a do’s hue?
MD: During your first color service of the summer, add on a color sealing treatment. It’s going to make those dollars you just spent on that perfect summer shade go a long way. Keep the moisture intact with quality hydrating products and keep your head covered with a hat, scarf, or turban when you are in direct sunlight for long periods of time. (Think: pool, river, beach, festivals, parks, etc.)
At your “end of the summer” color service, splurge again and add on a clarifying prep treatment before your color. It will help get the summer buildup, like product and mineral deposits, out of your strands and off your scalp, preparing your hair for a bright fall color.
GROUPON: For those of us with frizz-prone hair, how can we, as you so elegantly word it, give the finger to Karl the Fog?
MD: Begin your style with a frizz-free product, then give yourself a good blowout. Use a brush, work in small sections, and keep the air flowing in the direction of the hair growth to keep the cuticle down. This creates the silky-smooth look we all want.
If hair starts to act up after being out in Karl for a while, change course and twist or braid it into a low chignon. Always keep a few pins on you just in case. And lastly, sometimes we just need to embrace the foggy hair—big is beautiful.
This interview has been condensed and edited.
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Hair & Styling in Saratoga
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$89 for Haircut With Partial Highlights, Blow-Dry, and Wash at Studio O – San Jose ($250 Value)
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A newly remodeled interior belies Azule Hair & Nail Salon's 30-year history of beautifying clients with flattering haircuts and mani-pedis. Seated in front of full-length mirrors, guests can watch for themselves as stylists snip their locks and enhance the final look with vivid color. When it comes to nails, the salon goes above and beyond the basic grooming and polish application. Many mani-pedis come with a paraffin dip, which soothes joints and moisturizes skin.
12240 Saratoga Sunnyvale Road
Saratoga,
CA
US
Regardless of which one of the eight James Craig's cheerful stylists clients choose, they can rest assured that the stylist has undergone extensive training in the art of haircare, cutting, and coloring. Each of the seasoned stylists have completed the comprehensive one-year The James Craig Advanced Education Program and routinely study up on the latest trends under the Redken Exchange educators the salon has flown in from New York. The staff prides itself on using only the most-advanced salon products, including Kérastase, Redken, Oribe, and the James Craig signature line.
Sunlight floods the hardwood floors of the elegant salon, where the stylists administer cuts, colors, and hair-extension services as customers sip on complimentary coffee and tea. Each procedure begins with an in-depth consultation to discuss desired looks and ends with an informative discussion on re-creating professional styles, such as how to blow dry curls to create flattering waves or fashion an elegant scalp-top topiary garden.
14567 Big Basin Way
Saratoga,
CA
US
Don’t stroll into Y&L Style Bar expecting a haircut or color treatment. Though comprised of expert stylists, the salon's team sticks to washes followed by blowouts and elegant up-dos. This means, that once every strand has been swept into place, customers will have enough time to enjoy manicures and pedicures, administered by nail techs or to sit as one of the bar's aestheticians beautifies their skin with mineral-based cosmetics by Jane Iredale.
But the fun here isn't reserved for adults only: birthday party packages invite girls as young as four to enjoy age-appropriate makeup, manicures, and other pint-size pampering, while Y&L's entire crew shares their skills with teen girls at annual summer camps.
14410 Big Basin Way
Saratoga,
CA
US
When owner Orang Kamkar broke ground on what is now Studio O in 1998, his mission was simple; create a salon that not only offered top-notch haircuts but that was also a fun and welcoming space. Almost 15 years since he opened the doors, the Salon has by and large achieved these goals thanks to its beautiful d?cor and friendly and professional staff. Rather than get bogged down by an unwieldy list of spa treatments, the team's focus is reserved solely for hair treatments. That consistent emphasis has allowed them to provide specialized, high-quality results and perfect their skills, so much that they can cut hair with their feet.
14510 Big Basin Way, Ste 7
Saratoga,
CA
US