Love is all there is.

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So much of our inspiration here at Alter EGO has derived from the great works of our local artists, and none more compelling than Mathew Curran.  This image takes hold of our hearts and lifts us away into an experience of all-consuming joy mixed with unconditional, unabating love one can only have for  a child or sibling.  A younger brother.

This month, the Alter EGO team celebrates the life of Simon Curran, and the love he inspired, which lives on in our hearts, in our art and continues to move us.

July First Friday: MID CENTURY

Alter EGO continues this exhibit for July and welcomes you Friday night for live music from local band

Up at Noon

. Conall Callen was born in Washington, DC in 1971 and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Carnegie Mellon University in 1994. Conall works predominately in abstract painting. He relocated from Portland, Oregon to Raleigh in 2010.

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Defining Hair Color: BALAYAGE

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If you pay even the teensiest morsel of attention to the fashion world, the obnoxious to spell and ever more challenging to pronounce, BALAYAGE is probably on your radar. If it’s not, it should be. Balayage, pronounced, Bah-lay-ahj, comes from the French word meaning “sweeping.” The coloring technique is thus named due to the nature of painting or sweeping the color onto the hair. Like most things in the fashion world, balayage has been around for a while (since the 70s), but has made a fierce comeback in the past couple of years due to it’s many enticingly fabulous qualities. The painted, free-hand technique of balayage is super cool for many reasons; first, it’s entirely customizable. Just like the ombre, we’re a huge fan of anything that can be catered to the individual. The tone of the highlights, the amount of painted pieces, and how bold or subtle they are can all be designed for your style and preference. No matter your hair color, balayage can be molded to suit you! The artistic technique of balayage also allows for a really natural looking highlight. Remember when you were a kid and your hair used to get those gorgeous natural highlights in the summer? Balayage can mimic that sun-kissed glow.

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Also like the ombre, balayage has more of a “grown-out” look than traditional foiled highlights. This means it’s a low-maintenance style that can be worn for much longer. In the fast-paced, always busy world of today, getting into the salon every few weeks can be a challenge. Those every-four-weeks root retouches can go out the window with balayage!

Take note though, balayage is not ombre. Despite the fact that they have many commonalities, the ombre and balayage styles are quite different. The ombre is a full color gradation going from one solid color gradually to another. Balayage is a type of highlight, where strands are chosen and painted. Due to their widespread popularity, stylists have experimented with a combination of the two so you MAY see the terms put together -- a balayage ombre. This would be lower balayage pieces that have a gradation of their own. The effect of lighter ends and darker roots, but not from one full solid color to another full solid color. The highly customizable nature of both color techniques, along with the artistic emphasis allows stylists to really experiment and create variable looks.

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 This brings us to our final favorite balayage feature. Hair stylists are essentially artists, especially here at Alter EGO. They love to create customized looks for their clients, and are inspired by each person’s uniquities. Because balayage can be done so many different ways it gives the stylist some flexibility to really be creative and design a look that is just perfect for YOU. It’s the perfect season for beachy sun-kissed highlights, and it’s always the perfect time for a new custom look. Now that you know how to pronounce the darn word, and what exactly it is, come in and see one of our balayage experts to enhance your summer style!

For more information about balayage, check out these two fabulous articles:

http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/blogs/545771/so-what-exactly-is-balayage-why-do-we-love-it.html

http://www.vogue.com.au/beauty/hair+insider/what+is+the+balayage+effectr,13857

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Defining Hair Color: OMBRE

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The hair world loves to come up with all sorts of names for different styles of color: highlights, lowlights, balayage, ombre, sombre, babylights, ecaille… the list goes on, and that doesn’t even touch on the different shades of color: warm, cool, golden, reds, etc. But what exactly do all of these labels mean?! Understanding what defines each color type can help you better communicate to your stylist what you are looking for. We wanted to explore the differences between these color types through a series of posts explaining a little bit about each one and then differentiating it from the others. Let’s start off with the OMBRE. An ombre is literally a graduation from light to dark. This word has become all-important in everything fashion from hair to nails to clothing fabric: ombre is everywhere. Some people would have you believe that the ombre is fading away, but it’s definitely still relevant, and there’s a few reasons why we still LOVE this trend.

First, you can completely customize it to suit your hair and style. Ombre can be vibrant and bold, or a subtle fade (aka sombre); it can be done on long hair, short hair, or in between, and each way gives a totally different vibe and style. The ombre is so versatile that people have taken it in all kinds of creative directions… there are red ombres, extremely dark to extremely light ombres, and even multi-colored ombres as well. Whatever your color preference and style, the ombre is the chameleon of hair color and will match YOU!

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Our second favorite aspect of ombres is the low-maintenance factor.   Because it’s designed to look like a “grown-out” color, the 4-6 week root retouch goes out the window, and you can wear the color for a much longer time, stretching out your salon visits. While this does mean that the ombre is significantly more work up front—expect approximately three or more hours in the salon—and comes at a slightly higher price tag, it’s totally worth it if you prefer the low-maintenance hair life.

Alongside the low-maintence aspect, ombres are pretty easy to transition away from once you’ve decided you’re done with the look. If you’ve kept your roots and mid-lengths at or close to your natural color, you can choose to either chop off the lightened ends if you’re up for a fun, shorter ‘do, or you can color the ends back to your natural color. Either way, there’s less of a growing out, transitional process as sometimes occurs when you’ve decided to grow out, say a full head of classic highlights.

We definitely still dig the ombre, and are looking forward to customizing YOUR ombre look. Look for our post about BALAYAGE coming soon!

Wedding Hair Wednesday!

Wedding season has its slow beginnings in April, but by May it is undeniably the season of updos and curls as people choose this not yet too hot (in NC) month to get married.  Whether you are the bride-to-be or simply a wedding attendee, getting the perfect updo or hair style for that special day is absolutely essential!  Our updo specialists love to design a look just for you to suit your hair and style. This gorgeous curly updo was created by Updo Designer, Danielle.  We love this slightly messy red carpet worthy look!

Updo by Danielle Duarte.

Braided updos are perfect for Summer weddings!  Alli designed this braided 'do for a medium length bob.

Braided Updo by Alli Carter.

Our stylists love to work with your style!  Updo Designer, Mandy, created a fun, spunky updo to compliment her client's multi-colored hair.

Funky Updo by Mandy Asberry.

Rainy Day Hair Cures

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As the saying goes, April is the month of showers and it has definitely proven to be so thus far. We all know that the rain doesn’t end when the May flowers arrive, however. Here at Alter EGO we are armed and ready with all of our favorite tricks to combat the Spring air-induced frizz and the dreaded grey rainy days. Our newest favorite rainy day cure is the unstoppable FOIL spray from R+Co. Foil is as multifaceted in ability as the shiny silver bottle. It vanishes static, smoothes stubborn flyaways and frees your hair from frizz!

Our other Spring-Summer obsession seems to have been made for the North Carolina humidity. ORIBE’s Anti-Humidity Spray does its best work on those sticky humid days that we all know are right around the corner. The spray actually has advanced polymers that push moisture away from the hair.   It allows your hair to hold its style, even through our humid NC days.

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We are head over heels for Foil and the Anti-Humidity Spray, but sometimes you just need a really good thunderstorm afternoon hair-do. On those days, our fabulous stylists suggest the following tips and tricks!

Dig out those headbands and rock them in style! Alisha’s rocking her retro polka dots, but we also love the bandanas as headbands trend. The coolest thing about headbands is that you can mix and match them to your outfit. Simple gold headband for the office… switch it out for your favorite stretchy headband on your way to the gym.

Our other classic rainy day hairdo is braids and twists. Learning to braid your own hair takes practice, especially for people with slightly less coordinated fingers (aka me). If you’re not yet up for braiding your hair, twisting it back is something that everyone with a few bobby pins can do. Either choice gives you a styilsh updo that even walking to work in the rain can’t destroy.

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And of course, sometimes you just need to embrace the natural texture of your hair. With thick wavy hair, Alli knows the struggle of rainy days, but she looks absolutely fabulous sporting her rained on waves. Finding the right product to enhance your natural hair can make all the difference in being able to love your curls, waves, or straight locks on those days when the weather just doesn’t cooperate.

As always, if you need some hands-on help mastering your fave rainy day 'do just ask your stylist at your next appointment for some quick pointers and ideas.  Surprise surprise, Saturday's forecast is calling for rain... which look are you going to choose?

It's the Season of Pastels...

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Springtime brings sunshine, warmer weather, and a reintroduction of brighter colors into our wardrobes. Easter in particular sees an abundance of pastel shades everywhere from clothes to candy. In honor of the holiday weekend, we wanted to feature some of our favorite pastel hair, and talk a little bit about what it takes to reach the elusive shades of lavender, periwinkle, mint, and coral. The steps to attaining pastel hair are extensive, so stylist Aspen Teal helped break it down simply. According to Aspen…

Step One: Any piece that you want to be pastel must be lightened to white or almost white.  This requires a bleach application, and depending on how much hair you have or want to be pastel, this first step can be quite extensive.

Step Two: The first round of bleach often requires a toner (not quite a full hair color, toner removes unwanted tones from the hair… often used on blonde hair to remove the brassy/yellow tones).

Step Three: The hair must be blow-dried before the color can be applied.

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Step Four: If the hair was lightened enough with the first bleach out and toner, then the chosen pastel color can be applied. If not, Steps One through Three must be repeated.

Step Five: Haircut. If you don’t want to cut your hair, you should probably reconsider going platinum/pastel. The bleach can sometimes compromise the ends of hair, and a trim is almost always required with this extensive process.

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All of these steps add up in time, and achieving pastel hair can often take several hours in the salon. Aspen says, “minimum four!” but she stresses that depending on the length, thickness, starting color, or if you have box dye on your hair, that it could take much longer and may even need to be broken up into two sessions.

Pastel hair is gorgeous, and once achieved, we love the look, but anyone considering pastel should also know that it requires quite a bit of upkeep. If your hair is not already a very light blonde, you will need regular root touch ups, and if you want to keep the color, pastels fade within approximately three weeks. Plan to get to know your stylist really well, as you will probably visit them at least once a month.

If you're considering platinum or pastel hair, check out this awesome article from BuzzFeed about the process of going platinum.

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This Friday, April 3rd, Alter EGO is proud to bring back Ervene Boyd. Join us for her opening from 6-9pm as a part of First Friday in downtown Raleigh. "Being a creative person all my life, I find emotions to be part of the sensory experience of art. I experience joy and sorrow and myriad emotions emanating through color, pattern, and texture. I consider art "wall medicine" because I imbue my paintings with intentions of love and healing vibrations. As a healing minister and Reiki teacher for over 20 years, I find emotions radiate from art and are silently perceived and received. Paintings possess an 'energy' signature, similar to the way wind and rain are seen or felt as soft or hard, cool or warm." - Ervene Boyd

Alli & Meghann Become Minardi Educators!

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At the beginning of March, amidst snowflakes and freezing temperatures, two of our senior stylists travelled to Indianapolis, IN for an educational conference to become Joico/Beth Minardi Educators. Beth Minardi Signature is one of the two color lines we use here at Alter EGO; its namesake, Beth Minardi herself, is an incredible artist and industry icon. The Minardi line pairs so well with A.E. because of a shared belief in putting the health of hair first. Alli and Meghann have been busy putting their new knowledge to work since their return, but I was able to find out a little more from them about what their new certification actually means. Alli Carter and Meghann Holland are officially Joico/Beth Minardi Signature New Hire Educators. Alli explained that this means, “first being an advisor, teaching basic color classes, including how the color works, Beth’s methodology to hair color, and helping [new hires] understand formulas.” Initially, they will train new stylists in our salon, along with being a reference for the entirety of the A.E. team. They will then work larger events such as hair shows and bigger classes with special guest artists. More than just teaching the color, Meghann explained that being an educator means, “representing the Joico/Beth Minardi methodology of “do no harm” and showing what an amazing product she has created.” Favorite moments in their training came in the form of learning experiences. Alli loved “learning in depth about the chemistry of hair color,” along with being “challeged by presenting in front of a room of people.” Alli said, “I already love all aspects of education, so I’m excited to learn how to teach others.” Meghann’s favorite takeaway exemplified the Beth Minardi “do no harm” concept. After performing a “strand test” (testing a color or lightener on a small section of hair) using different levels of developer (an agent that activates color and opens the cuticle), they were able to see the difference between the lowest and highest levels. Typically, one would expect to see a drastic difference, but the Minardi color line employs a chemistry that essentially gives a little more power to the color itself rather than relying on developer. By using a lower volume developer to achieve the same results as a higher one, the risk of damage to the hair is reduced.

For Alli and Meghann, the next step is furthering their education, sharing what they’ve learned with their fellow stylists, and working on the ever-challenging ability to speak to a crowd. Both plan to conquer that challenge in order to meet their ultimate goals of becoming platform artists and working on the hair show floor. Alli summed up their continuing involvement with Joico/Minardi explaining that it will be, “a lot of hard work, dedication, and long hours, but mostly it will be such a fantastic learning experience.” Meghann and Alli are ready and waiting to beautifully color your hair in true Beth Minardi fashion—with health, quality, knowledge, and of course, a bit of sparkle and shine.

#mancrushmonday

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Today we're showing some love for some of our favorite men's haircuts.

This textured razor cut was designed and styled by Meghann Holland for her client Ryan.  We're loving the fun, messy look right now.

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Alisha Hoover created this all-over scissor cut for her client, Ken.  This classic style is always fab for the guy who wants a little bit of length, but likes to keep his look clean.

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Alli Carter created a perfect fade for Evan, leaving a little bit of length on top.  This style is "the look" of the moment right now, and Alli has perfected the art.

What's your favorite men's hair trend of 2015?

The Beginnings of an Oribe Love Affair

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ORIBE is not just a high performance luxury line of products. The products are an embodiment of their namesake, Oribe himself. Fashion connisseur, runway innovator, hair lengend—Oribe has been making waves in the hair industry for decades. He has designed iconic runway hairstyles, styled countless Vogue covers, and hand-crafted his collection of hair products.

Marrying his artistic vision with the scientific knowledge of lead formulators, Oribe created a selection of products that utilize the finest natural ingredients while showcasing the industry’s newest advancements in hold, volume, and shine.

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Summer Campbell, a Luxury Brand Partners Product Specialist, spent the morning with our stylists teaching them the ins and outs of the Oribe line. After a couple of hours with Summer, our stylists had tons of new information to share!

These are a few of their favorite things…

“The Smooth Style Serum for crazy flyaways – it also has moisture, shine, and hold.” – Dana Hunter

“Split End Seal because it heals 94% of split ends with continual use. With personal experience going from black to blonde, it’s worked for me.” – Meghann Holland

“You’re supposed to mix and match the Oribe Shampoo & Conditioners to create a completely customized prescription for the hair.” – Brittany Cline

“I’m excited about the curl products. I have curly hair and know the struggle of curly crunchy hair. We want to have soft curls and I’m confident this will do it!” – Danielle Duarte

“I was really excited to learn about the Surfcomber mousse because it can give you texture and beachy waves without being crunchy.” – Erika Kozlowski

“We learned how to make prescriptions for clients using the products to fit their needs. It’s a 4 step process: shampoo & condition, prep, style, and finish. Also, all of their products are made in America.” – Alli Carter

“Every 3 minutes one Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray is sold in America.” – Madison Hancock

“Split End Seal is my favorite because it heals 94% of ends and prevents 65% of breakage. Great for my fine-haired and bleach out clients.” – Shawna Causey

“It’s really cool that there are silk amino acids in the shine shampoo and conditioner—you’re literally putting silk in your hair.” – Aspen Teal

"The Aprés Beach spray because it gives you that super natural beachy hair... it's more than just a texture spray, it actually enhances your natural body and wave, perfecting that beachy look!" – Erin Doak

"The shampoos and conditioners are not just color-safe, but are also safe for hair that has been treated with Keratin.  It's really awesome for clients who have a Keratin treatment on their hair and fall in love with Oribe.  They don't have to compromise on taking care of their hair!" – Elizabeth Croft

Have any Oribe questions?  These ladies would love to tell you all about it!  Give us a call, ask below, or ask your stylist at your next visit!  We're officially #oribeobsessed... are you?

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#transformationtuesday

March has been both inspirational and transformational here at Alter EGO!  Check out a few of our favorite transformations from March! #findyouralterego #transformationtuesday

At Alter EGO we love walk-ins and this awesome client walked in the door ready for something new and edgy!  After talking pixies with Alli Carter, Dana decided to go for the chop and donated 12" of hair to Locks of Love!  She ended up with a super cute asymmetrical pixie designed and cut by Alli.  Dana loved her new 'do, saying, "It's exactly what I pictured in my head, but wasn't sure how to explain it."  Alli's just awesome like that.

The lovely Claire came to Alter EGO with faded out (*whispers* box-dyed) black hair, and after spending some quality time with Elizabeth, magically transformed into a gorgeous dark redhead!  Claire's transformation is a perfect example of the several step process a big change can be.  Changing your hair color is not always as simple as covering up one color with another--in order to correct Claire's color and achieve dimensional results, Elizabeth utilized a multi-step process of lightening her current color, giving her a darker base color at the root, then lowlighting and overall color application, finished with a glaze.  Ultimately, Claire walked away with a chocolatey wine color that suited her perfectly!

One last look at the final result of Claire's color correction by Elizabeth Croft.

Coming soon... Alli & Meghann's journey to become Beth Minardi educators!

Miss the event?  Thanks to Modern Monet Graphic Design for covering us in their blog HERE.See more photography on our FB Event Page.

Seafarer by Jaz Harris 2.6.15

Alter EGO presents "Opposing Forces", By Libby O'Daniel.

Opposing Forces uncovers the space between feminine and masculine extremes…challenging the viewer to consider a more creative definition and expression of gender. 

 

We look forward to sharing this provocative display with you tonight, Fri. January 2nd: 6-9pmou on First

December First Friday

HEY GUYS! FINALLY! Showing my "Materiel" series that I have been working on for quite some time. Be sure to swing by Raleigh's FIRST FRIDAY December 5th and show your support to local artists. My work will be displayed and up for purchase! Perfect gifts for the holidays. www.nathanwellman.com

Read About Us in American Salon Magazine!

We are proud to be featured in Better Business section of American Salon magazine!  Read about us here.

Shhh....Coming Soon!

Parts and Pieces. October First Friday.

I was born and raised in Milwaukee, WI and Fairfield, CA and moved to North Carolina in 2005.  I started painting roughly around seven years ago.  My work is influenced by artists such as Jean Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and Keith Haring as well the human anatomy and skeletal structure. I am a self-taught artist and my style is mixed media with undertones of heavy acrylic painting in the background. I love attention to detail and spend a lot of time working on my intricate body parts weaving in found objects at times as well. The title of my show is Parts and Pieces and is very reflective of my work;  featuring work including  vintage frames, slides, human as well as animal skeleton drawings, physical skeletons, and vintage maps.

I  reside in Cary with my fiancée and our three dogs.  -- Jaz

First Friday: The Colors of Our World

Alter EGO invites friends and family to a very special August First Friday featuring two NC artists that share our passion for color:  

PAM WATTS, a still life watercolorist whose paintings invite you in and entertain your senses with strong pure pigments and warm colors.  Pam began her career in Cincinnati at age 50. She now resides in Alamance County painting, teaching and accepting commission work for homes and businesses.

PAT SCHEIBLE often paints humble structures from the vanishing landscape in sizzling colors.  Her rendition of local buildings, often barns - victims of disuse, development , and kudzu come to life again in a new light and style that will make you smile

Music will be provided by our own Shawna Causey.

Featuring Special Guest Nathan Wellman with' Nate's Mates' (specially handcrafted sock babies)!