Dear Clark Launches Hair Care Line

Local salon Dear Clark Hair Studio, who we named as one of the city’s top ten salons in our March issue, has launched a haircare line to celebrate its fifth anniversary. Most places throw parties with cocktails, but not Dear Clark. Instead, owners Holly Dear and Kaycee Clark took on a new project and created a collection of apothecary-inspired haircare products for damaged hair. All Texas made, the set includes Resurrecting Wash and Rinse, Thickening Balm, Smoothing Elixir, and Finishing Salve. The earthy, herbal scented remedies include locally sourced ingredients, like rose of Jericho, sunflower seed oil, and aloe vera, and run from $22 to $24. Pick them up in the McKinney Avenue salon or on Dear Clark’s newly revamped website.

The Top 10 Salons in Dallas

Dear Clark, left, by Elizabeth Lavin; J.T. Osgood, right, courtesy of Songbird Society

In the March issue of D Magazine, you’ll find a wealth of beauty 411, including our editors’ picks for the best ten salons in town. This highly edited list excludes plenty of savvy salons that we simply didn’t have the space to list, but when you’re looking for a guaranteed good cut and color, you can count on these.

The Do Cut and Color
The tiny, industrial-chic space is full of personality, with vintage Chicago brick walls, repurposed concrete countertops, and bright pops of color, including cherry-red blow-dryers. read more…

Osgood O’Neil
The Osgood O’Neil beauty empire, established in 1998, simply never disappoints. Each of its three locations sports a modern yet earthy feel and a consistently talented team of stylists and colorists, to whom clients are fiercely loyal. read more…
cut, $55 to $100 (varies by stylist)
color, priced upon consultation

Dear Clark
This one-stop-shop on McKinney, helmed by co-owners Holly Dear and Kaycee Clark, boasts a strong roster of stylists, colorists, and even a full-service med spa offering the seriously rejuvenating Intraceuticals Oxygen Facial, among other treatments. read more…

Salon Lucien
Hitting the salon should feel like a luxury, and it does at this Park Cities spot, where the chandeliers sparkle, the water served is infused with cucumber, shelves brim with the very best products, and solid treatments are offered a la carte. read more…

The Songbird Society
Manned by hair veterans Richard Hayler (formerly of Richard Hayler Colour Salon) and J.T. Osgood (formerly of Osgood O’Neil), The Songbird Society is well-known among the hair obsessed. (Sea of Shoes’ Jane Aldridge is a fan.) read more…

Hair by Charlie
Charlie Price spent seven years in Manhattan doing hair for editorial shoots, and he returns twice a year to create Fashion Week runway looks for the likes of Billy Reid. But don’t let his bona fides give you the wrong impression. His soulful Design District salon is decidedly pretension free. read more…

Salon Pompeo
The salon, always buzzing with blow-dryers and chitchat, is spacious, equipped with 20 stations to accommodate 40 stylists, each of whom is skilled at both cut and color, so there’s no need to book multiple appointments. read more…

Tru Salon
In an airy cottage on a leafy Uptown street, hair savant Tanya Carpenter has created a buzzing salon with a knack for attracting top talent, including a cadre of French stylists chatting in their native tongue while they expertly snip your locks (adding a serious dose of chic to your regular trim). read more…

Blanc Salon
Owner Scott Witmer, a former Toni & Guy art director, has styled the famous heads of stars like Fergie, Nicole Richie, Adam Lambert, and, as of late, Molly Quinn from ABC’s Castle. But despite Witmer’s client list, the salon feels surprisingly down to earth. read more…

Muse the Salon
This 5-year-old hair spot on Henderson Avenue maintains a sophisticated setting, a laid-back vibe, and a talented team of stylists. Founded by hair gurus Cris Baadsgaard and Garrett (yes, just Garrett), Muse offers a variety of services using top-notch products (like Oribe) at surprisingly reasonable price points. read more…

The Best Valentine’s Day Spa Treatments in Dallas

photography courtesy of spaweek.com

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and if you’re thinking of skipping the customary flowers and candy, we’ve tracked down major deals at some of our favorite Dallas spas. Treat your sweetheart to a day of luxury, indulge together in a few side-by-side treatments, or maybe even save some of that pampering for yourself.

EQUINOX SPA

Deep Tissue Massage, 3-Pack
Three intensive massages to be used within one year of purchase. ($294)

Chocolate or Strawberry Facials, 3-Pack
Rich chocolate conditions and moisturizes skin; strawberry evens complexion and reduces signs of aging. ($396)

Deep Tissue Massage and Chocolate or Strawberry Facials,) 3-Pack combination package ($690

THE SPA AT THE RITZ-CARLTON

Royal Retreat for Two
50-minute massage in the VIP couple’s suite, followed by Deluxe Manicures and pedicures (with champagne, of course). Couples who book their retreat for Monday-Wednesday in February will also receive complimentary bathrobes. ($600 per couple)

SPA HABITAT

Green Peace for Two Massage
Side-by-side couple’s massage, featuring hot stone therapy. ($200/50 minutes, $270/80 minutes)

Peace and Love Spa Package
Green Peace for Two Massages (50 minutes), Organic Foot Rituals for two, Little Green Facials for two. Allow 2.5 hours. ($490 for two)

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The New Hair Bar Location Opens Next Week, and You Can Score a Free Blowout

photography courtesy of The Hair Bar

The Hair Bar is opening doors to its newest location on Monday, December 17. And to reward you for giving them a try, they’re offering complimentary beauty treatments throughout the week. Book now for a slot between Monday, December 17 and Friday, December 21, and your blowout or makeup application is on the house. While you’re scheduling, you might as well peruse the other menu options which include everything from hair and lash extensions to makeup house calls. Choose your time slot wisely; you’ll want a little extra time post-blowout as the salon is nestled in a shopping center alongside Merge boutique and Pinkberry. A girly trifecta.

Welcome, Drybar NorthPark! Thanks for Coming in Time for Holiday Parties.

Drybar in Highland Park (photography courtesy of Drybar)

As of today, you can officially do everything at NorthPark Center. Drybar has opened its newest location in the heart of our shoppaholics’ heaven.  It’s kind of big deal. Physically, I mean. It’s the largest Drybar in the country so far. Find it gleaming between Macy’s and Dillards. An exterior entrance faces Central and a valet stand’s waiting for you out front so you so don’t mess up your new ‘do hiking a 5k to your space in the parking lot.

In celebration of this occasion, the girls of Jackson & Flagg, Drybar’s local PR team, is offering up a three-pack of their famous “coasters” (aka blowouts) to use at your leisure. Perfect for upcoming events, parties, holiday festivities, and some good ol’ “me” time. To win, enter here. We’ll draw one winner on Monday. Good luck!

Must-Do Spa: Gaylord Texan’s Relache Spa

Crossing over the bridge into Gaylord Texan hotel territory is like entering a city. You almost need a map to navigate. Once I chased down a few signs and found Relache Spa was located, I parked under a shady tree and headed into the the Riverwalk Atrium. I immediately felt like I was on vacation entering the river walk side of the resort hotel.

It’s on par with the Ritz-Carlton’s spa in terms of friendly concierge, amenities, and cozy quiet room. There’s even a lounge for men and women to mingle (good for couples’ spa days) and a ladies only lounge. Plus, there are plenty of amenities, including steam and sauna rooms and rows of products for showering post treatment. The menu includes massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, full body treatments, and a few fun seasonal treatments, like a Vanilla Ginger Massage and the Spike Pumpkin Pie mani/pedi special. But I highly recommend a facial. With Mendy Boisseau, lead aesthetician at the spa. Skin Authority invited me in for a complimentary treatment on the house, the Microderm Transformation Facial. It’s a pricey little bugger at $225, but it includes a relaxing cleansing and facial massage with Skin Authority goodness, a skin brightening round of intense exfoliation using the diamond tip microdermabrasion–which utilizes a diamond chip-encrusted wand for sloughing off dead skin cells and a vacuum feature to suck up the dead cell cemetery–a mild-but-effective gycolic peel, and lastly, a slathering of skin-soothing products and layer of Skin Authority SPF.

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Trick or Treatment Happy Hour at the Ritz-Carlton Spa

Sip on champagne, nibble on halloween treats, and receive relaxing mini spa treatments at this year’s annual Trick or Treatment Happy Hour at the Ritz-Carlton Spa. On Thursday, October 25th from 6pm to 8pm, celebrate with complimentary one-minute manicures, spray tans for face and arms, and chair massages. Snack on yummy goodies like smoked salmon tartare, tomato mozzarella on silver spoons, spiced sweet potato shooters, and pumpkin cheesecake lollipops.  Numerology life coach, Lex Rice, will be there speaking about “harmony, balance, and understanding of life’s inevitable cycles.” Finally, you will have the chance to receive 25% off spa boutique purchases and treatments booked that evening.

Sign up soon because the evening is limited to the first 75 who RSVP by October 22, 2012 at 214-922-4820.

Get Pampered. Give Back. All Happening at Lily Med Spa Tonight

photography courtesy of Lily Med Spa

September is National Hunger Action Month, and Lily Med Spa is doing their part to raise awareness. Tonight, from 3 pm to 6 pm, the spa is offering champagne, wine, and hors d’oeuvres, as well as special prices on Botox, Juvederm, photo facials, MicroLaser peels, Jane Iredale makeup, and more. For every treatment purchased, Lily Med Spa will donate a meal to the North Texas Food Bank. While services must be purchased during the event to receive the special prices (and have a meal donated), they can be redeemed at a later date. Take advantages of these prices, which will let you feed your ego as well as someone in need.

Margaux Anbouba is a ShopTalk Intern.

Meet La Bichette, The Newest, Chicest (and Most Adorably French) Blow Dry Bar in Dallas

I fell in love on Friday. I don’t know whether it was the Parisian decor (like the stand full of pretty polka dot umbrellas and a jar of pastel taffy), my hair full of soft, sex kitten-y curls, or the gorgeous wood-framed mirrors with Swarovski “druzy,” but La Bichette salon has stolen my heart. The new blow dry bar is owned and operated by Marsha and Tammy Coleman, a mom and daughter duo, who have turned the space into a French-inspired beauty Utopia. You’ll want to come here for a blowout ($35), makeup application ($10-$50), or both. Have a seat in the pearl chairs and order a style off the menu. Perhaps, Yvette soft curls, Violette 40s starlet hair, a Milkmaid Braid headband braid, or any of the these menu offerings. Every detail here, from the complimentary pink champagne to letterpress gift cards, is très chic. They even created their own haircare elixirs (shampoo, conditioner, and serum) with safer ingredients, eco-friendly, refillable aluminum bottles, and of course, labels so sweet you’ll want to use them as decor.

The makeup station

Drybar Opens at NorthPark in Fall

Drybar's Uptown location in the Shops at Highland Park

Just in time for fall event season, Drybar’s NorthPark Center location opens in early autumn. The beloved, $35 blow dry-only salon (which won both our Readers’ and Editors’ Choice awards in our Best of Big D issue) will serve blowouts, scalp massages, and cocktails. Stay tuned for exact opening date.

I’m in Love. With Anna Wintour’s Facialist.

photography courtesy of Joanna Czech

Her name’s Joanna Czech, and now, lucky for us, she lives in Dallas and works at Neiman Marcus downtown. You may have already heard the chic beauty genius is operating in Big D, but have you booked yet? Here’s why you need to pick up the phone:

1. Her current clientele includes Cate Blanchette, Uma Thurman, Christy Turlington, Kate Winslet, and more. (She was Kim Cattrall’s personal skin and wax girl during Sex & the City movie filming.)
2. Treatments are customized. Rather than booking a one-size-fits-all service from the menu, she’ll analyze your skin and recommend a facial that is the perfect fit for you.
3. She knows what she’s doing. (She studied biology and pre-medicine in Poland.) If you’re interested in what’s happening to your face, she’ll walk you through each step of the process, explaining why she’s applying this cream and how that machine works.
4. Her playlist is interesting. It’s nice to have a break from The Nature Store soundtrack. (Not that I don’t like simulated rain sticks.)
5. You can make it a one-stop shop. On top of facials, she’s a real eyebrow guru (I’ve turned my brows over to her), waxing expert, and, if you make it a full day with her, you can snag her for a mani/pedi, too.

Thanks, Anna Wintour, for recommending Joanna to Ken Downing so our faces could have a turn under her skilled hands. This skin savvy will cost you (facials begin at $250), but it’s worth every penny. Call Neiman Marcus’ Michael Flores Salon with Cerón to book.

Blissful Giveaway: “That’s Incredi-Peel” Glycolic Resurfacing Pads

photography courtesy of Bliss

We’ve got three boxes of Bliss’ new That’s Incredi-‘Peel’! glycolic resurfacing pads to give away. The spa, famous for it’s cheeky cosmeceuticals that aim to slim, tighten, and smooth, has created this box set of 30 individually packaged pads that act as little overnight facials to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots. From Bliss:

We’ve reinvented the ‘peel’ with these convenient, single-step, no-rinse peel pads, engineered with innovative technology that gradually releases powerful levels of exfoliating glycolic acid throughout the night for serious skin renewal without the harsh irritation. Plus, they’re packed with soothing witch hazel and licorice extract and hydrating glycerin for extra-gentle results. Finally, the secret to smooth, even, radiant skin is ‘revealed’!

To enter to win this giveaway, click here. Good luck!

50 Shades of Gray Hair: Dallas Expert Needed

(from left) Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, Kelly Osbourne's new take on gray, and model Cindy Joseph's famous gorgeous gray 'do

A friend is looking to grow out her gray locks with grace. Bye-bye, dye. Hello, sophisticated salt and pepper hair. We’re on the hunt for a Dallas hair expert that understands the process of going gray in style and we’re taking suggestions. Know of anyone? Leave it in the comments section. We’ll report back with our findings.

Martinis & Manicures with The M Spaah at Aloft Hotel Downtown Dallas

Martinis and manicures. Is there a more perfect combination? On Thursday, June 7 from 5:00-8:30 pm, Aloft Hotel Downtown Dallas and The M Spaah mobile spa are mixing the two to create the ultimate girls’ night out. Pampered guests will sip on martinis while indulging in mini-manicures. Plus, there are plenty of gifts to win, including a “Martinis & Manicures” event of your very own (exclusively for you and four of your closest friends). If you’re ready for a little rest and relaxation to kick off the weekend, $25 tickets are available for purchase here. Call 469-546-7224 for additional information.

Kelly Belter is a shopping intern.

My New Favorite Pedicure…And I Haven’t Tried It Yet

Watermelon nail art not included. (photography courtesy of beautybloggingjunkie.com)

It’s the 50-minute Watermelon Lime Pedicure at V Spa:

Cool off with a complimentary watermelon slush to sip on. Relax while your feet soak in the refreshing scent of Watermelon. Rejuvenate with a lime zest sugar scrub and moisture application. Choose your polish.

Who doesn’t love watermelon, pedis, and slushies? (If you seriously don’t, ignore this post.) This pedi sounds like heaven. It’s just $50 at V Spa on their new summer menu.