Northern Virginia Hair Salon

What The Art of Driving is doing to save our teens…

First, some facts: 23% of teen drivers are more likely to drive with three or more teens in the car in the summer, compared to 6% of teen drivers who are more likely to do so during the school year.

  • 48% of all teen driving fatalities were single vehicle crashes.
  • Approximately 3,000 15-20 year-olds are killed each year in vehicle crashes.
  • Alcohol and drugs are not major causes for these fatalities – representing only 20%.
  • 54% of all teen passenger deaths occurred when another teen was driving.
  • The teen brain has not fully developed until the mid 20’s. They are susceptible to distractions, risk taking behaviors, and a limited capacity to multi-task.
  • Inexperience and distractions are the leading cause of teen driving fatalities, particularly for 16 and 17-year-olds.
  • The majority of teen auto fatalities occur on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Most of those deaths occurred between 9 p.m. and midnight.

So what can we, as parents, grandparents, and friends, do to keep our children, grandchildren and friends safe on the road? Education is one of the best ways to help and there is no better place to learn about teen driving safety than The Art of Driving, founded by Robin Thompson after she tragically lost her 16 year old daughter, Ashley Renee Thompson, in a single vehicular crash in 2003. Robin’s passion is now educating the public on how we can keep our teens safe on the road. The Art of Driving offers teen awareness and responsibility training, parent awareness and responsibility training, a teen task force, and programs brought into schools, youth groups and civic organizations.

Additionally, Robin gives back through The Ashley Renee Thompson Memorial Foundation scholarship each year, granted to a deserving graduating senior. The application process includes:

  • a 500 word essay
  • letters of recommendation
  • high school transcript
  • record of community/school service
  • a 55 second video you produce to empower and motivate your peers to “Survive the 5” leading causes of teen vehicle crashes.

Applications are now being accepted for their 2022 Ashley R. Thompson Memorial Scholarship.

We are honored to once again partner with The Art of Driving as our May Community Outreach Partner and are donating $1 from every haircut this month to this amazing, local non-profit.

ChildHelp: Every child is worthy of love

Helping victims of child abuse is more than just a desire, it is the lifetime commitment for ChildHelp. This commitment began when their founders, two young Hollywood actresses, encountered 11 homeless orphans abroad, and their lives were forever changed. Sara (Buckner) O’Meara and Yvonne (Lime) Fedderson went on to found ChildHelp and is now an internationally respected nonprofit and the largest organization dedicated to helping victims of child abuse and neglect as well as at-risk children. Though it has grown beyond their wildest dreams, CEO and Chairman, Sara O’Meara, and President, Yvonne Fedderson, who still work every day for this critical cause, have never forgotten those eleven little orphans in a storm that inspired their mission of hope.

And, with the Alice C. Tyler Village located in Lignum, VA, our local children are being served and protected. The Alice C. Tyler Village has served survivors of abuse and neglect since its opening in 1993. Situated on 270 picturesque acres in Culpeper County, the village serves children from across Virginia and West Virginia.

We are honored to partner once again with ChildHelp as our April Community Outreach partner and will be donating $1 from every haircut this April.

Childhelp solutions include residential villages and schools, short term residential therapeutic programs, foster and adoption services, as well as a national child abuse hotline.

Pro-Approved Techniques To Speed Up Your Blow Dry

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of walking out of the salon with a fresh blow-dry. Hair feels bouncier, healthier and shinier — leaving confidence levels at an all-time high. While your salon style may have an expiration date, there’s plenty of time to learn how to recreate the look at home.

Creating a blow-dry in the comforts of your own home can be challenging and time-consuming, but with a few pro-approved techniques you can easily speed up your blow-dry and transform your strands into a salon-worthy finished look.

  1. Start With a Pre-Shampoo Treatment

Stack the deck in your favour by adding an extra step to your go-to routine. Pre-shampoo treatments, like SCALP.SPA TREATMENT and SCALP.SPA SCRUB, soothe, balance and invigorate the scalp, leading to a better style in both the short and long term.

SCALP.SPA

Apply SCALP.SPA TREATMENT to dry hair before showering to remove dirt and excess oil while creating a luxurious soothing finish.

For extra exfoliation, SCALP.SPA SCRUB makes the perfect pre-shampoo treatment. Simply apply to damp hair, massage in small circles and rinse to reveal a hydrated, soothed and balanced scalp free of impurities.

  1. Be Choosy About Your Shampoo and Conditioner

It can be a great idea to have various shampoo and conditioner formulas in your shower to choose from based on the style you’ll be creating that day and the current state of your hair — ie. dry, lacking volume, or in need of definition.

If the hair feels dry, reach for HYDRATE-ME.WASH + RINSE.

HYDRATE-ME.WASH and RINSE

Strands need a little oomph, PLUMPING.WASH + RINSE is a must.

PLUMPING.WASH and RINSE

Want to define your natural texture? You’ll love SMOOTH.AGAIN.WASH + RINSE.

SMOOTH.AGAIN WASH and RINSE

  1. Dry Gently

When hair is wet, it is in a very fragile state, which is why you should invest in a microfiber towel to gently blot excess water from your hair. Using a towel too roughly on the hair can raise the cuticle, leading to frizz and breakage.

  1. Apply Products Based on Hair Type and Finished Style

It goes without saying that when blow-drying hair, a heat protectant should always be part of the equation. This is why it’s a great idea to start layering with HEATED.DEFENSE, a lightweight treatment foam that will nourish the hair and safeguard against heat damage.

Heated Defense

Next, apply a layer to cut down on styling time, extend the longevity of your look and improve style memory. Choose from EVER.SMOOTH, EVER.LIFT, EVER.THICKEN, or EVER.BOUNCE for style-specific results and a beautiful finish every time. *Pro-tip: Combine stylers ie. EVER.LIFT at the new growth and EVER.SMOOTH throughout the ends to add volume and control movement.

BLOW.DRY

  1. Use The Right Tools

A professional blow-dryer and quality round brush can all make all the difference when heat styling. A high powered blow-dryer gives you the control and air pressure needed to smooth hair while quality brushes (we suggest boar bristle) will add smoothness and shine to the hair while cutting down on damage.

ROUND.BRUSH

  1. Work In Sections

At home, you’ll find it is easiest to move from the back of the head to the front. This allows you to clip hair up and away from the face so you’re better able to see what you’re doing. As you work in sections, be sure to fully dry each one before moving on to the next to avoid frizz.

  1. Don’t Forget to Finish

Once hair is dry and cool, lock in the style by applying a finishing spray like SESSION.SPRAY for a flexible hold that also fights humidity. If you’re looking for an extra lift or want to add airiness to your look, opt for BEDROOM.HAIR or DOO.OVER to do the trick.

finishing stylers

FOHA Saving Fury Lives Since 1973 – Our March Community Outreach Partner

Each year, roughly 3 million cats and dogs in the US are euthanized without cause due to an overflow in shelters and a lack in adoptive homes. This March, Salon Khouri is partnering with FOHA (Friends of Homeless Animals), donating $1 from each haircut to this amazing, local non-profit. 

FOHA strives to bring an end to the unnecessary killing of companion animals, to provide a safe shelter for abused and abandoned animals, and to find a permanent, loving home for them. FOHA makes a lifetime commitment to each and every animal they bring into their organization. If at any point after an adoption, the adopter can no longer care for their animal, FOHA will welcome them back into their care and continue to search for a new home. They dedicate themselves to each and every animal, including those harder-to-adopt, and will make sure that they dwell comfortably in an individual space. 

Since 1973, FOHA has saved and placed in permanent homes more than 16,000 cats and dogs that would have otherwise been abandoned or killed. This success is the legacy of Anne Lewis. In the late 1960s, Anne was involved in an animal rescue – when another animal-related organization trapped a feral mother dog and puppies on the family’s property. Although she tried her best to save the animals, they were euthanized by the animal organization who had trapped them. Anne was unaware of the plight of homeless animals prior to this tragedy. So she decided to join a series of rescue organizations to prevent this from reoccurring. But she was unsuccessful in finding an organization that was faithful to a no-kill policy. So Anne founded her own organization, Friends of Homeless Animals, in 1973, and dedicated the remaining 32 years of her life to rescuing and caring for these innocent animals. So join us and FOHA this March to make a difference in our community, and to save countless lives of homeless cats and dogs. 

Ellie’s Hats – Our February Community Outreach Partner

We just love the mission and community of Ellie’s Hats, a local non-profit that was started with the mission to brighten the day of children with cancer.
Ellie's Hats

Ellie’s Hats was founded as a 501 (c)(3) in 2014 after Ellie started kindergarten at the Woodburn Elementary School in Falls Church, Virginia. Ellie was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in spring 2013. By the time she entered kindergarten she had lost most of her hair and was always wearing hats to school. Her teacher, Jay Coakley noticed her fun and cheerful looking hats and he organized a hat drive to provide her with a broader selection of hats to wear. Please check out their website for other ideas on how you can help in addition to donating and share this story to spread the word! We are honored to be donating $1 from every haircut this September to this amazing local non-profit!

Since 2014, Ellie’s Hats has donated over $200,000 to families and local clinics. That’s just incredible!

This February, we are donating $1 from every haircut we do at Salon Khouri to this amazing and dedicated local non-profit.

 

Trends from KEVIN MURPHY and M/FW We’ll See Throughout 2022

M/FW

2022 will be all about ditching your loungewear and actually getting dressed again. 

From wardrobe to makeup and hair, Melbourne Fashion Week 2021 proved that we’re all looking forward to bright colors and a shining future in 2022. Borrowing from 2010 silhouettes, we’ll see a range of tones from bold to pastel, oversized blazers continuing to make statements, knit dresses and minis galore alongside the addition of shimmer in the form of sequins and creative embellishment.

As the official hair partner of Melbourne Fashion Week, KEVIN.MURPHY is at the helm of creating some of the top hair trends we’ll see for the upcoming seasons.

Throughout the shows this year, irregular waves and undone finishes took over with accent braids and scarves doubling as hair accessories. Take a peek at some of the top hair trends from the shows and see which ones will stick around well into 2022!

Major Trends From Melbourne Fashion Week

Wispies

M/FW

Hair tendrils were a huge trend in the 2010s — the upgraded take on the look comes in the form of hair wisps this season. Pulling sweeping pieces of hair down around the face frame allows the wearer to have a little fun and accentuate features with a soft silhouette. Seen at the Secret Garden Runway, the KEVIN.MURPHY hair team created a deliberate hair wisp to accentuate the styles seen in this botanical oasis.

To get the look, hair was prepped with ANTI.GRAVITY from new growth to tips. Then, a curling iron was used to create positive and negative waves for the softest of finishes. To finish, SESSION.SPRAY + SESSION.SPRAY FLEX was applied to create an effortless “wind in the hair” feeling.

Bold Shapes

M/FW

Whether looking to accentuate an outfit or experiment with your go-to style, we’ll see bold statements take shape this season. The addition of bright colors, otherworldly shapes and style-specific accents took place at the Art X Fashion runway, paving the way for hair inspiration in 2022.

Take your style outside of the box with a contemporary shape this season by prepping hair with ANTI.GRAVITY.SPRAY, then split the hair and secure at either the crown or the nape and finish with SESSION.SPRAY for expert hold.

Restrained Elegance

M/FW

Slicked back styles and looks wavering on “wet” finishes were seen throughout the 2021 shows. An ideal silhouette to adopt as we head into the warmer months to pair with bright tones and cutout designs.

Taking guidance from the Student Collections Runway, the natural texture was stretched or reworked with a curling iron to form a soft slicked look. Once hair is refined, you’ll begin molding it into shape by laminating with LEAVE-IN.REPAIR, scraping hair back with a TEXTURE.COMB and then setting the look section by section with SESSION.SPRAY for a tight, silhouette and high shine finish.

Undone Side Parts

M/FW

Many of us will be working with our natural texture for the upcoming season. In order to refine the look, it will be key to create a deliberate part to turn undone finishes into highly stylized looks with ease.

Swift side parts and deliberate coifs created a balance of restraint and release at the Underground Runway show. The look was created by working with natural texture and applying SESSION.SPRAY and heat from a blow dryer to mold that hair away from the face and create lines along the crest of the head. For a refining look, consider applying YOUNG.AGAIN DRY CONDITIONER to get the look on long hair or SESSION.SPRAY on shorter lengths and then finish with SHIMMER.ME BLONDE to create high shine texture.

Freezin’ for a Reason – Supporting Camp Sunshine this January

Jennifer Elkhouri

For years, I’ve seen coverage of what I consider complete nut jobs jumping into FREEZING cold water in the dead of winter. I have always thought, “Why would anyone ever do that?” Then, I heard about the Virginia Polar Dip … and how it can help children battling cancer. Sold. I will do just about anything for these children. They endure treatments that are outdated due to lack of funding — in fact, only 4% of the National Cancer Institute’s research dollars are allocated to childhood cancer research. So, I figured the least I can do is jump into some ice cold water, scream as I am doing so, and maybe cry a little afterward, but most importantly, raise money and awareness.

Well, we’ve been jumping in this exhilarating event since 2015 and when I say exhilarating, that’s the kindest way I can put what that cold water feels like in February! And we have a few of our team members jumping this year: Sydney and her husband Taylor, Jelena, Olivia, Matthew, a Salon Khouri client and friend, Charleen, and myself.

Please help our by either making a donation (no donation is too small) OR signing up to PLUNGE with us on the Salon Khouri team! All funds raised will help send children with life-threatening illnesses and their families to Camp Sunshine. We are also donating $1 from every haircut we did in January to this effort!

2015 Polar Dip Cutting the Ice

Gotta cut through the ice first … 2015

 

2015 Polar Dip Jump

2015 Polar Dip Jump

 

2016 Polar Dip Jump

 

2016 Polar Dip Team

 

Our 2017 team

 

Our son who jumped on my behalf in 2018 because I had the flu.

 

2020 Post Jump – adrenaline was keeping us warm … for about 2 minutes.

Cut the confusion when it comes to hair color

Are you confused about the different types of hair color available? Not sure about the difference between demi and semi? Or what permanent and temporary actually mean when it comes to your hair?

Say goodbye to color confusion by reading our simple guide below.

At Salon Khouri, we offer three main types of hair color: semi, demi and permanent.

Semi-permanent color

Semi-permanent colors last for between four and 12 shampoos. They are gentle to use and simply coat the hair without penetrating it.

They work really well for adding color over blonde or lightened hair, blending greys, adding shine or refreshing faded hair color. They are also a lot of fun for “fantasy colors” when clients would like to experiment with fun color options.

Peach-PinkHair Color

Demi-permanent – to enhance and refresh

Demi-permanent color takes longer to wash out – up to 24 shampoos – because it penetrates the hair instead of just coating the top of it.

If you’re coloring your hair for the first time a demi color means no long-time commitment so chat it through with your stylist – we’re always delighted to advise and help you.

Demi-permanents work well if you want to avoid obvious root regrowth while having a longer-lasting color. They are great for blending greys or highlights, darkening the hair and adding shine.

Extensions Demi Permanent

Permanent pizazz

Permanent is a good choice if you’re happy with your chosen hair color. Permanent color penetrates deep into the hair, permanently changing its color which means it won’t wash out. It’s great for grey coverage and can also be used to lighten, darken or tone your hair.

You’ll have to deal with new hair growth, of course, but we can advise on the best way to touch up those roots when they start to show.

Even the most gentle, professional permanent colors can affect the condition of your hair. We always recommend clients add a KEVIN MURPHY Treat.Me Treatment or a KEVIN.MURPHY Masque Treatment to their color service. This strengthens and protects hair during the technical service leaving it looking glossy and healthy.

Thinking about a change? Why not try a fresh new color to brighten up the winter months? Call 703.273.7878, book online via our phone app (Salon Khouri), to book your complimentary color consultation.

Permanent Color

Seven Years …

12.7.2021

Today marks seven years since Mathias Giordano left this world to enter into the eternity of Heaven. We are honoring Mathias’ memory by selecting Team Mathias as our December Community Outreach Partner at Salon Khouri. We will donate $1 from every haircut this December to this amazing, local non-profit.
We couldn’t agree more with the beautiful words penned by Jennifer Skinner:
“I spend a lot of time praying for teens and young adults these days. Just today I prayed for a college kid to do well on a final exam. I prayed that a young high school baseball player – one of the best pitchers and kids I know – would have a successful Tommy John surgery. I’ve prayed for good SAT scores and college acceptances, for internships and promising job opportunities, for solid friendships with new classmates and colleagues and for seamless adjustments to new schools, new towns, and new jobs. I always end those pleas with prayers for these young men and women to have – more than anything else – confidence, resilience, faith, and bravery in the face of any of the challenges they might meet.
Today as I prayed those prayers I remembered Mathias Giordano – a boy who was the epitome of confidence, resilience, faith, and bravery and who also, I might add, had a wicked sense of humor and a smile for the ages.
Mathias did not get the chance to continue his athletic endeavors into high school, much less college. He didn’t get the chance to take the SAT, to apply to college, to cram for finals in a dorm room, to kick ass in a job interview, or to move to a new city all on his own. Because cancer stole him on this day in 2014.
And yet, in his short life, he showed me what matters the most in all the world. And though, they are amazing, it’s not a 1400 on the SAT or an A on an exam. It’s not an athletic scholarship or a paid internship in New York City.
Instead, it’s courage, faith, family, friends, and smiling. He taught me a whole lot about smiling.
You were one of a kind, kid. I’m thankful that our paths crossed, if only in those handful of moments over that short period of time. It didn’t take you long to do what you needed to do, to teach what you needed to teach, and to shine that smile on those who needed you to smile at them.
God bless and be near to you tonight, Roya, Chris and Troy.”

Our November Community Outreach Partner: Boulder Crest Foundation

Boulder Crest Foundation

A suicide epidemic claims the lives of 20 service members and veterans every day, and more first responders die by suicide than in the line of fire. Millions of other combat veterans and first responders live lives filled with despair, battling PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The current mental health system, with its reliance on a one-size-fits-all approach of pharmaceuticals and talk therapy, has failed to address the nature and scale of this challenge.

Enter in our November Community Outreach partner, Boulder Crest Foundation, a leader in the field of posttraumatic growth for veterans and first responders, as our November Community Outreach partner. The mission of Boulder Crest Foundation is to facilitate Posttraumatic Growth through transformative programs, world-class training and education initiatives, along with research and advocacy efforts to help combat veterans, first responders and their families overcome trauma.

The organization was founded in 2011 and opened its first center in 2013. It is led by founder and chairman, a 21-year combat veteran Ken Falke, retired Master Chief Petty Officer from the U.S. Navy Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) community. Ken is world-renowned as a forward-thinking, creative leader in the field of wounded warrior care, military and veteran transition, counterterrorism, military training, and innovative technology development. 

Boulder Crest Foundations programs support warriors, couples and caregivers, and families by providing rest and reconnection. One of their programs, Warrior PATHH, is a transformative, lifelong, Posttraumatic Growth-based training program for combat veterans and first responders. The training begins with a 7-day on-site initiation that is followed by 18 months of training delivered by our instructors through their myPATHH platform. 

Boulder Crest Foundation has a speakers’ bureau that includes Ken and Co-Founder Josh Goldberg as well as the institute’s professional team. This resource provides speakers and presentations to interested businesses, community groups, military units and schools. Speaker representatives have trained active duty military, veterans, first responders, and civilians at organizations including COMSUBPAC, SEABEES, SVAC Sierra Vista Area, U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy, Rotary Club of Winchester, Warrior Reunion Foundation, Semlec Police Mobile Operations Division, Accenture Federal Services, Leadership Loudoun, Shenandoah University, U.S. Marine Corps, United Rentals, and others.

We are honored to once again be supporting Boulder Crest Foundation this November and are donating $1 from every haircut we do this month to this wonderful local, non-profit. In addition to your support through your visits to Salon Khouri, you might also consider visiting the Boulder Crest website to become more familiar with this amazing, local non-profit. Other ways you can help are to purchase tickets to the Bluemont Vineyard Love Local event on December 2nd where they will be lighting 30,000 lights at the vineyard. A portion of the proceeds will go to Boulder Crest Foundation.