(As printed in the May 8, 2013 edition of the Lake Stevens Journal.)

In a time when true altruism is in short supply, it is a breath of fresh air when we come across an act of selflessness such as the story you are about to read.

Let me introduce you to an amazing young lady named Emma McNamara. On the eighteenth of April Emma celebrated her tenth birthday. On that day, she had only one thing on her mind, helping children who have cancer.

I suppose this would be a good time to mention that this remarkable girl happens to be my daughter.

We are finally starting to have a little sun in the Northwest and that means your hair might start feeling a little dry! If that is the case I would add a leave-in treatment to your regimen!

I love our Redken Polishing Prep. This simple but useful product is sprayed on when you get out of the shower, then just continue with your regular routine! This product has Apricot Oil and Glycerin to restore, rebalance and retain an optimum level of moisture. Best of all, it is ridiculously lightweight so you don’t even know that you have another product in your hair. How can you not love a product that doesn't weigh down your hair?

When you shampoo your hair, does the vibrancy of your red hair color seem to wash down the drain? Pureology’s new REVIVING RED system is your answer! Various natural oils, including coconut, olive, sunflower, jaljala and jojoba, add lustrous shine and seal the hair cuticle to reduce color bleeding. The entire system contains these oils and includes a concentrated sulfate-free shampoo, detangling conditioner, light-reflecting caring oil and color enhancing treatment capsules.

We all admire the beautiful red and copper tresses of Christina Hendricks, Emma Stone, Amy Adams and Julianne Moore and may wonder how they keep their color so fiery? Whether you are naturally red or not, the Reviving Red Red Reflect Enhancer capsules add an extra pop of color while conditioning your hair at the same time, making the treatment especially useful just before a date or ladies night! Although I am not a red head (so jealous of Ariel’s hair!), my brunette hair with coppery-red balayage highlights are more vibrant and shiny while using the Reviving Red system.

(Published in the "What the Pros Know" section of the May. 8th, 2013 edition of the Lake Stevens Journal.)

VSN Network, the #1 TV channel for beauty professionals, is now hosting its annual "Top 10" 2013 featuring the finest salons, spas and resorts in the US. Elle Marie Hair Studio has been selected as a "TOP 10" recipient in the Seattle, WA area.

The “Top 10” video feature is a close-up and snapshot look at the finest salons and spas in the US. It is an ongoing TV series that is packaged for distribution to a national audience of approximately 50 million viewers!

In addition to HD broadcast on VSN Network, the “Top 10” series will now air nationwide to more than 50 Million homes thanks to a recent partnership with AC Places - a national "syndicator" with 30 local affiliates and more than 350 websites.