The August Edit
Natalie Gordon Dunton | Owner, Pro Makeup Artist
Can you believe it’s already August? We hardly can, but time flies when you work in one of the top salons in the city. We’ve had quite a busy few months at both locations creating all of the latest, hottest trends and summer wedding looks. And while we’re still savoring the very last few summer nights and lazy days by the pool or beach, we’re also getting quite excited about Fall 2023. One of the best things about autumn—besides the leaves, the holidays, and the spiced lattes—is the beauty trends. While summer may be all about keeping it light and fresh with makeup and hair products, fall goes heavy on the color and the glam. And we, for one, are all about it.
And while the seasons—and the beauty trends—change, our commitment to supporting and empowering female business owners never will. That’s why we are featuring local interior design firm founder Julia Berg Lee as our August Cover Girl. We had the opportunity to create a fresh and flirty summer makeup look for Julia a couple weeks ago, and we can’t wait to share her career and entrepreneurial journey with you in this edit. We love learning all about our clients and their passions when they’re in our chairs, and Julia’s impeccable eye for design has us inspired to finally finish that one home project in our own places!
One of our favorite ways to soak up the last seconds of summer is with seasonal beauty trends. Not exactly a trend, but definitely a summer staple, we’re celebrating the season with a refreshingly subtle and light bridal glam look by master artist Becky Tash. With the summer months being some of the hottest—temperature and wedding bookings-wise—keeping bridal glam light and natural is a must. On the other hand, we are going all out with hair this season (and we see this trend going long and strong into the fall as well!) with luxury extensions. After all, what screams “summer” more than mermaid hair? Luckily, we have a premier extension bar and our own, top-of-the-line hair to make all of your underwater siren dreams come true, as well as all of the products to keep your new hair looking…well, new!
Whether you are still savoring the last moments of summer or planning ahead for fall, we’ve got all of your seasonal beauty needs covered at the salon—we’ll see you there!
As a growing, locally owned salon, we love empowering the female entrepreneurs we meet in our chairs. That’s why the Cover Girl we’re featuring this month is owner and founder of local interior design firm Berg Lee Interiors. Our very own founder Natalie gave this beauty a glow-y summer glam for her big event, and we are obsessed with the final look. Natalie completed this makeover with the perfect summer shade of lip gloss—Juicy Watermelon—by clean beauty brand Lawless. The fun and flirty pink paired perfectly with Julia’s healthy tan and the gorgeous pink blush Natalie selected for this look.
A native of historic Richmond, Julia has always loved the classic charm of the city’s old Southern architecture. Inspired by Richmond’s classic architecture and art scene, Julia founded Berg Lee Interiors and fills her clients’ spaces with intricate, frequently floral patterns and energetic pops of color. Before she worked for herself, however, Julia cut her teeth in the interior design industry in our nation’s capital. After graduating from the University of Virginia with a BA in both Foreign Affairs and Art History, Julia worked with Darryl Carter, Inc. and Mary Douglas Drysdale Design, both named in Architectural Digest’s Top 100 list. Then she got a taste of the entrepreneurial life as an independent designer with projects she completed in the prestigious Georgetown and Kalorama neighborhoods.
After 10 years in the industry, as well as 5 years in political and corporate investor relations and fundraising, Julia came home to Richmond to start her own company and her own legacy. Julia teamed up with Berg Building + Design to offer clients with new spaces and structural renovations interior design services as well.
One of our favorite parts of working at Avenue 42—besides creating all sorts of gorgeous makeup looks and hair transformations—is getting a glimpse into our clients’ lives. There is so much talent in Richmond, and we consider ourselves beyond lucky that some of the women who contribute the most to our city’s vibrant, artistic culture and growing economy also spend their down time in our chairs. And while we only get to feature one Cover Girl a month, there are so many of you who inspire us and leave lasting impressions on us every day. If you have a special #ave42 client in mind who’d make a great Cover Girl, let us know!
Erin Albert
Anna Wells Crowley
Madison Birckhead
Abby Birchmeier
Rachel Binzer
Katie Ayanian
Jackie Shewmaker
Samantha "Sammy" Serio
Julia Kim
Mary Stumb
Ashton Mann
Rachel Smith
Emily Lucas
Gloribel Bonilla
Annabelle Riexinger
Diana Schmidt
Mary Kate Heaney
Bethany Ackerman
Elena Piper
Julia B. Lee
Meet Dena
Bringing a classically trained artist’s approach to the beauty salon.
As our salon family grows with our second location, we wish we could highlight every single of our stylists and artists each month. But for the sake of the length of this blog, we’ll stick to featuring just one a month. And we couldn’t be more excited to feature Dena Lemelin this August. A newer addition to the Avenue 42 family, Dena has already made quite an impression on both our team and our clients.
Born and raised in Richmond, Dena is a Virginia Commonwealth University visual arts graduate, so she can’t help but approach makeup with a classically trained artist’s eye. She’s been doing makeup and hair for 8 years, but when she’s not behind the chair, Dena is homeschooling her three kids or creating art and jewelry. Dena specializes in the no-makeup makeup look and loves highlighting our beautiful clients’ healthy skin and inner glow. She is the go-to for lived-in, romantic, “boho-messy” styles for all of our #ave42brides.
ORIBE
Literally the golden formula.
Let’s be real: we love summer beauty, but all of that sun, sand, and sea salt (or humidity!) doesn’t always lead to the smoothest, most glamorous hair. Especially not when you have extensions. That’s why our product of the month is Oribe’s intensely hydrating hair oil. They weren’t kidding when they named this product Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil—this is one of the most precious products in our collection! Infused with hydrating jasmine, edelweiss flower, and lychee, among other key ingredients, it’s perfect for hydrating hair that’s been through it on your yearly beach get-away or for protecting extensions. (They can’t produce their own healthy oil like natural hair can!) But don’t be fooled by its name: this product is anything but oily or heavy. It’s light weight paired with the unbelievable amount of moisture it packs makes it the perfect summer product for both natural hair and extensions.
Our Favorite Makeup Look of the Month
We’ve had so many gorgeous bridal looks this wedding season that it was nearly impossible to pick just one to highlight this month, but this bride’s Korean beauty-inspired nuptial glam stole our hearts. With a naturally clear, radiant complexion, master MUA Becky Tash didn’t have to do much to perfect this #ave42bride’s big-day-beauty. Becky kept it simple with light, translucent, powder-based products and enhanced bride Julie’s inner glow with a healthy, pinky blush. Oh, and the chic low bun? Yeah…Becky nailed that too for Julie!
Hairstyles To Watch This Month
February 14th may be quite a while away, but we think we’ve found the perfect match here at the salon. We are head over heels in love with this beauty’s new luxe look, complete with extensions from Avenue 42’s own line that look like they grew right out of her head. Long, dreamy Barbie hair is so in this season after the beauty movie of the decade came out last month. And every stylist and extension lover knows that a great install hinges on a seamless transition between natural hair and extensions. Stylist Jesika Amaya did an impeccable job matching this beauty’s natural hair color to a weft in our brand new collection, and we can’t get over the transformation. Who said that long, mermaid hair is just for summer? We’ll be rocking long and luscious locks well into the fall (and beyond!) this year. Book your appointment at our Patterson location now to find your one and only true hair match.
Thanks #ave42babes!
We’ll see you next month!
Any questions? Send us an email!