HIP Salon is thrilled to announce that Marie Russell has been promoted to a Hair Innovation Professional Emerging Stylist, providing high-quality hair cutting and styling for clients at a discounted rate while she completes her training.

A cosmetology school graduate and licensed cosmetologist, Marie joined HIP Salon as an assistant in 2024. In 2025 she entered the Hair Innovation Professional Training and Residency Program, and for the past 18 months, she has been training under the tutelage of Debra, Sal, and Jill, where she honed her skills in scissor cutting as well as blowouts and styling.

As a HIP Emerging Stylist, Marie will work more independently as she continues to receive feedback and guidance from the HIP team.

HIP Emerging Stylists’ rates reflect their experience. Hair cutting starts at $40 and blowouts start at $30.

Marie is accepting appointments Tuesdays 4-7pm, Wednesdays 4-8pm, and Thursdays 4-8pm. Schedule an appointment with Marie by calling 847-882-4474 or request an appointment at hipsalon.biz/request-an-appointment.

Follow her on Instagram at @marierusshair.

We’re excited to welcome a new Colorist to our Hair Innovation Professionals team: Milissa Larsen.

An experienced color technician, Milissa is trained in all aspects of color processes including highlights, lowlights, double processes, corrective color, and balayage. She attended the Pivot Point Academy in Bloomingdale. 

“I am highly trained in many aspects of the profession, such as extensions, style, and makeup; however, my passion is color.”

“I have done hair for print, film, fashion, celebrities and celebrity adjacent, and I’ve owned and managed salons in my past.” Milissa also was formerly a color educator for three separate color lines. 

Now she wants to pursue her love for creating beautiful hair color for her clients. “I am humbled at the sparkle in my clients’ eyes and their smile when they see their hair creation,” she says.

Her superpower is balayage. “I was trained to do an authentic French balayage,” she says. “Color transformations – whether they are a complete change or covering the outgrowth – are always fun.”

In her personal life, Milissa is a metalsmith. “I also can tell a great joke, and I am a great audience.”

Her hours are Wednesdays 10-5, Thursdays 12-8, Fridays 9-2.

Follow her on Instagram @milissalarsenhair_mu.

Make an appointment with Milissa by calling 847-882-4474.

We’re excited to welcome a new colorist to our Hair Innovation Professionals team: Crystal Velazquez.

She specializes in blonding, highlights, dimensional brunettes, and natural seamless color. Crystal is trained in modern lightening, toning, and color corrections.

Her superpower is creating clean, blended highlights and tones that complement the client’s skin tone and style.

“Basically, I help you get that effortless, blended look while keeping your hair healthy and shiny,” she says.

As the friend who was always curling or braiding hair before school dances, Crystal knew early on that she would make a career out of her passion.

“I’ve always loved doing hair,” she says.

She became a hair professional in 2009, finding her niche as a color specialist. She continues taking classes to keep up-to-date on the latest color trends.

Crystal describe herself as a mom and a dog mom to a miniature schnauzer. She invites clients to connect with her about family life, weekend plans, or “whatever’s going on.”

“I’m always up for good conversation and laughs in the chair. I like giving clients a relaxed, personalized experience,” she says.

Her hours are Wednesday 10-4, Thursday 12-8, Friday 9-5, and Saturday 9-4.

Follow her on Instagram @crystal_velazbeauty.

Make an appointment with Crystal by calling 847-882-4474.

Experience dual drying action in one innovator styler: Bleu’s Essential Air Dry/Blow Dry Creme.

Its ultra light and quick absorbing formula features a unique blend of reactive polymers that activate with either heat or cold. This allows for beautifully controlled air-drying or smooth, heat-protected blowouts. It has heat protection up to 450 degrees (F).

Users reported 79% reduction in breakage after a single application, according to Bleu.

“This creme is great for color-treated hair and highlights!” said Nick, HIP Senior Colourist. “It’s a perfect solution whether you’re on the go or have time for an intense blowout.”

HIP Salon is excited to introduce a new luxury hair care product line gracing our shelves and back bar. Welcome R+Co BLEU!

The couture-caliber capsule collection from R+Co combines modernity and style with breakthrough innovations in formulation, sustainability and iconic packaging design. This new range brings glamour, sophistication, and unparalleled quality to daily hair care.

The Collection
Our BLEU haircare line offers a comprehensive range of products designed to enrich your hair care routine. From nourishing shampoos and conditioners to innovative styling products, R+Co BLEU provides everything you need for healthy, beautiful hair.

• Essentials: An everyday all-star created for all hair types.
• De Luxe Reparative: A power dose of hydration, strength, and repair for coarse, unruly, fragile, or damaged hair.
• Soft Bounce: Superior hydration, manageability, and shine to achieve curls with supreme softness, body, and bounce.
• Ingenious Thickening: Strengthens, hydrates and visibly plumps strands from roots to tips.
• Primary Color: Keeps all shades brilliant, bright and bold. Locks in color, hydration, and luxurious shine.
• Blonded: Neutralizes unwanted yellow tones with a highly buildable, antioxidant-rich, pigmented toning formula.

The Ingredients

The R+Co BLEU collection is formulated with the highest-performance non-toxic ingredients to produce superior results, leaving hair healed, restored, and luxuriously transformed. Each product contains the proprietary Blue Molecule Complex designed to build strength and shine, the qualities that are most important for healthy, luxurious hair. Micro-encapsulated sugar molecules gradually deliver active ingredients, treating the surface of the follicle and restoring the cuticle to its virgin state.

Vegan, Cruelty-Free

R+Co BLEU’s cruelty-free, Leaping Bunny certified formulas are vegan, gluten-free, and provide UV protection. They are made without sulfates, phthalates, parabens, petrolatum or synthetic dyes.

Try BLEU at your next appointment

Make your hair appointments today. Call 847-882-4474. Or request an appointment here.

Remember: when you request an appointment, watch for a confirmation text or email to ensure that your appointment was accepted and scheduled. If you don’t receive a confirmation, please call us.

Tyler Frazier is now a Schwarzkopf Professional ASK Expert.

What does that mean? He completed 18 months of training and Schwarzkopf’s Academy of Skills and Knowledge. His ASK certification represents his proficiency and knowledge of color products and the best techniques for color processes.

Tyler joined HIP in 2010 and has grown to become a HIP Senior Colourist and color educator. He is always available for consulting with clients and the HIP team. He knows color!

We’re so proud of you, Tyler!

Schedule your appointment with Tyler by calling us at 847.882.4474