Long ago, before three years of bi-monthly balayage appointments, the discovery of the straightener/curler combo and when I had time for three-times-a-week deep conditioning treatments, I had fantastically long, healthy, flowing hair. "It's not thick, but there is a lot of it" was the comment du jour and I always knew that, whatever I wore, my long hair would serve as the perfect accessory. Then, of course, I became single and moved into a wonderful job and social circle that had me out at events and on dates 5-6 nights a week which was a fab cure for FOMO but wreaked havoc on my hair. I was left with shattered, broken locks that lacked luster and laid there, lifeless, taunting me as I ran my gripped fist down my pathetic ponytail, feeling it go from thick to thin in record time.
One week before my appointment.
Right before I moved to London, I went through old photos and found myself laughing at the sight of ex boyfriends and sobbing over my hair. There we were, flirting in Italy and dancing in Paris. I had forgotten that night at the gay club where we caused a stir, laying on a table with hair flowing down to the ground. I vowed to buy a year's supply of Viviscal and down Biotin once I made it across the pond, but before I could locate the UK version of the Vitamin Shop, I met the lovely woman with stunning, thick and beautiful hair who gently whispered that what she was not born with, Tatiana Kerelina provided. She pointed to another head-turning head of hair and whispered, "Stella goes there too." By the end of the night, I had met three women who had Tatiana on speed dial. I took her number and called the next day.
Those in London know Tatiana as the hair extension guru. One Google search reveals why she is the go-to for socialites, celebrities and women who want beautiful hair but can't grow it or don't want to wait years for a long braid. I couldn't wait to get into her chair, except, she was booked solid for two months and I was devastated. Once I knew that Rapunzel hair was possible, waking up to my own bed head seemed like outright torture. Finally, two weeks later, I was told there was a cancellation. I was thrilled.
I took an uber to her small, chic Kensington salon and was greeted by a a group of smiling faces and a buzzing energy. Tatiana offered me a tea and sat me down to talk me through the process. Elegant, beautiful and graceful, the Russia-native explained that she hand-selected virgin Russian hair for her clients. The hair is lighter and silkier than the Brazilian variety, more malleable than hair sourced from Asia. Becoming a "natural blond" is also much easier with Russian hair, something that is rarely offered elsewhere. Tatiana's technique is also an industry game-changer. She uses custom-made micro chips that require no glue and actually amplifies hair health.
My hair and scalp was assessed and then the length, color and texture of my hair was chosen and applied. Though the textures varied slightly (we chose a "frizzy" hair that was not frizzy at all but would offer more volume), all of the hair was healthy, shiny and soft to the touch. Tatiana explained that it would never look tangled or thin out if I took care of it properly. This meant tossing my thick, expensive shampoos and moving to a sulfate and silicone-free ones (the former can loosen the bonds) which would be used every third day. I would need to use a light oil at the ends as my own scalp oils would not coat the hair and use the preferred extension brush that she provided. The hair would last up to two years and get a little shorter with each tightening, which would need to be done every 3 months at an additional cost. We decided on 18" and I explained that I wanted highlights so Tatiana chose four shades of blonde and mixed and matched them so perfectly, I have used them as my color direction ever since. She chose a slightly frizzy texture to give more body and then started the application which took 3 hours.
Voila! Gorgeous hair!
It was fascinating and exciting to watch both my hair and confidence "grow" before my eyes. The features of my face softened and I caught myself twirling it while feeling somewhat proud of my decision to gift myself with something that I had been yearning for a very long time.
Within three hours I had gorgeous, long and flowing locks, a brighter blended blond color and amplified volume. I could run my fingers through it, curl it, straighten it and watched Julie (the most amazing stylist at the salon) do all three before taking a snap of the ringlets in the back and sending it to my boyfriend who quickly wrote back, "wow! Is that you?" The reaction to my hair 2.0 was immediate and exceptionally positive. Comments on the street from strangers and on Instagram from friends made me smile, but there was no greater feeling than waking up and walking towards the mirror to be greeted by a happy, confident woman with Brigitte Bardot-style bedhead.
Thrilled.
5 Things To Know About Extensions
Not all extensions are created equal. Some are glued and sewn in, others are clipped and some are bonded. Though more expensive than some of the alternatives, Tatiana uses a special custom-made micro ring technique that is known as the smallest and most undetectable non-glue hair extension technique available. It combines strands of your own hair with the extensions using tiny copper ring. These are smaller than conventional micro rings and cause no damage to your natural hair.
Be careful with your shampoo of choice. I foolishly thought that I could use any shampoo that was sulfate and silicon-free, but after several months of extensions falling out (and frustrating the poor women at the salon) I learned that some of these "free" shampoos contain oils and slippery natural substances that can cause the extensions to slip out. I finally bought Jason natural shampoo and have not lost an extension in my boyfriends bed since (much to his, my and Tatiana's happiness).
They are not cheap, but they are worth it. Yes, my extensions were £500 plus and my tightenings nearly £300, but they last two years and are made from the highest quality hair. Tatiana swaps out strands that need to be replaced at no extra charge and I get a free styling every time I visit the salon. Having seen a number of bad extension jobs (resulting in frustration, embarrassment and bald patches), I think of it as an investment in couture you can wear daily for 2 years.
Coloring is no problem. Not only can extensions be coloured, you only need to do your T-zone which means most of your hair is being protected by the extensions and can grow healthier underneath.
Your hair will get shorter. I advise to go a little longer than you want to initially as the hair is cut each time it is tightened.
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