Hair Extensions

Micro Links Extensions

The micro links, also called micro rings, technique is the smallest and most undetectable non-glue hair extension technique available, which combines strands of natural hair with the extension hair using tiny copper ring.

Why Choose Micro Links Extensions?

• No glue, adhesive or keratin bonds involved so there is no excessive force applied during removal and therefore no damage
• Micro links extensions with high quality Russian hair will last three to four months before requiring maintenance (tightening) due to hair growth, at which point, unlike glued-in extensions 100% of the extension hair can be reused
• Can be worn back-to- back so you never have to ever be without your extensions
• Silicon copper rings available in different colors and covered with plastic ensuring they blend seamlessly
• Clamp securely in place and will not slip out even during the most challenging of activities

Not All Micro Links Are Created Equal

For extensions to look undetectable it is imperative that the micro links are not visible at any time, with any style under any conditions. While conventional sized colored micro links will remain undetectable and blend seamless with the natural hair Tatiana Karelina offers Micro Looplets for its more discerning clients. The Micro Looplets are custom designed and made exclusively for Tatiana Karelina and are smaller and lighter than conventional micro links meaning that extensions can now be applied in areas where previously they could not.

Russian Hair

A lot of places say that they use Russian hair BUT they don’t. The reason for this is simple - Russian hair is not only more expensive it is also more difficult to source while Indian hair is readily available in large quantities and extremely cheap to buy.

Why Choose Russian Virgin Hair Over Indian Hair?

While Indian hair is finer and provides a good match for a Western women’s hair it is only available naturally in dark colors. It is also collected in such large quantities during the tonsuring ritual the that the hair invariably gets tangled. To fix the problem of tangling the hair is subjected to an aggressive acid treatment to strip the cuticle layer. Then to get the dark hair light the hair has to undergo a further bleaching process. The hair is then coated with silicone, which gives it an artificial healthy look. In the beginning the hair is shiny and beautiful, but after a month of wear the silicone layer starts to wash away leaving the hair fragile with a dull matt appearance. This is one of the reasons why Indian hair is often paired with keratin bonds, an attachment technique where the hair cannot be reused and must be replaced every 8-10 weeks, as hair quality becomes less important when it has a shorter lifespan.

While Russian hair provides an excellent texture match for Western women’s hair it is considered to be the best because of diet. Diet greatly influences hair quality and the best hair comes from rural Russian communities where the diet is simple, high in nutrients and vitamins and low in sugar, salt and processed animal fats. In order to provide our clients with the best hair Tatiana Karelina never use Indian hair and instead only use Russian Virgin hair. This hair never been bleached or chemically treated and is collected in individual ponytails such that all the cuticles are facing the same direction from root to end. This ensures that the hair does not tangle or matt and will behave exactly like your natural looking hair.

Colour Blending

The sensation of having gorgeous long hair is transformative. No client walks out of a Tatiana Karelina salon feeling unchanged. And it’s that feeling – that instant rise in self-confidence that really brings value to what we do for our clients. But in order to achieve a truly natural, transformative and completely seamless look proper blending is key.

Our Unique Approach to Colour Blending

For Tatiana Karelina, proper blending doesn’t start in the salon, but over in Russia in small rural communities where our hair is sourced. With so many different hair colors, textures and lengths on today’s woman the optimal color and texture blend is almost always achieved by combining hair from several different ponytails. In doing this, we can ensure that there is no stringy color separation as often happens when using pre-bonded hair extensions that come in a single texture and a solid color. During the consultation process or before the fitting each client is invited to view our inventory of Russian hair and personally select the ponytails based on grade, colour and texture. Once the ponytails are selected, strands of hair are drawn from each ponytail and combined to create individual strands of hair that perfectly match the client’s natural hair. These individual strands are then pre-bonded in house and made available to the technician to fit.

If you are unsure if a salon will be able to create a perfectly blended head of hair a simple test would to be ask to see their inventory of hair. As Russian hair is scarce and expensive a salon that has invested in a considerable inventory of Russian hair and is willing to show you that hair is likely a capable salon. We pride ourselves on offering a same-day consultation and fitting for almost any client that walks through our door and in order to be able to do this we stock the largest inventory of of Russian hair in the US.

Clip-In Extensions

Clip-ins can be a great temporary solution to achieve length, thickness and volume if they behave like your natural hair. Unfortunately, most of the clip-in extensions on the market today use thick processed hair in pre-fabricated wefts that easily tangles and mats. The result is clip-in extensions do not feel natural, last long or blend well with the natural hair.

Custom Made-to-Measure and Ready-to-Buy Clip-In Extensions

Recognising a gap existed in the market, Tatiana Karelina acted and was the first to introduce an exclusive line of bespoke clip-in extensions and accessories that were made from hand-tied wefts, tailored to the size of the client’s head and matched perfectly to their hair colour and texture. Even to this day no other salon or company can boast that they offer hand-made clip-in extensions.

Now, sitting alongside the made-to- measure clip-in line, Tatiana Karelina has launched its new ready-to- buy range of clip-in extensions. Available in 6 colors in 18” length these clip-in are still made from hand-tied weft yet available to buy on an immediate basis at the Tatiana Karelina shop.

For more information on how are ready-to-buy and custom made-to-measure clip-in extensions are made and what makes them unlike anything else on the market please click here.

Meet Tatiana

London 2009. Russian born, New York trained, Tatiana Karelina opens her London salon on a quiet Kensington street. A chic and stylish sanctuary where glamour and trend-setting styles go hand-in-hand. 8-years on, a roster of high profile clients, explosive press and a cutting edge hair designs has enabled her to have a deep and lasting impact on the London beauty landscape.

From the outset her revolutionary approach to extensions was clear. Instead of conforming to industry practice Karelina became a mistress of innovation. Using a combination of superior quality hair, a top-notch attachment technique in Micro Links and an emphasis on creating an unrivalled client experience have defined Tatiana Karelina as a pioneering businesswoman.

Karelina’s initial contributions to the advancement of hair extensions in the UK includes being the first to break from using damaging glue to attach the extension hair and the first, given her local knowledge, to be able to source extension hair directly from her native Russia.  In doing so Karelina is able guarantee to her clientele that they are getting hair of the highest quality and by eliminating the “hair broker” the most competitive prices.

Tatiana Karelina credits her success to date because of her philosophy. She believes, above all, that when you accept responsibility for how someone looks and you understand the impact self-image has on a person’s happiness and success, changing someone’s hair becomes a very serious business.

Tatiana Karelina - Session Stylist

Tatiana Karelina is the founder and creative force behind her chain of self-named salons.  As one of the most highly respected figures in hair extensions today, her foray into session styling wasn’t an obvious one yet she has been able in a very short amount of time to have a significant impact on the London beauty landscape.

Thanks to her Russian heritage the Russian elite took notice and it wasn’t long before Tatiana was styling the covers of Russian Roulette and Gate magazine.  Her cover work was conceptually cool and innovatively refreshing and caught the eye of a photographer who instantly recognized her talent to create imaginative looks.

Fast forward to fashion shoots with Attraction and Adidas and on the back of that success she got her big break at London Fashion Week AW16. Felder Felder, a high profile label with a cult following among A-Listers like Gwyneth Paltrow and Rihanna, and known for creating elegance with an edge, needed a session stylist to create a cool and effortless look for their LFW kick off show. Enter Tatiana and her unicorn braid which became an instant hit and one of the most talked about hairstyles of the 2016 London Fashion Week. Read Metro’s article on Tatiana’s unicorn braids.

Looking to the future Tatiana will continue to be focused on the expansion of her hair extensions brand while at the same time becoming a more prominent fixture as a session stylish on the British fashion circuit.

Wedding Day Extensions

It's your Wedding Day! The day over any other day when it's most important than ever that you look and feel beautiful as this day will be encapsulated in people's memories and their photographs.

Long wedding hairstyles are still the favorite of most brides as it enables them to choose from so many different hairstyles. Whether you leave it up or pull it down, having hair extensions is the perfect way to inject body, length and fullness into your hair.

After a visit to us, which can be done as little as 3 hours before the start of your big day, you will have the confidence of knowing that as you walk down that aisle all eyes are fixated on you!

Bridal Hair Extensions Package

• Choice of "permanent" Micro Links (3-4 months), custom made-to-measure or ready-to-buy clip-in extensions or ready-to perfectly coloured to match your natural hair
• At no additional cost a dedicated stylist at the consultation to work with you trying out various styles that can be created using our hair extensions, including a layered effect, glamorous up-dos or wavy tails
• Sample sets made available for you to take away so that you will have the security of a trial run before the big day

Frequently Asked Questions

What are hair extensions?
Are hair extensions suitable for me?
What does the term “Virgin” mean?
How long does my hair need to be?
How are hair extensions attached?
Why is Russian hair considered to be best?
What do they mean by "single drawn"?
What is processed hair?
How long will Micro Ring extensions last?
Can I keep them in for more than 4 months?
Can the hair be reused once it is removed?
How long does it take to fit the extensions?
What is the impact of using keratin bonds in my hair?
Will the weight of the rings damage my hair?
What makes TK clip-in extensions unique?