I don’t know about you but I have hair dreams. You know those dreams where your hair is better then a shampoo add? Where its long and it flows softly in the wind? Nope? That’s just me then! Well I always dream of having super thick, shiny long hair but sadly my hair seems to grow to a certain length and give up. I would love the idea of getting hair extensions until I saw someone with bad hair extensions and get put off the idea.

Well one woman is changing that!  Kate Jarrett is the owner and director of Loxy’s Hair Boutique. Loxy’s is your one stop shop for getting hair extensions that wont damage your hair or even look like you have hair extensions at all. I was lucky enough to get to ask Kate some questions this week about hair, advice for brides-to-be, her top beauty products and more.

Firstly how did you get started in the hair extension business?

My background is the corporate world, and I’m not a trained hairdresser so this was the perfect accident! I had awful clip in extensions (age 18, don’t hold it against me!) that my boyfriend (now husband) hated so much he paid a girl to come around to the house and give me my first weave! I died and went to heaven! I absolutely fell in love with my new hair, but hated the method. After some research I came across the micro weft system and trained in it as a hobby. 2 years after training I left my job to pursue Loxy’s fulltime, in a purpose built studio (or the shack as I now call it!) that my husband built for me from home. The rest is history!

When it comes to hair extensions what’s the biggest mistake most woman make?

Not having the right amount of extension hair, poor colour match and not blending (cutting) them into your natural hair correctly. We’ve all seen bad hair extensions and the above three issues are normally the cause for such a bad result. Of course it’s personal preference as to the look you want to achieve, but our philosophy at Loxy’s is that less is more, and creates a more natural result. Seamless blending and a perfect colour match make our extensions completely undetectable! I like to think that because of this, we’re changing the negative stigma that once came with hair extensions.

What are you most proud with Loxy’s?

If I had to pick one thing, I’d say how we’ve grown so quickly but still managed to maintain the core values that we started with. Our standards for client care and determination to provide our clients with the best hasn’t wavered, and that really fills my heart with happiness!

How would you describe your Loxy’s Salons with just three words?

Quality, integrity, FUN!

What advice would you give to a woman who wants to own her own business?

Believe in yourself, learn whatever you don’t know but need to know, and never sacrifice your values for profit. I believe above all else that you’ll succeed when you do the right thing by your clients, operate with integrity and stay consistent. And if you hire staff, be very careful that they’re the kind of staff that’ll live and breathe your vision and values the same way you would.

What has been your biggest accomplishment in business so far?

I’d say opening up the salon in Wellington (Photos below) whilst suffering through an awful first and second trimester of my first pregnancy! Wellington in itself was a huge risk! Although I know Wellington so well (born in Lower Hutt!) I hadn’t operated a business down there, I know the Auckland market well. So to open up in another area code has been a pretty incredible challenge. I take great pride in how busy the salon has been so soon into us opening up and I am incredibly grateful for this!  It shows how far our great reputation has reached that there were clients desperate to visit us when we opened our Wellington doors.

I sometimes have to pinch myself as to how far the business has come in such a short space of time. I’m not sure if my frame of mind has caught up to 2 salons,

it’s still in ‘at home shack’ mode and some days I find myself wondering how we got here so quickly and how so many people know about us! So it’s amazing to hear stories of how far the Loxy’s name and reputation has reached. It absolutely baffles me, and is incredibly humbling!!!

Many of my brides ask if they should get hair extensions. What advice would you give a bride who is considering extensions but is unsure?

First of all work out if you actually need them! Not all brides need extensions, so I’d suggest going to a salon that you can trust an that will be honest with you! We often have clients coming in that just need that little bit of extra oomph for their big day, and some that don’t need them at all.

A wedding is an easy excuse to feel like you need to change your looks completely/spend a fortune doing so and it may not be necessary!

Once you’ve decided on the look you want for the day, have a chat with an experienced and honest stylist about what you might need to achieve this. Also, look for alternatives. We have a lot of brides coming in expecting to pay for a full head of permanent extensions, with the view to take them out after their big day. In a lot of situations we’d suggest clip ins instead. If you’re going to spend the money, then make sure you’re getting the best value for it and they will benefit you long term instead of just for one day. Extensions don’t need to cost the earth to look amazing and achieve the results you want.

Name your top 3 beauty products you couldn’t live without?

Eek this is hard! My beauty regime is pretty simple and as natural as possible. Right now, probably my almond oil (which I basically bath in night and day to attempt to keep some resemblance of my pre pregnancy body!), my Synergy mineral foundation, and my Eye of Horus mascara.

What is your ultimate dream holiday?

Somewhere warm, with my husband and poochies. Time away is rare and always extremely welcomed. I’m so fortunate to have just had the best Babymoon in Port Douglas and I feel so refreshed afterwards. I’m a simple girl and just appreciate time with my man and the opportunity to reflect on all the things we have to be grateful for.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

Hopefully where I am today, just with a couple of kids in tow! Right now I feel really strongly that I’m ‘done’ in terms of opening new salons (this could just be the baby coming + post opening-Wellington- craziness talking). I’m not after world domination in terms of business growth, I’m too much of a control freak and too sensitive to deal with the stresses that come with it! Success for me is a happy, healthy family and two salons running smoothly, with fantastic staff delivering exceptional quality work that we’re well known for. ♥

Wellington Salon

Wellington – 04 803 3133

il Casino, 106 Tory Street

Wellington CBD

Auckland Salon

Auckland – 09 378 7650

4 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby

Auckland 1010