SALONS SPECIALIZING IN A SINGLE SERVICE, LIKE RPZL SHOWN HERE, ARE ON THE RISE.
IN FEBRUARY 2015, MONICA THORNTON AND LISA RICHARDS debuted the very first hair extension bar in New York City’s Flatiron District. “There was nowhere in the world to get same day hair extensions. In addition, hair extensions were very expensive, the quality of hair was not the highest, it was damaging to your hair and it took upwards of 5 hours after you had to wait weeks to come back from your initial appointment (consultation and color match service) where you had to pre-pay for your hair. We were determined to find a way to save time and money on world-class hair extensions. Together, we fixed the glaring holes in this explosive market by applying cutting- edge technology via RPZL’s ultrasound machine (sound activation), which decreases application time and does not use damaging heat, while improving both quality and accessibility to this transformative experience. And unlike traditional salons, which rely on other companies to supply their extensions, we make our own hair extensions using 100% Virgin Remy human hair from India (and have them available at RPZL in our House of Hair), which is considered the highest quality. That is a key to the comparatively lower prices,” says Richards, co-owner and founder of RPZL. The in-salon menu of services ranges from clips for girls starting at $12 to a full set of keratin ultrasound extensions for $850.