The Secret to New York’s Radiant Hair
Curious about achieving that glossy mane in New York? It turns out, a trip to Queens for a pricey appointment may be the answer.
Estelle Yourboba, a stylist and educator at Kew Gardens Studio, has gained recognition as one of the top K-Tip extension specialists in the city. Her skill in transforming clients’ looks has people flying in from all over the globe, willing to spend significant cash for a transformation that lasts a few months.
Celebrity clients, influencers, and those looking to enhance their appearance have gravitated toward her studio. Notable figures like singer Rita Ora, actress Stephanie Beatriz from “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” and supermodel Karen Elson have all sought her expertise.
Once seen as something to hide, hair extensions have morphed into a luxury item or status symbol, comparable to designer bags, according to Yourboba, who’s now 34 years old.
Reality TV star Devin Simone, known from MTV’s “Real World: Brooklyn” and “The Challenge,” proudly discusses her experience with Yourboba, stating, “I thought we were just meeting for a wedding, but here we are, three years later.” She added that Yourboba guided her in choosing the right texture and color while ensuring the health of her natural hair throughout the process.
Although the price tag might give some pause, influencer Audrey Trulinger shared with enthusiasm that she’s happy to return every few months, noticing a marked improvement in her hair’s health and strength.
Yourboba’s sessions can take between four to eight hours, depending on the client’s hair thickness and desired style. Clients with fine hair can usually enjoy the extensions for about three months, while those with thicker hair might stretch it to five.
Describing K-Tips as the “Birkin bag of extensions,” Yourboba employs a method where hair strands blend seamlessly with natural hair through heat-activated keratin bonds. This innovative approach enhances both length and volume, tailored to fit each client’s hair specifications.
Yourboba’s rise to prominence is quite unexpected. Originally, she pursued a master’s in clinical psychology and worked as a licensed addiction specialist. Her initial dabble into hairstyling was merely helping a friend prepare for a wedding, but a maternity leave in 2018 nudged her toward a new career path.
After taking a hairstyling course and enrolling in cosmetology school, she saved enough to open her own studio by 2022. She transformed a dilapidated physical therapy clinic into an upscale salon, crafted from sheer determination.
Unlike typical cheap hair extensions, which often come with a mix of natural and synthetic hair, Yourboba offers premium virgin hair—untreated and ethically sourced mainly from Eastern Europe, particularly Russia and Ukraine. She personally selects each bundle, claiming to sense its quality. “I even use spells to cleanse all ponytails,” she joked.
Clients at her chic salon, adorned with eclectic decor, enjoy a lavish experience, complete with WiFi, streaming, and refreshments during their lengthy appointments. Since she sees only one client per day, everyone receives dedicated attention.
Yourboba has gained traction through social media, connecting with clients who share their transformations online. Despite the buzz, she maintains a selective booking strategy, allowing only three months of appointments at a time to manage her clients’ evolving hair needs.
In addition to working with high-profile individuals, Yourboba also sells premium single-donor hair to other stylists and teaches K-tip techniques to aspiring hair artists.
Interestingly, her goal isn’t merely to have clients return indefinitely. Instead, she hopes they “graduate” from needing extensions, nurturing their natural hair to become stronger and healthier.
Ultimately, she aims to demystify the stigma surrounding hair extensions, encouraging clients to embrace the process. “We see celebrities and assume that’s their natural hair and envy it,” she said. “[I’m here] to normalize the creative illusion that extensions can provide.”
