Meet Marie: Maven Salon's Hair Extension Specialist
TL;DR: Marie has been in the beauty industry since 2001. Here's her story, why she specialized in sewn-in extensions, and what booking with her looks like at Maven Salon in Old Saybrook, CT.
Marie's story, in her own words
I've been in the beauty industry since 2001. Over the years I've worked in a lot of different salon environments, taken a lot of continuing education, and tried a lot of different specialties. The one that stuck, the one I want to do every day for the rest of my career, is sewn-in weft hair extensions.
Here's how I got here, and what booking with me at Maven Salon in Old Saybrook looks like.
Why I narrowed down to extensions
Most stylists are generalists. They do color, cuts, styling, treatments. There's nothing wrong with that. But after years of working that way, I realized the moments I loved most were the moments I was installing extensions on a woman with fine, thin, or thinning hair.
The transformation is bigger than anything else I do in the salon. A guest walks in with hair that doesn't feel like hers anymore, and walks out with the hair she's been dreaming of for years. The emotional shift is real. I cried in the chair more than once watching it happen.
So I narrowed down. My book now is almost entirely extension consultations, installs, and move-ups, plus the color blending that goes with them.
What I'm known for
Three things, mostly:
- Sewn-in weft installs that don't damage your natural hair. No glue, no heat-bonding, no chemicals. The wefts attach to a beaded foundation and sit flat against your scalp.
- Dimensional color through the wefts. A lot of stylists won't or can't color the wefts to add lived-in dimension. I do this constantly. It's why my extensions read as "her hair" not "extensions."
- Seamless grey blending. For guests growing out grey or starting to grow grey, I blend the extension hair to match where you'll be in 3, 6, and 12 months. The grey grows in naturally and you never have a "growing out my color" moment.
My ideal guest
The woman who books with me typically has fine hair, lifeless hair, or thinning hair. She wants fullness, length, or color dimension that her natural hair can't deliver on its own. She values low-maintenance hair (extensions that grow out softly, not a daily styling battle).
She's open to a maintenance schedule (every 6 to 8 weeks for a move-up appointment). And she trusts her stylist to be honest about what's achievable and what's not.
If that's you, we'll get along.
What booking with me looks like
Every new extension guest starts with the 30-minute in-salon Extension Consultation ($50). It's the most important appointment we'll have. In those 30 minutes I:
- Assess your natural hair (length, density, condition)
- Talk through your goals and lifestyle
- Show you the actual weft material
- Quote you a realistic install price and ongoing maintenance cost
- Plan color matching or dimensional blending
- Tell you honestly whether sewn-in wefts are right for you (sometimes they aren't)
From there, if we're a fit, we book the install. The full install runs 3 to 4 hours and includes a finishing Signature Blowdry. You leave styled, photographed, and ready to live with the new hair.
Fun facts about me
Outside the salon, I'm:
- A proud mom to my 25-year-old son
- The owner of a mini dachshund named Marcus Smart, who runs my house
- A jewelry and macramé maker (I sell at local markets when I can)
- An avid hiker, particularly in the summertime
- Fascinated by the paranormal and weirdly good documentaries about it
I recently relocated from Somers to Madison, CT, and joined Maven Salon at 144 Main Street, Old Saybrook. I'm grateful for every guest who's come in since.
How to book
The first step is the Extension Consultation. Book it directly with me on online booking, or take the matchmaking quiz first if you're not sure I'm the right fit.
You can also follow my actual work on Instagram at @marieannhairartist.
If you have a question before booking, email hello@mavenct.com and I'll get back to you within a business day.
Frequently Asked Questions
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About the author
Marie, Stylist, Extension Specialist
In the beauty industry since 2001. Specializes in sewn-in weft hair extensions, dimensional color, and grey blending..