Celebrity Hairstylist, Kimberly Gueldner, Has Redefined Hair Extensions with Voël Hair
Meet celebrity hairstylist Kimberly Gueldner and her line of incredible, hand-tied, hair extensions, Voël Hair, designed for women with thin or fine hair. Kim and her leading stylist, Christina Giarrizzo, have opened their first brick-and-mortar location in Midtown NYC, hoping to continue reaching individuals who struggle with their hair, offering a safe alternative to extensions while making people feel beautiful and confident.
Kim Gueldner is an New York City based veteran hair stylist who has worked at salons like Rita Hazan and Sally Hirschberger, has developed a client list including Gwen Stefani, Faith Hill, Scissor Sisters, Katy Perry, and Amy Schumer. Kim has always loved the idea of extensions, but hated how they looked and felt, and how damaging they were to some of her client's hair. She wanted to create something lightweight, without heat, that was natural looking and comfortable for women with fine to medium hair. Addressing this obvious need in the hair market, Kim created her revolutionary hand-tied extensions, Voël, which have become a client and celebrity favorite.
What makes Voël hair extensions unique is their natural look, allowing clients to add minimal extensions while still amplifying their look. The purpose is to add a comfortable amount of hair that enhances the texture without making your hair unmanageable. Voël hair extensions are 100% natural hair, sourced from Europe, that are lightweight and comfortable, making them ideal for fine-haired women who want a subtle change, without the usual nuisance and breakage associated with other types of extensions. The application and removal process is seamless, as the wefts are hand-tied meticulously, providing coverage and depth without heat.
Aesthetics aside, it's worth noting the confidence boost Voël provides its clients. Amy Schumer has talked publicly about her hair struggles and loosely based a storyline in her Hulu series Life After Beth on her battle with trichotillomania. The actress has also spoken about how hair extensions, particularly Voël, have been her saving grace. Voël takes a step back from the overly voluminous style extensions on the market and offers a natural option for anyone who wants to feel great about their hair without being too obvious.
Prior to revolutionizing the hair extension industry, your journey was quite exceptional. Tell our readers about touring around the globe as a celebrity hair stylist.
It was so much fun and so exhausting. I toured with pop stars, doing their hair every night for their shows and international press tours for actresses and their movies. I absolutely love to travel, so I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity. There was such a range on each trip - sometimes, I would share a bus with 11 other people for 6-8 weeks. On other trips, I'd be in a luxury hotel. I loved getting both of those experiences. You definitely become family on the road.
It was touring with pop stars that I began experimenting with wigs and extensions, which played a huge role in the foundation for creating Voël. Some artists would have wig changes and hair changes, which I would have to do in a minute. Backstage was an adrenaline rush. I am so glad I got to do it in my twenties and early thirties, but the travel takes a toll on the body. I'm grateful to be spending my time in the Voël salon now.
What was your inspiration for creating Voël Hair and ultimately opening your brick-and-mortar studio in Manhattan?
Before the pandemic, I flew around the country, teaching stylists how to apply Voël in their salons. When the pandemic hit, nobody was traveling, so I created an online course for stylists who wanted to learn about our method. During this time, I decided I wanted to focus on growing my clientele more, and everything just fell into place once the world picked back up again.
My inspiration for creating Voël was filling a small niche in the market where it was lacking. When I moved to New York after touring and started working in salons again, I would say 80% of my clientele had fine hair. I knew how to do every extension method, and they would ask me for extensions, but I didn't want to do them because I knew they weren't good for their hair. There are so many methods for extensions, and depending on the type of hair you have, some can be great. But I couldn't find one I liked regarding fine hair that wouldn't compromise the hair. Voël was born out of this need to offer something for my clients with fine hair who couldn't handle some of the traditional methods available at the time.
What makes your style of extensions and application techniques so beneficiary for people who struggle with hair loss, thinning or damaged hair, and the desire for a naturally enhanced look?
Voël is designed without tape and glue to make the application and removal process of the wefts less damaging for our clients with fine hair. In addition, the wefts are handmade and extremely lightweight, so nothing is weighing down the hair. I match the density of your hair, which is what I think makes Voël reallyspecial. It enhances what you have without looking over the top or too obvious. Because of how lightweight it is, it's perfect for people who have been struggling to find a solution to adding volume if their hair cannot handle the weight or traditional application of other methods.
What are a few of the most important maintenance tips you give your clients?
Be gentle with your hair and use product. So many of my clients with fine hair are very rough on their hair and don't use moisturizing products because they don't want to weigh down their hair, which can contribute to more hair loss and breakage. There are great products out there that protect the hair without weighing it down or making it greasy. You have to find the ones that work for your hair type, similar to finding the right moisturizer for your face.
As I have personally struggled with my hair and insecurities surrounding it, it was a big but necessary change to opt for a more natural look. What would you say to anyone who is also struggling with similar hair issues and looking for a healthier alternative?
Extensions don't have to be heavy and painful to wear, and Voël proves this. Because our wefts are made with real hair and because of how light they are, they're an excellent option for everyday, natural hair. It's a great in-between option, especially if you are tired of spending so much time getting ready or figuring out ways to style your hair to have volume. Once you have these in, you don't have to spend hours doing your hair. You can also use less heat on your hair because, generally, the hair just looks better once you have our wefts in. Thisultimately ends up helping protect the integrity of the hair. If you are going to an event or party, you can always add more hair!
Where can people get in touch with you or follow along for more information and to see for themselves how amazing Voël Hair truly is?
If you are New York-based, you can make an appointment on our website VoelHair.com, or visit our Instagram @voelhair. The booking page link is in our bio. We also do virtual consultations!