How 15 years in the hair extensions industry led Sarah McKenna to create GYO, a dedicated space supporting women experiencing hair thinning and changes in their natural hair.
For more than 15 years, Sarah McKenna has worked at the forefront of the hair extensions industry in London. As the founder of Vixen & Blush, Sarah built a salon around helping women achieve longer, fuller, natural-looking hair through expertly applied extensions.
But over the years, something began to change.
The conversations Sarah was having with clients were becoming less about simply wanting longer hair and more about wanting to understand what was happening to their own hair.
Clients were noticing changes in density, finer strands, widening partings, sparse areas around the temples and hair that simply did not feel the same as it once had.
Those conversations eventually became the inspiration for GYO Hair, a dedicated hair wellness concept created to support women who are experiencing changes in their natural hair.
As Sarah puts it:
“The idea behind GYO is simple: help women feel confident in their hair today while supporting the hair they want to grow for tomorrow”
From the experience gained through thousands of salon conversations to years of developing an informal “Grow Your Own” approach with Vixen & Blush clients, GYO has grown into a new chapter for Sarah.
From longer hair to stronger hair
When Sarah founded Vixen & Blush, the focus was very much on what hair extensions could do.
Extensions could instantly add length, volume and fullness, giving clients the opportunity to achieve a look they had perhaps struggled to create with their natural hair.
But working so closely with women and their hair also meant Sarah became increasingly aware of the concerns that extensions could not address.
Hair extensions can transform the lengths and add fullness, but they do not cover every area where a client may feel self-conscious. The hairline, temples and parting can remain visible, and these are often the areas women become increasingly aware of when their hair starts to feel thinner.
Sarah explains:
“For a long time, our tagline at Vixen & Blush has been ‘Long live long hair’. When I first began developing the business, my focus was on what extensions could offer women who wanted longer hair. With GYO, that focus has expanded to stronger hair, too.”
This became one of the driving ideas behind GYO.
Rather than viewing extensions and hair wellness as completely separate conversations, Sarah wanted to create a way of looking at both the immediate appearance of the hair and the longer-term condition of a client’s own hair.
“Longer” and “stronger” could exist alongside one another.
How the idea for GYO began
The story of GYO really started when salons reopened following the pandemic.
When Vixen & Blush reopened in 2021, some long-standing clients returned with noticeable changes in their hair. Some associated the changes with having had COVID, while later, the team also began seeing clients who reported hair thinning while using weight loss injections.
These conversations prompted Sarah and the Vixen & Blush team to look beyond extensions alone.
“When we reopened in 2021 after the pandemic closures, some of our loyal clients returned with noticeable hair thinning, which they associated with having had COVID. Later, we began seeing clients who reported thinning while using weight loss injections.”
The salon began developing what Sarah describes as an informal “Grow Your Own” programme.
From 2021 onwards, the team worked with clients over longer periods, supporting them as they focused on their own hair while continuing to wear extensions where appropriate.
Over time, the approach developed into a 12-month model.
“From 2021-2026, we developed an informal ‘Grow Your Own’ programme. This evolved into a 12-month approach that supported clients as they grew their natural hair while continuing to wear extensions.”
Some clients who had initially come to Vixen & Blush specifically because they wanted extensions eventually needed less hair added as their own hair improved.
That experience was one of the reasons Sarah felt there was an opportunity to create something beyond the traditional salon model.
There is sometimes an assumption that hair extensions and hair wellness are completely contradictory.
Sarah sees it differently.
Hair extensions do not treat the underlying causes of hair thinning. However, when correctly selected and professionally applied, extensions can sometimes form part of a client's wider hair journey.
For clients whose main issue is erosion, breakage or damaged ends from repeated styling, covering the vulnerable ends with extensions can help reduce the amount of manipulation those areas experience.
Sarah explains:
“Hair extensions can help their hair grow if their own ends have suffered with erosion due to repeated styling. Reducing that stress by having the hair extensions now cover over their sensitive ends can give them a better opportunity to retain length.”
Importantly, Sarah is clear that this is different from treating the underlying cause of hair thinning.
The distinction matters.
GYO is not about promising that extensions will solve hair thinning. Instead, it is about understanding the individual client, identifying where salon support may be appropriate and being honest when professional medical advice may be needed.
That philosophy is central to the GYO experience.
Why Sarah created a dedicated space for hair thinning
After years of hearing women talk about changes in their hair, Sarah wanted to create somewhere they could have those conversations without feeling embarrassed or alone.
“We wanted to create a space where women could speak openly about thinning hair and realise they weren’t alone.”
Hair thinning can be an emotional experience.
For many women, hair is closely connected to identity, confidence and how they feel about themselves. Even relatively subtle changes can be significant to the person experiencing them.
A widening parting, finer strands, reduced density around the temples or changes in the hairline may not be immediately obvious to someone else, but the person experiencing them can notice them every day.
Sarah has seen this first-hand throughout her career.
“One of the most rewarding parts of my work has been seeing clients reach a point where they no longer need the extensions they originally came to us for.”
The aim is not to keep someone dependent on a particular service. It is to help clients feel more confident and informed about their hair, wherever their journey takes them.
Who is GYO for?
While hair thinning can happen at many different stages of life, Sarah says that many of the women she has spoken to about changes in their hair begin noticing them in their early to mid-forties.
“In our salon, many clients begin telling us they’ve noticed changes in their hair at around 42 or 43, and that conversation becomes increasingly common through their mid-forties.”
Everyone’s experience is different.
For some women, the change may happen around hormonal transitions such as perimenopause or menopause. For others, genetics, stress, nutritional deficiencies, illness, medication or other factors may play a role.
Sometimes, the first sign is not obvious hair loss at all.
A client might simply notice that their ponytail feels smaller, their parting looks different or their individual strands seem finer than they remember.
“Often, the change is something the client feels before anyone else notices. Their hair may still look healthy, but they describe it as less full or feel that the individual strands are finer than they used to be.”
This is why consultation is such an important part of GYO.
Rather than assuming that every client has the same problem, the team takes time to understand their individual experience.
What can contribute to hair thinning?
There is rarely one universal explanation for changes in hair.
Hair can appear thinner for a number of different reasons, and understanding whether someone is experiencing increased shedding, gradual thinning or breakage is an important starting point.
Factors that can contribute to changes in hair include hormonal changes, thyroid conditions, nutritional deficiencies, significant stress or illness, rapid weight loss, genetics, certain medications and physical damage or tension.
Hormonal changes can be particularly relevant during major life stages such as childbirth, perimenopause and menopause.
Nutritional factors can also play a role. Low iron stores and inadequate intake of important nutrients, including protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D and zinc, can affect healthy hair growth.
Stress and illness can sometimes trigger increased shedding, with changes becoming noticeable months after the original event.
Rapid weight loss or restrictive dieting can also affect the normal hair growth cycle.
And then there is genetics.
Female pattern hair loss can cause gradual thinning, often becoming more noticeable around the parting and crown.
Hair damage is another important consideration. Bleaching, excessive heat and repeated tension can cause breakage, leaving the lengths and ends looking sparse even when the hair is still growing from the scalp.
As Sarah explains:
“There can be more than one factor involved. At GYO, our starting point is an honest conversation about what we may be able to support, and when a client needs assessment by a GP or dermatologist.”
This is an important part of the GYO philosophy.
Not every cause of hair thinning can be addressed within a salon environment, and GYO does not claim to replace medical diagnosis or treatment.
Instead, the aim is to provide clients with clear information about what may be within the scope of the GYO team and when further professional assessment may be appropriate.
A different approach to the traditional salon experience
Sarah believes the wider salon industry is changing too.
After 15 years in the hair extensions industry, she has seen a noticeable shift in what clients want from their hair.
The dramatic transformation is no longer always the goal.
Instead, clients are increasingly asking for subtle, natural-looking enhancement and services that fit into their everyday lives.
“One of the biggest shifts I’ve seen is from dramatic transformations towards discreet enhancement and a greater focus on hair health.”
At Vixen & Blush, Sarah has seen this reflected in the type of extensions clients choose.
In the early days, full heads and additional length were much more common. Today, a half head designed primarily to add volume is one of the most popular choices.
Clients are choosing less hair, more discreet methods and results that work naturally with their own hair.
The same thinking can be seen in colour.
Rather than booking frequent appointments to maintain a strong regrowth line, some clients are choosing softer, more wearable colour that can grow out naturally between salon visits.
For Sarah, this reflects a bigger shift in expectations.
“The biggest takeaway for me is that clients want hair that fits their lives: natural-looking results, thoughtful maintenance and an appointment that respects their time.”
What happens during a GYO consultation?
GYO begins with a 45-minute consultation.
The purpose is not simply to recommend a treatment.
It is an opportunity to understand what the client has noticed, explore their experience and establish whether GYO is the right place to support them.
“Customers can expect a thorough consultation and an honest conversation about whether GYO is right for them.”
Three areas of focus: Inside Out, Roots and Ends
One of the ways GYO approaches personalised hair wellness is through three key areas of focus: Inside Out, Roots and Ends.
“We have broken down our offering into three pillars or ‘targets’, and those are Inside Out, Roots and Ends. We find this format really works as a client can assess where to invest their time and investment effectively.”
The result is a more personalised approach rather than a one-size-fits-all treatment menu.
Sarah's favourite GYO treatments
When asked which treatments she is most excited about at GYO, Sarah immediately highlights two: microneedling with exosomes and the LED light bath.
Microneedling with exosomes is particularly interesting to Sarah because of the areas clients often ask about, including the hairline and temples.
These can be difficult areas to address through extensions alone, making them an important part of the GYO concept.
Her other favourite is the LED light bath.
Rather than wearing a shared helmet, clients can spend time in a private booth beneath a large LED panel.
The treatment uses different wavelengths of light, with certain red and near-infrared wavelengths studied for their potential role in photobiomodulation.
Photobiomodulation is an area of interest in hair and scalp care because light may influence cellular activity and processes associated with hair growth.
For Sarah, however, the appeal is not simply the technology.
“For me, the appeal is combining focused treatments with a comfortable, thoughtful salon experience, while being honest about what each treatment may offer.”
That balance between innovation and realistic expectations is central to GYO.
From research scientist to salon founder
Sarah's route into the hair industry was not conventional.
Before becoming a hairdresser and building Vixen & Blush, she worked as a research scientist.
Moving into hair extensions meant starting again in many ways.
At 28 or 29, Sarah became a hairdresser first and foremost, learning a completely different practical craft and developing her understanding of working directly with clients.
That experience has influenced the way she approaches entrepreneurship.
Her advice to anyone thinking about starting a business is simple: understand what you are offering from the ground up.
“Spotting a gap in the market is the starting point. You then need to become really good at meeting that need.”
Sarah believes a strong team is invaluable, but founders also need to understand the fundamentals of their own business.
“You cannot hand over responsibility for understanding the thing your business is built on.”
And perhaps her most memorable advice?
“Become a little obsessed. Live and breathe what you’re doing, be willing to be a beginner, and get the basics right before you focus on growth.”
It is an approach that has shaped both Vixen & Blush and now GYO.
Bringing Vixen & Blush and GYO together
Although Vixen & Blush and GYO are separate concepts, Sarah sees them as two sides of the same wider conversation.
Vixen & Blush is focused on hair extensions and creating immediate changes in length and volume.
GYO focuses on the client's own hair and the factors that may influence its condition, density and appearance.
Together, they allow clients to think about their hair in a more complete way.
“Together, Vixen & Blush and GYO bring those two ambitions together: the immediate result of added length and volume, alongside a longer-term focus on the health of the client’s natural hair.”
For Sarah, this is the natural evolution of more than a decade working closely with women and their hair.
The future of GYO
GYO is ultimately built around a simple idea: women should be able to feel confident about their hair while also having access to thoughtful, realistic support when their hair changes.
For Sarah, creating GYO is the next chapter in a career that has always centred around helping women feel better about their hair.
From creating longer, fuller hair with Vixen & Blush to exploring ways to support clients who want to understand and improve their natural hair, the journey has evolved.
“I wanted to create a dedicated space where women could feel good about their hair now, while receiving thoughtful support to work towards healthier hair of their own.”
Discover GYO Hair in Fitzrovia, London, and book a consultation to start your personalised hair journey.
