In this candid interview, Talitha talks about launching a bond-safe haircare line during complete chaos, listening to her clients, and why she believes hair is nothing short of a superpower.
For Talitha, founder of Fox & Vamp, hair has always been more than surface — it’s a source of power, confidence, and self-expression. What began as a boutique salon known for expertly placed, natural-looking extensions has grown into something much bigger: a brand with vision, voice, and a product line now stocked in Space NK.
Launched during one of the busiest seasons of her life, moving house, relocating the salon, and raising two young children. Talitha’s new extension-safe haircare range is the first of its kind: rooted in real client needs, rigorously tested for bond integrity, and formulated with ingredients more commonly found in luxury skincare than in shampoo bottles.
In this interview, she opens up about the community that helped co-create the range, the moment she saw her products hit the shelves, and the importance of ignoring the noise in a saturated space to stay true to your lane.
What inspired you to launch Fox & Vamp, and how did that evolve into creating your own product line?
My journey began with a lifelong passion for beauty and hair. From a young age, I was captivated by the transformative power of hair, how simply having your hair done could make you feel like a more confident, elevated version of yourself.
Although I naturally have good hair, years of bleaching, heat styling, and then postpartum hair loss after having two children took their toll. Hair extensions became more than a beauty enhancement, they were a form of expression and confidnece. Over time, I realised that for many women, hair is a kind of superpower.
Fox & Vamp was born from that belief, that hair extensions should feel like a natural extension of yourself, never fake or damaging. We’re all about safely placed, natural-looking extensions that enhance what’s already there.
The product line was a natural evolution. I’d already been sourcing hair for my own clients, and through word of mouth, our Fox & Vamp hair range took off. The haircare line came from the same place: a genuine need. Clients were asking why a premium, targeted range for extension wearers didn’t already exist, so I decided to create it.
Fox & Vamp has such a strong identity in the extension space. What made now the right time to branch into hair care?
If I’m honest, it didn’t feel like “perfect timing” I was moving house, relocating the salon, and juggling a lot personally. But I’ve learned that sometimes you just have to trust your gut and move forward regardless.
We’d built a loyal, engaged community through the Fox & Vamp salon, and I knew exactly what our clients wanted. The number one question we get asked is: “How do I look after my extensions properly?” So this line was made for them, with their hair, their routines, and their investment in mind.
Extensions are a commitment, and they deserve proper care. It was time we had a range that truly supported that.
The hair care market is famously competitive. How did you create something that truly stands apart?
What struck me is that despite how advanced the market has become, no one was speaking directly to hair extension wearers, and yet 1 in 4 women use them in some form. It felt wild to me that no one was catering to this audience in a meaningful, high-end way.
From day one, I was clear: we weren’t going to dilute our message. Yes, our products work beautifully across all hair types, but our core customer wears extensions, and we’re proud to speak directly to her.
We recently launched exclusively with Space NK something I had on my vision board for three years. For me, it’s not just about creating a product it’s about leading a movement. Extensions are no longer something to hide or be ashamed of. They’re stylish, powerful, and now, properly cared for.
Can you walk us through the product development process? What mattered most to you? Ingredients, performance, scent, packaging?
The process started in the salon chair, with real conversations. Clients were constantly compromising using products that were too heavy, caused discolouration, made their extensions slip, or didn’t leave their hair feeling clean.
When we began developing the range with our lab, we discovered something shocking: up to 500 ingredients commonly found in mainstream haircare can actually break down extension bonds. These aren’t “bad” ingredients they’re just not suitable for extensions.
So we created our Careful Complex a blend of premium ingredients usually reserved for luxury skincare. Snow mushroom, vegan keratin, wheat protein polypeptides (which reduce breakage by 45%), Glucose D for 72-hour hydration, Pro-Vitamin B, and hyaluronic acid to penetrate deep into the strands all chosen to hydrate, protect, and extend the life of your extensions while prioritising scalp and natural hair health.
The result? Hair that feels fresh, hydrated, protected, and visibly transformed after just three washes.
The scent is matcha-inspired, fresh, uplifting, spa-like. We want wash day to feel like a ritual, not a chore. As for packaging, I made a major change in the eleventh hour, it delayed us by six months, but I trusted my instinct, and I’m so glad I did. I wanted to love what I saw on the shelf. And I do.
Were there any non-negotiables for you when formulating the range? Anything the industry typically overlooks that you wanted to get right?
Absolutely. First and foremost: it had to work. I wasn’t interested in putting something pretty on a shelf. This range needed to deliver on performance and protect the bond integrity of every extension method out there. Every formula was tested on dolls with real extension bonds in our lab to ensure ingredients didn’t weaken or compromise the attachment. This level of testing is what makes our range stand apart.
How closely are the products designed with extensions in mind, and how do they benefit natural hair as well?
Very closely. Every formula was tested against the full spectrum of extension methods: tapes, bonds and wefts to ensure maximum compatibility and bond integrity.
But equally, we kept natural hair and scalp health at the forefront. The ingredients we chose are not only bond-safe, but also deeply nourishing for your real hair and scalp. The goal is for your natural hair to thrive alongside your extensions, never have to suffer because of them.
As a salon founder, you have a real-time view into what clients want and need. How did their feedback shape the products?
I completely agree, that having them along this process made it so much more achievable. This range was co-created in real time with our clients. Their feedback what wasn’t working, what they wished existed, drove every decision in the products to what they are today.
The products aren’t theoretical; they’re grounded in daily salon life. We listened, tested, iterated, and came back better each time.
What’s been the most exciting moment since launching the line? Any customer reactions or milestones that really hit home?
Walking into Space NK on launch day at Duke of York Square and seeing our products on the shelf was surreal, especially when customers started buying them straight out of my hands as I unpacked!
We sold out of our hairbrush in the first week, which was a real “screaming in the office” moment. And the customer feedback has been amazing, I’ve had so many messages from people saying their hair feels and looks the best it ever has.
What advice would you give to other women looking to bring a product to life in a saturated space?
Believe in your idea so fully that it becomes an obsession, and then stay in your lane. Don’t waste energy comparing yourself. The second you do, you lose momentum and what somebody else is doing won’t necessarily be right for you.
If you can communicate your why with conviction and bring your customers on the journey, you’ll build loyalty before you even launch. I’m still learning how to do that better, but I know it’s the key.
And finally, what’s next for you and the brand — any sneak peeks into what we can expect from Fox & Vamp?
We’re moving into a larger salon space, which I can’t wait to share more about soon. There are new product developments already in motion, exciting retailer conversations, and we’re set to roll out across the UAE starting in September.
What’s one styling hack or secret weapon you always tell your clients, whether they’ve got extensions or not?
Always, always sleep with your hair tied back using a mulberry silk scrunchie. It dramatically reduces snapping and helps maintain the quality of both your natural hair and your extensions. It’s such a simple switch with huge benefits.
