@natalieruzgis

Natalie Ruzgis

Natalie Ruzgis is the co-founder of Thrive Hair Collective in Chicago and a powerhouse educator with over 20 years behind the chair. A 2025 BTC Top 100 Nominee for Extensions, she’s known for her mastery in dimensional blonding, high-contrast brunettes, and effortlessly blended extensions. As an industry leading extension educator, Natalie’s approach is rooted in real-life salon success, not smoke and mirrors. Her teaching is all about no-gatekeeping, high-impact tips that actually work behind the chair, shared with full transparency and zero fluff. From backstage at New York Fashion Week to hair shows around the globe- she blends technical precision with soulful connection, empowering stylists to level up their artistry and their income.

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Brands

Classes

Clayton Hawkins

@claytonhawkins

Clayton Hawkins

Natalie Ruzgis

@natalieruzgis

Natalie Ruzgis

Monday, 8:45 AM – 10:15 AM

Mastering Extensions: How Tape-Ins & Wefts Create Celebrity Looks

Want to grow your business and stay ahead of the trend curve? The real secret to celebrity hair isn’t products or genetics—it’s expertly applied extensions. Celebrity stylist Clayton Hawkins (@claytonhawkins) is pulling back the curtain on the extension techniques that create red carpet-worthy looks—and how you can use them to drive revenue behind the chair. Clayton shares his go-to methods using Donna Bella Tape-In extensions, covering sectioning, placement, blending and styling tips that deliver seamless, camera-ready results. Industry-leading extension educator Natalie Ruzgis (@natalieruzgis) takes the stage next. Her approach is rooted in real-life salon success, not smoke and mirrors. Her teaching is all about no-gatekeeping, high-impact tips that actually work behind the chair, shared with full transparency and zero fluff. From backstage at New York Fashion Week to hair shows around the globe, she blends technical precision with soulful connection, empowering stylists to level up their artistry and their income.