Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair, so that I may climb the golden stair. Not many would have forgotten the fairy tale and the long golden hair that ‘roped’ a handsome prince in love. Long or short, beautiful hair is on every girl’s wish list. And with different hair styles in vogue, even cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly are turning into style icons with their new hairstyles.
Hair rebonding, priming, ironing, layers, wedges and roller setting are no longer strange words. Your delicate locks can be twisted, curled, straightened and coloured keeping up with the changing fashion trends. From a teenage student to those in the 40-plus age range, caring for one’s tresses is an important aspect has become an important part of every day routine.
Says Ponni Devi, master trainer, Laurel Edutech, Naturals skills India, “There is no precise trend. But straight hair is always a fashion. Geometric and asymmetric pattern hairstyles that were popular in the US earlier have now been adapted for desi appeal. More women now go for hair straightening as they find curly hair unmanageable. The cost ranges anywhere between Rs 1,000 and Rs 25,000 depending upon the length of the hair.” “However, working women opt for short, straight hair with a deep side parting to give a corporate look,” she adds.
Many people go for hair smoothening, rather than straightening, says Sumitha Mani, who is in-charge of the Jawed Habib Hair and Beauty Academy. “Straightening alone makes the hair look very straight. But smoothening will make it look naturally straight.” Women often prefer ‘layering’, she adds. According to her, the cost of straightening ranges between `6,000 and `18,000. Hair colouring is another aspect that has become immensely popular among the youth. “Instead of colouring the hair overall, the modern trend is to use several colours to produce streaks,” explains Sumitha.
And men are not the left out lot. They no longer prefer a boy-next-door look to please their girlfriend’s parents. Spikes are so passé. A ‘cat-walk’ or ‘casual’ style is popular among today’s youth. “The ‘mohawk’ hairstyle, where the crown of the hair is made into triangle or pyramid shape, gives a trendier look,” says Ponni Devi.