HAIR | Your Complete Guide To Great Hair And Beauty

How did it all begin?
Even after graduation and gaining relevant experience in the IT industry, I had the desire to do something fulfilling and creative. To fulfil this need, I enrolled in the Juice Academy in 1999 and, on completion of the course, I joined Juice as Junior Hairstylist. Then I went to Vidal Sassoon (Los Angeles and London) and Toni&Guy (Singapore) to complete the Train the Trainer programme, after which I joined the Toni&Guy Ambassador Program. Career-wise, I soon moved up the hierarchy and became a Senior Stylist and then the Salon Director at Juice. Now, I am Technical Director and manage training across various Juice outlets.

Among all the roles you have played at Juice, which is your favourite?
As a good hairstylist, one should be an all-rounder. Teaching is an art that one needs to master. Of course, all the training that I have experienced has helped me and all the knowledge that I have gained from my seniors has helped me grow as a hairdresser. But, if I had to choose, I prefer training, as I get immense satisfaction sharing my knowledge. To see my student grow as a better stylist in front of me is an achievement.

Who inspires you?
My greatest inspiration in the industry is Vidal Sassoon; he has changed the way hairdressing is looked at. Vidal Sassoon does some very interesting stuff and the best part is that they train you really well.

As a trainer, what is the most essential tip you impart?
The most important tip that I share with my students is that they need to have excellent communication skills; it works to their advantage as a hairstylist.

What is the most frequent communication error between a stylist and a client?
Indian women are most sentimental about their hair length. The most frequent communication error is when the stylist doesn’t pay attention during consultation and knocks off the client’s hair length.

What do you feel are the greatest hair myths?
Wow, this is something I would love to answer! Some of the greatest hair myths would be — “due to colouring, my greys have increased!”; “I never had greys before I coloured my hair!”; “I use mehendi (henna) as a conditioning pack for my hair and, after shampooing, if I use conditioner, I have a lot of hair fall.”

Which haircare products do you swear by?
TIGI and American Crew! Aveda, too, is very good, but the entire range is not available here.

In 2011, which colours and haircuts will rule?
In terms of colour, it’s all about being more elegant and subtle this season. Rich browns are in, as are single tone colours. In terms of highlights, it’s more of the sun-kissed effect. Deep reds, burgundy and plum shades also look good on the dusky Indian complexion. Cuts will be flowy, with lots of layers. More textured and choppy layers for more glam and the big hair look will be in. And, of course, the head turner would be variations of short hair. What looks fab is the really short, textured hair all around except for the front panel, which will be kept long and disconnected.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
Since I have become a trainer, I have learnt to keep my cool at all times — that’s a great evolution for me. I have become more composed and have a great amount of patience. I have grown from Assistant to the Technical Director of Juice chain of salons. With constant support from Mr. Nitin Kalwani (MD and owner of Juice), I now own a franchise of Juice; in the next five years, I want to open a few more.

Any tips for aspiring stylists and trainers?
Only if one is serious about a career in hairdressing should they consider joining this industry. If they aren’t sure or have an attitude of “what the heck, let’s just try”, this place is not for them. This industry is no joke...it may look rosy and glamorous from the outside, but there is a lot of hard work that goes into it. For example, you may have to continuously stand for as long as nine or ten hours a day. And if you are a busy stylist, forget about lunch breaks!