Healthy Hair, Do Care

Haircare in India has evolved to include weekly champis and extensive in-clinic rituals in equal measure.

- ANJAN SACHAR

As Indians, we’ve taken pride in long, thick and healthy hair for generations now, and it continues to be the goal for women across the country. Oiling and head massages have been a core component of Ayurvedic haircare, and we’re witnessing a surge in the ritual, with modernised formulas hitting shelves. The biggest industry-wide change today is the skinification of the scalp—we’re after a healthy scalp, and the products and treatments are a reflection of that. We evaluate the haircare advancements worth trying, natural and in-clinic, and what the future holds.

ANCIENT WISDOM

Natural haircare solutions in India largely veer towards at-home rituals. Spas do offer rituals that boost scalp health, using Ayurvedic principles such as massages with potent oil blends, hair masks, or shirodhara that involves pouring warm, medicated oil over the forehead and scalp to combat dryness and boost hair growth. However, at-home practices with over-thecounter products are the ones primarily seeing momentum.

Hair oiling in India has come a long way with brands today blending multiple oils and botanicals to create the most potent and effective product. “We have noticed a growing demand for personalised haircare solutions tailored to individual hair types and concerns,” says Mira Kulkarni, founder and chairperson, Forest Essentials. “Consumers appreciate the customised approach of Ayurveda, which takes into account their unique dosha (body-mind type) and recommends products and treatments accordingly.”