Whether it's covering one’s greys, experimenting with vibrant new hues or just embracing the natural shades, hair dyes symbolise control over one’s looks and are a tool of self-expression especially for women.
While back in the day hair was linked to attractiveness and long-lustrous strands conformed to the conventional idea of beauty, now the narrative seems to have changed. Now, hair represents autonomy over self and hair dyes have come to play a long role in the same.
We gained more understanding on this subject as we sat down with the cast of Four More Shots Please! for a quick chat about their collaboration with L'Oreal Paris. The four leading ladies namely Sayani Gupta, Bani J, Kirti Kulhari and Maanvi Gagroo, as part of the My Hair Color, My Expression campaign, got their hair coloured and each one of them called it an empowering experience.
Sayani, who was between shoots, told us that she’s always up for experimenting and getting her hair coloured was a no-brainer. She has maintained short hair for as long as she could recall and now, all she does is follow a basic routine to keep them healthy. Unlike what content creators and social media influencers tell us today, Sayani has successfully let go of the notion that hair is everything and that, she shared, is a freeing feeling.
Kirti too comes from a similar understanding and she’s now “fearless” with her hair. Spilling some haircare secrets, the actress shares, “My routine is basic but the one thing I do differently now is that I condition my loose strands first, then shampoo my scalp, and then condition again. One thing I learned growing up in my village was washing hair was chaas (buttermilk) because it conditions it well. Now it has even become a trend but ladies of my family have been doing it a long time ago.”
While Sayani, Kirti and Maanvi pointed out the importance of a good hair care routine, one that includes mum’s beloved oil massage, Bani emphasised the importance of eating right. Well, you can’t blame her. Fitness is her maiden name.
“I believe that whole nutrient-rich foods in your belly are the way to go! Topical products can only do so much. As for hair care, I just follow simple rules. You shouldn’t wring your hair after you wash it with a towel like most people tend to do. You are supposed just to pat it dry between the towels. There is no need to rub it between your hands - that friction isn’t doing any good,” she concluded.