We know where we’re going for our next hair colour

Hair has long been an intrinsic part of our identity. We use it to try on new personalities and bring out a different version of ourselves each time with an array of style and colour options to choose from. But it wasn’t always easy, or accurate. Kids growing up in the ‘90s and early aughts know the feeling of wanting the ‘Rachel’ look and trying to explain it to a parlour aunty who is dead set on giving you a mushroom cut, and only a mushroom cut.

L’Oréal Professionnel Paris has saved us from a lot of the trauma of katori cuts over the past 25 years. That’s how long they’ve been training and refining the expertise of hairdressers and colourists at their 11 academies across the country.

With expert hairdressers came a world of new possibilities. The French balayage, high-low bobs, and pixie cuts were no longer just looks we lusted over in magazines.

In recognition and celebration of the progress that this new generation of hairdressers and colourists have made, L’Oréal Professionnel Paris brought us The Indian Hairdressing Awards (IHA). The 4th edition of the awards ceremony held at Grand Hyatt this year was a very special evening for the industry, marking the 25th year of L’Oréal Professionnel Paris being in India, raising the bar of creativity and hair artistry.

To participate in the competition, hairdressers from across the country were invited to put their own spin on the forever trending French Balayage, a L’Oréal Professional Paris signature colouring technique. 26 finalists were selected who then battled head-to-head in the on-ground finale on February 22, doing real-time hair consultations with models and providing them with a customized French Balayage that met the technical requirements, while also enhancing the models’ natural features.

Seeing the colourists at work is like watching a master painter wielding a brush. Swiping the hair colour along sections of hair. Some long strokes, some short. Others were quick and edgy, while some took their time to get the precise amount of colour on each section of hair.

The participants were ready with their A-game, especially considering the judging panel consisted of industry leaders Simon Koh, founder and artistic director of Elle Hair Studio Group, Malaysia; Natalie Kasses, creative director of the award-winning Pastels Salon in Dubai; Photographer Jatin Kampani, creative makeup and hair artist Venus Ferriera, and hair guru Aalim Hakim himself.

The awards were divided into two main categories, creative and business, with sub-categories under each. We were excited to see Rehan Ahmed Shaikh from Envi Salon & Spa, Thane, take home the People’s Choice Award. Raju Rajak from Geetanjali Salon, Gurgaon, won the Style and Color Trophy with Sunnykumar Limbachiya from Sunny Anand Spalon, Mehsana, and Sandipbhai Limbachiya from Mihir Salon, Vadodara coming in as first and second runner up, respectively.

The Young Colourist Award went to Santosh Kumar from Rexam Salon, Ahmedabad, with Shibhangi Bhagat, AN John Salon & Academy, Kolkata, drawing in as the first runner up.

Priyansh Khatri of CV Salon, Jabalpur, bagged the Young Entrepreneur Award. Best Social Commerce Salon went to Enrich and Best Digital Marketing Salon to Green Trends. 

None of the finalists disappointed. If this is the future of hairstyling and colour in India, then our hair couldn’t be happier.