Haircare For Festive Season: A Step-by-Step Guide - Check Expert's Advice

With Ganesh Chaturthi, the festive reason has officially begun in India. While India celebrates Bappa this month - the 10-day Ganeshotsav kicked off on September 19 - come October, it will be time for Navratri/Durga Puja which will be followed by Dhanteras, Diwali, Bhai Dooj and Karva Chauth in November. The year-end obviously sees grand Christmas and New Year celebrations. With a series of festivals and parties lined up, it means new clothes, new makeup and new hairstyles, along with binging and merrymaking. While people are largely take care of their skin, haircare is often neglected. Clelia Cecilia Angelon, Founder & CEO of Surya Brasil, shares, "While food is an important aspect of festivals, decking up in trendy ethnic wear is also equally exciting. Good skin and gorgeous hair can elevate your look many notches higher. Most of us do take care of the skin by religiously following a skincare routine, but hair care is often neglected. Haircare is extremely simple and easy, when done the right way. With one month to go for Navratri, you can make some changes today in your haircare and build a calendar for yourself to be ready for the festive season."

How To Get Your Hair Ready For Festive Season

Clelia Cecilia Angelon shares some important tips to take care of hair and make them festival-ready. Read on.

1. Stay Hydrated

Water works wonders, not just for your skin but for your hair as well. There is a reason why experts insist that one should drink at least 2-3 litres of water for a clean and clear skin. "However, this water also energises the hair, making the roots stronger, and giving you visible results within a fortnight. In the long run, it can also help to prevent split ends and ensures that your scalp is not just clean but healthier as well. With not much to do, you have so much to gain, so start with increasing your water retention today. You can either set hourly alarms, or use a one litre bottle and finish it thrice in a single day," shares Angelon.

2. Have A Healthy And Balanced Diet

While a balanced diet is important for body functions, the minerals and vitamins present in them help to improve the hair growth and increase the shine, says Angelon. An iron rich diet that can include apples, beetroot and spinach help in making your hair healthier. "Vegan protein is also an excellent source of nutrition which helps in strengthening the roots of the hair, thereby leading to lesser breakage. Dry fruits that include almonds, figs, raisins, walnuts contain essential oils that help in speeding up hair growth. Seasonal fruits are also a must have. This festive season indulge in some care, that will not just impact your hair but overall health as well," Angelon advises.

3. Switch To Natural, Vegan And Organic Haircare Products

Angelon says it's important to embrace the heart and concepts of Ayurveda in our lives and haircare routine as nature has the answers to all our problems. "With the help of technology, we can enhance the impact of Ayurvedic herbs and get better results. Switching to natural, organic and vegan shampoos and hair care products is the right way in this direction. They ensure that the gentle ingredients help your hair reach a healthier version. Doing away with the harsh chemical-based haircare products is the way forward," the expert adds.

4. Say Bye-Bye To Harsh Chemical-Based Hair Dyes

"Today most of us suffer from grey hair, and the easily available chemical-based hair dyes seem to be the popular alternative for most. We all know about the harmful impact of ammonia and its by-products like Ethanolamine, Dietanolamine and Triethanolamine. They can irritate the skin, lead to a burning feeling, and impact mouth, throat, lungs as well as eyes and in some cases lead to cancer. The sulphates, parabens and prethalates too can disbalance the hormones and cause thyroid. Read the label carefully to ensure that these harmful chemicals are not present in any of your haircare products," Angelon points out.

5. Use Henna To Colour Cour Hair A Week Before Festivities Begin

Henna has become the favoured choice of many to replace the prevalent harsh chemical-based hair dyes. Ensure that your henna is free from DEA, TEA, sulfates, resorcinol, PPD, and hydrogen peroxide, says Angelon. She explains that while earlier people shied away from it due to the orangish tint, today natural, organic and vegan henna when mixed with herbs like Jua, Jaborandi, Chamomile, Babaçu Oil, Malva, amla, olive and coconut powder, Guaraná, Copaíba, Açaí, Cumaru, etc from Amazonian rainforests are leading to great results. "You can have stylish hair colors like burgundy, chocolate, copper, red, blonde and also the more traditional dark brown and black. Henna powder pre mixed with these ingredients is available in the market. For those who find henna messy, henna cream is the right choice for them, as it comes with easy to apply applicator and gives you excellent result. Just a week before the festivals begin you can apply henna and enjoy the entire festivities as you will need root touch up in about 21 days," says Angelon.

6. Focus On After Care

Once you have applied henna, it is important to use natural shampoos, conditioners that are specifically made for post colouration care. Being gentle they ensure that your hair is well taken care of while the color lasts longer. Such products also ensure that the hair colour stays longer, and does not fade over time compared to other harsh chemical-based products. 

"In essence making some changes in your hair care routine and becoming conscious of the ingredients is the first step towards a healthier mane. While the festive season will become the big motivator to take that leap, imbibing these changes in your daily life will lead to better habits and healthy and shiny hair, throughout the year," Angelon says.