Jawed Habib repackages ancient service of 'champi' as Hair Yoga

By: Ritwika Gupta
 

His zest for life is eternal and his vivacious personality almost infectious. Meet the hair icon of India - Jawed Habib ? the renowned hair stylist, who has made a mark for himself in a career spanning over 25 years.

Known for his association with fashion and celebrities, Habib has also authored best-selling hair books, is a hair consultant, an architect of a unique range of hair products and winner of numerous tresses awards. Habib shot to fame with his drive to make hair color fashionable across all sections of society in India.

A die-hard optimist, Habib?s career journey has been very exciting so far. Shedding some light on his younger days, he says that he was always inspired by his father but it was his experience at the London Hair Dressing School that helped him choose a career in hairstyling. It was here that he learnt the art of systematic approach to the hair profession.

?I decided that I wanted to become a hair dresser when I went to a famous hair dressing school in London. There was no looking back for me from there,? Habib shares.

Talking about the evolution of the hair and beauty industry over the years, Habib says, ?Personal grooming has become more of a basic need than a luxury, as it was thought five or so years ago. Today?s generation is image conscious. Considering today?s fast paced life, people do not have time for themselves. They would like to be groomed in the shortest possible time, in the best possible ways and at the most affordable prices possible. Everyone needs to look presentable at all times ? whether it is your workplace, your office or business or home.?

With trends changing at the drop of a hat, hairstylists are required to keep their abilities and skills up to date. ?If you want to stay in the business, your skills better adapt. Clients are so active about the ongoing trends that they bring in photographs on their smart phones of the hairstyle or color they have in mind,? Habib informs.

His skills, aesthetic sensitivity and solid expertise, helped him understand the needs of growing Indian market. Moreover in India, Bollywood has for long exerted a deep influence on popular Indian fashion. This year, Habib predicts that boho waves, long tails, braids and twists, big buns and bombshell blowouts are some of the trends to watch out for.

?Any haircut or new look adorned by an actor in a hit movie immediately becomes a prime tresses trend for a stylist to reproduce. But one has to understand that it?s not easy to replicate the look as the actor usually spends two hours behind that look. When it comes to a normal person, he or she cannot spend two hours on styling hair in their day to day life.?

The amount of chemicals that one puts in their hair these days is almost unbelievable. From hair rebonding, straightening, highlights and perming, the various chemical treatments impact the quality of one?s hair. While Habib agrees that these chemical treatments do cause damage, he is quick to point out that if the hair is healthy and the treatments are done by a professional, it will not damage the hair to a great extent. ?You need to deeply condition your hair after a treatment by applying a weekly hair mask,? the hair expert advises.

In order to maintain and take good care of hair, it is necessary to use high-quality products according to Habib. And that?s where Jabib Habib Hair Yoga comes in! Through Hair Yoga, Habib is introducing the ancient service of 'Champi' or head massage using oils specially created by the house of Jawed Habib, which will help improve the overall hair health and texture.

?This year, we are coming up with Jawed Habib Hair Yoga, which will have 12 products like a shampoo, serum and oil etc. These products will take good care of different types of hair ranging from dry, oily, curly, frizzy and even coloured-treated hair,? he shares.

Apart from his celebrity image, Habib is also an entrepreneur with 480 salons across 92 cities in India. Habib confesses that the secret behind his success was the attitude that he and his staff adopted over the years.

Habib believes that education can change any profession. The expert hones his skills and learns every day. He attributes his success in this profession to education. ?Learning our job well is of utmost importance. This gives an edge to us over others,? he signs off with a confident smile on his face.