SecretS to thick, Shiny hair

With new salon treatments and souped-up juices, the promise of lustrous locks is now a reality

Hard not to notice the flat-ironed hair seen on the ramps of Rajesh Pratap Singh, Wendell Rodricks, Theyskens’ Theory, and Vanessa Bruno. But the buzzword at salons? Volume. “When women come to me for a haircut, they all want something that will give their hair more bounce,” says hair stylist Rod Anker, who runs the Monsoon chain of salons in Delhi, and judges the hair talent show A Cut Above on Zoom. A glossy, full-bodied mane is a sign of health, vitality, and youth, agree experts. No wonder then, that in-salon treatments that lock in the moisture and sheen, and styling tricks that give you all that body, represent the new holy grail in hair. Like the Kérastase Paris Fusio-Dose (`900 approx), which uses vitacement and calcium to infuse ceramides into the hair filament to add density. The Wella SP Alchemy

Service Volumise (`1,250 upwards), strengthens damaged hair with a creatine protein infusion and polymers to create a protective film that gives volume, explains Sylvia Chen, Wella’s care and style expert, and hairstylist for Mumbai’s who’s who including Shobhaa De, and Neha and Ira Dubey. At home you can amplify fullness with the right products. Alternate between a shampoo that stimulates hair growth, like Kérastase Bain Stimulist (`1,800), and a volumising shampoo and conditioner like TiGi Bed Head Style Shots Epic Volume Shampoo (`700), and Conditioner (`850), which have glycerine for moisture and low levels of silicone, which don’t weigh the hair down. Dove Nourishing Oil Care Vita Oil Serum (`300), is a blend of coconut, almond, and sunflower oils, which adds instant shine and yet is super-light. A volume mousse like L’Oréal Professional Tecni.Art Hot Style Constructor (`550), or Schwarzkopf Professional OSiS Body Me (`950), when applied to damp hair and blast-dried, makes hair look fuller

and stronger. Go au naturel with Alterna Bamboo Volume Plumping Strand Expand, (`1,500), a styling cream that enhances hair colour whilst adding volume, or Ouidad Botanical Boost Moisture Infusing & Refreshing Spray (`1,100). If in-salon treatments and products are not satisfactory, intelligent colouring works to add radiance and a plumped look to your mane that lasts longer than any treatment. Anker’s favourite trick: Adding visual volume with highlights. “A solid colour gives a two-dimensional effect, but interspersed highlights make it look three-dimensional, therefore, fuller,” he explains. Matrix SoColor Hollywood Lights (price as per length) uses a pre-adjusted formula to eliminate warm undertones that can make the hair look flat, to give a visual richness and fullness to the hair. The hair is dyed in a way to give an ombre effect, with the roots being darker and the ends lighter, making it look more naturally sun-kissed. While cut plays an important role in how thick your hair looks,

Chen has a styling tip. “Soft curls done with benders on the underside of the hair and not the top, starting five inches below the crown, so the curls lie hidden but give your hair a lift from below.” You can try this trick occasionally when your hair looks limp and flat, or get a soft permanent curl done on the underside for fullness that lasts. Raise the bar a little? Mesotherapy (`30,000 for 13 sessions) uses a micro-injection on the scalp to replenish vitamins and minerals right to the root of the problem, stimulating new hair growth, explains Dr Manish Khanna, the Kolkata-based hair restoration surgeon, and president, Indian Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. “It stops hair fall and encourages hair to grow out healthier. It goes into your hair reserve and brings about growth but doesn’t add more hair follicles. That is impossible, unless you pick up a few swatches of hair extensions to attach to your scalp.” He also suggests castor oil, which seeps into the follicle and

bulks up the hair. “Your diet is important too,” says Shefali Shetty, salon director at b:blunt, and the go-to hairstylist for Bollywood. Her remedy for dry, dull hair: Lots of water, a tablespoon of olive oil a day, and a vitamin E pill. Dr Khanna adds antioxidants, zinc, potassium, calcium, and amino acids to the list.