Perming

People display stupidity in various creative ways. I proved to the world I was stupid when I permed my hair for my sister. That's right. My elder sister and me, both had long beautiful straight hair. My sis wanted to see how permed hair would look on her and it's but natural for people to experiment on others. That's why we have wine tasters, food critiques, rat experiments and my sister.
So we landed at one of the best parlours in Delhi. The process started with combing, shampooing, spraying, shampooing, combing, drying, combing, applying reconstructor (check dictionary), leaving it on for 3-5 minutes, rechecking hair and deciding on an alkaline wave (consult chemistry teacher). This was followed by rod selection. The action of a perm comes from changing cystine bond to cysteine, which is the effect of reducing the cystine bond. This process allows the polypeptide chains to slip along side of each other to conform to the circle (curl) produced when the hair is wrapped around the rod (I swear this is in English).
So I had to sit for about three hours while this chemical reaction was going on my silky smooth straight hair. One of the chemical bottles read Caution: Avoid contact with eyes, nose, and mouth. (What about hair????). The rollers got really heavy after a point and I was almost pleading them to please let me go. They did finally, after applying neutaraliser and more washing first in warm then in cold then in mixed water. My hair was curly and rough. It looked good to everyone who did it, to the woman who took loads of money for it with a smile that was stuck on her face with permanent glue.
I couldn't wait for six months for my hair to be like that. I cut them short. My sister never indulged in it. My hair was never the same again. They are straight and long but that bounce and silky nature got lost in the chemicals somewhere.
I'm not saying perming is bad. It looks really sexy and is a welcome change. But make sure you have the time and the energy to take care of permed hair. And it's an everyday care and it's expensive. Be good to your hair. Aadios!

Toulou

Some people are born with great hair, others achieve greatness while yet others hanker for it their whole life.

Well, you too can be in the 'achievement' catehory as long as you have the time, money and patience. Make no mistake, shampoos and conditioners are never enough. You have to spend hours 'doing stuff' before you get the silky shiny look that models toss around in Tv advertisement. Thanks to special effects and photoshop.

One of the options available is straightening. Technically known as rebonding, this is a process which permanently solves your frizzy/ wavy hair problems. Of course, permanent in the hair world means... six months. But those six months are bliss.

Of course, it's a tedious and expensive process. First of all, keep aside an entire day. Be prepared to get a lot of bad smelling gunk applied to your hair. Then sit, read magazines. Wash. Dry.

Note: This is not as fun as it sounds. Your hair, slathered with rebonding cream is fixed onto plastic slats so you have to sit very straight!

Anyhow, once blow dried more cream is applied, then your hair is staightened all over with an iron (not the kapdewala, the kind especially for yur baal). At the end of about 5 hours your hair looks really nice. Now you have to be careful not to let any water or even sweat touch your head for 2 days.

That's when you come back to the salon, wash your hair and finally get it treated for dryness. Rebonding, being a chemical process, requires this.

But from now on life is a breeze. Your hair dries quickly, it falls nicely and generally looks neat and shiny. You do need to use a specified shampoo and conditioner (I prefer Schwarzkopf 'repair and rescue') which costs quite a bit (400 bucks per bottle). But then I said great hair never came cheap, didn't I?

The rebonding itself costs Rs 4000-6000 depending where you do it. I would recommend a good salon since a bad job would completelt ruin your hair.

And yeah, some say it's out of fashion but if you like the look - go ahead. It's your life, your hair!

Rashmi Bansal

Ok! Bored with my normal, black straightened hair, I decide, I want some colour in my life (quite literally!). I call up a parlour, take an appointment, and find my self seated on the streaking table. I have something in mind and make it known to the stylist. She tells me, its old- fashioned, I'll give u something new. I shut up, assuming, she knows better( read trusting).
The process starts.
An assistant is asked to wash and condition my hair. After that, the stylist sections my hair and takes a strip of silver foil(yes, the ones in which u wrapped your Tiffin box in school), places a section of my black hair on it, and paints it ruthlessly with a brush. Likewise, she covers all sections of my hair with the silver foil. Almost 30 strips. Takes around 20-30 minutes for the foiling. Then, I am asked to wait for another half an hour, for the colour to catch. Luckily, a friend had accompanied me, so I didn't look like someone who was alone in the world with no one to talk to!
30 minutes are over, I am all excited to check out my new look! I am told, "colour pakda nahi abhi tak, wait for another 20 minutes". I think, " ab itna intezaar kiya hai, toh 20 minutes aur sahi".
20 mins over.
She opens the foils, asks the assistant to wash and condition my hair. The stylist blow dries and styles it.
I look up into the mirror, and to my dismay, I find my tresses in shades of gold and copper!
I now think, why in the name of God did I presume, that this would be better than my black straightened hair!!!
I put up a smile, thank her for changing my look(read life!).
She ends with, "Give it time to settle sweety. Will look much nicer after the first wash".( ye rite!)
I open my wallet, let loose 3500 bucks(I went with a budget of 3000 bucks.)
and leave, still trying to fathom, that I now looked like , a dumb blonde!.
I went in for streaking and came out SHRIEKING!(really)

Remember
Choose a colour that complements your skin tone. If you have a particular colour in mind, let the stylist know it. Always carry extra cash. Promise yourself, that you will take proper care of your already damaged hair. There is a difference between Streaking and Highlighting.

Facts-
PRICE: 500-2500 TIME: 1-3 hours

Amal Solanki

Hair today, gone tomorrow
Removing hair is not a big thing, but if that hair is on your head, dude you're crazy. It takes guts to be that crazy. Sighting an example of a friend, we were then just out of college. Her hair was not exceptionally good but not bad either. And then one day, when I knocked at her door, a bald head opened the door. It was all gone, but it looked great. Plus the Delhi summers were calling for it.
Going bald is a very healthy thing to do for your hair. All hair problems are taken care of. Plus the new hair that grows takes some time to get damaged. It's a new life for the hair. So if you have the courage (and no money) then I suggest go bald. I really don't, so abstain from suggesting it to me!

Toulou