18–24 May 2012
Contd from p 1 And it’s not just women who are beauty-conscious these days; men too going where no man has gone before! Sarthak Paliwal, who works as a Senior Manager at an MNC, says, “A friend took me to a unisex salon in Supermart four years ago. That day I realised why the ladies spend half of their lives in the parlours. Indulging in a manicure or pedicure is an amazing experience. The pretty ladies pamper your hands and feet, while you comfortably watch an IPL match. And of course, there is no harm in looking good.” “Men contribute to half of our business,” reveals Neelima. A face rejuvenation quick-fix treatment, that makes the skin glow in three to four sittings, seems to be a rage amongst men. “As men spend most of the time out of the home, they are more exposed to pollution and dirt. Thus, their skin needs to be exfoliated at least once a week,” feels Ninu Rangez, a beauty expert based in DLF Phase IV. “I am old enough to understand that skin treatments are no miracles, but when my beautician applies the creams, and rubs and scrubs, I emerge rejuvenated. My skin feels fresh, clean, and bright,” says Raghav, a 40year old IT professional. While for many it is a just feel-good experience, Radhika, a home maker, believes it is a great pastime. She feels that getting pampered at a beauty parlour is a good escape from the daily household chores. A Class X student of Pathways World School, Karan, seconds that. “It is an easy getaway for somebody like me, who is constantly tied up with studies. To me, it is a great pastime,” says Karan. Satya Thakurata, 35, mother of two young girls, opines that looking good gives confidence to children. “It is important to look good and well-groomed, regardless of age. Today, parlours offer specials like fruit smoothie facials, kiddie pedicures and manicures, and hair styles for children aged under-14,” informs Satya. “I went for a massage last year, and I loved it. It’s an extremely relaxing experience,” says Avni, who is now 14. Avni is hooked. So are her friends, who she brought to the parlour. Avni was treated to a special spa treatment on her birthday, and knows about the merits and demerits of various facial and hair treatments. Having nail art done at a birthday party is a new fad among the kids. Kavita Nail Art, a nail art parlour based in
{ Lipi Patel }
I
t’s a dusty windy night; Gurgaon can look beautiful at night. My balcony where I am sitting right now, overlooks the highway. Watching a battery of headlights speeding crazily to and fro on NH8, I desperately wait – and wait. Wait for the rain drops to kiss my face; the roaring clouds are increasing my hope. It just makes me wonder how painfully beautiful is this experience of “waiting” – waiting to reach your destination, to keep faith, to keep trying, to struggle till we reach there. I remember myself as a very patient kid; but my experience says that with growing age we start to despise waiting. Today, with the help of growing technology and timesaving appliances, it seems patience, once a virtue, has now become an anachronism. The whole generation is going crazy about 3G internet, fast cars, non - stop traffic. It seems nobody wants to wait.
C over S tory
Fair Game
Sector 14, reveals that 30 per cent of its clientèle are kids. With the onset of summer vacations, plans are in the pipeline to introduce special offers for kids. “We use only organic products, which lower the risk of any side effect,” says Kavita, the owner. Although the ill-effects of chemicals on kids can be debated at great length, we can’t deny that these treatments have many takers in the City. Ali, a beauty expert at a parlour in South City II, says, “Most parents don’t mind pampering their kids at a salon. Indeed, a few parlours in the City offer family massage packages, for a couple and one kid.” However, Rani, a mother of a 15 year-old boy, completely disagrees. “I have been dealing with this issue since my son turned 12. All his friends get their eyebrows shaped, manicures, and colour their hair. But I take my son to salons only for haircuts. Till now, I am his manicurist and pedicurist, as I want to hold on to his innocence for as long as I can. Also, as a parent, my job is to feed him, give him good education and love; and not to buy him beauty treatments that are black holes for money.”
A Costly Affair
The fashion-conscious Gurgaonites shell out anything between Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 25,000 per month. Some spend Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 20,000 for hair extensions every month; and Rs. 30,000 on rebonding or a perming procedure every five months. “Right now, the most expensive hair treatments are the hair extensions. Hair straightening procedures could cost anywhere between Rs. 8,000 to Rs.15,000, and are done almost regularly in my salon,” says hair expert Smita Gurha. Dr. Chiru Malhotra, who spent Rs. 20,000 on hair extensions, says, “I spend Rs. 5,000 every two months, to maintain my hair extensions. As I can’t wash my hair at home, I go to the parlour every alternate day, and spend Rs. 500 to get it washed. At the end of the day, if you feel happy when you look into the mirror, it’s worth it. After all, there are no price tags for happiness (smiles).” Not just hair treatments, spa and facial massage don’t come cheap. A single spa treatment can leave one poorer by Rs. 4,000, but people don’t mind it. They feel they look richer! Beauty treatments are no more a luxury, but in fact a necessity.
Enjoy The Journey I have heard that, not more than three decades ago, long distance lovers used to wait for several days to hear from each other – and that too through letters. The patience of letter writing has given way to 24*7 instant connectivity – through Black berry, Google chats and Skype. I remember the pre - mobile phone era myself, when I used to hunt for PCO booths for making a call. PCOs seem to be an extinct species now. I can’t believe that we, as a generation, have survived the pre-mobile phone era – for today this device seems almost indispensable to most of us. Waiting, while tedious, can actually be quite valuable. They say “good things come to those who wait”. I read somewhere that “Waiting” is great for creativity. When you are struggling to solve a problem, the more time you have, the more creative you become; the more you struggle, the more you will value success
when you achieve it. The same goes for our relationships. More often than not, I have seen my friends reaching to conclusions of separation and break up too soon – without even trying to give the situation some time, and seeing what happens. But of course, who has the time and patience these days? Wise people have said that finding one’s ideal love, relationship, partner, job, career, money takes a hell of a lot of patience. All of these will eventually come, but we just need to wait for them. All of these lessons are duly noted; but how do you convince a generation of instant-gratification seekers to wait (sometimes for years), when we can’t even sit through one commercial break?! Furthermore, how do you teach this same generation, the one that grew up listening to adages such as, “don’t just sit around and wait” or “you have to act
19
The Flip Side
Rekha, who owns two beauty parlours in the City, says the beauty business rakes in money only if you provide a hygienic and satisfactory service. Despite the City having many high-profile beauty parlours that offer a hospitable staff, quality products, and expertise in hair and skin care, hygiene can be a casualty anywhere. Naina Ghera, who recently went to a well-known parlour for a facial treatment, alleges that she developed two scars on her forehead, three days after the treatment. Now she is undergoing a dermatology treatment for “derma abrasion”. Like Nalini, Chetan Wadhwa, 52, discovered a patch on his head, immediately after a hair colouring treatment. “Even routine treatments like manicure, facial massage, and waxing are not risk-free. Used combs, unsterilised equipment, and unwashed towels can cause infection,” says a dermatologist, Dr. Pooja Mehta. When asked about the ill-effects of such treatments, a beauty expert, Goldy points out that sometimes customers ask for impossible looks. “A 55-year old lady approached me with the idea of having long blonde hair and a flawless skin, like Kate Winslet. She was suffering from acute hair loss and skin pigmentation. They believe that if they are willing to shell out money, the beauty expert has somehow to ensure it,” says Goldy. In India, where the average population is dark-toned, many people now go to parlours with the hope of becoming fairer. “All fairness products normally have sunscreens, that protect the skin from harsh ultraviolet rays. But they can’t make you fair like Kate Winslet (laughs). What we promise is that non-sun-exposed skin can become clear and toned. It is entirely the responsibility of a beauty expert to turn away the impossible requests of customers, rather than eyeing their money,” says Goldy. Fair is lovely is the mantra. We have become fair game. Despite all our bluster, we are not so ‘buland’ or self-confident inside. “Most fairness creams and treatments suppress the production of melanin, which can have a long-term adverse effect on the skin. The treatments tend to polish the skin superficially. People don’t realise it is important to keep the skin clean and healthy. All tones are beautiful,” says Dr. Pooja. And they are anyway just skin deep! u
quickly, otherwise opportunities will pass you by”, that “good things will come to those who wait” – when it feels like everyone else is speeding ahead? The most crucial question is - How do you know (or convince yourself) that something good is really on its way? And how do you stop thinking and waiting for it to come instantly? Even if you are a believer, who has immense faith in the art of “enjoying the journey”, there will be many occasions when you feel like giving it up. In such times, the only thing that works, I believe, is reminding yourself that life happens in the present. So often we let time rush past; we are either worrying about the future or reflecting on the past – while precious seconds of our lives slip away. We’re so focused on what’s next, that we neglect what’s now. So here I am, trying to learn an alternative way - living in the moment; fully experiencing the here and now. And I hope and believe that eventually I will achieve what I want. u