Behind the allure of silver hair
- Platinum, gunmetal or smokey—After having a trickle-down moment in India, silver hair will continue to shine this year -
- Lounge speaks to five individuals from various creative professions about why they decided to take on the ultra-light shade
There was a silver lining last year among the strands of black, brown, blond and red. Earlier described as an internationally popular trend by L’Oréal, silver hair is now seeing a trickle-down moment in India, where young professionals, especially those in creative roles, are experimenting with the ultra-light dye.
Agnes Chen, national technical head at hair colour brand Streax Professional, attributes its popularity to the boldness of the hue. “It’s an understated statement but it’s not subtle either. The colour also stands for maturity and power."
Two Mumbai-based salons which specialize in it are Happy in the Head and Zido. The former’s founder, Avani Yashwin—whose hair has been silver for four years now —vouches for the trend’s popularity. “It’s a fresh and unique aesthetic. In our country, people usually don’t colour their hair for fun, but usually to disguise their age or to not feel uncomfortable, and they usually do it with darker shades. With silver, the colour lends itself very well to hair and acts as a great base for blending other colours very nicely."
Zido founder Zingranwon Shatsang agrees. “The colour has really picked up over the last year. It’s also a very hard colour to achieve on darker hair, which is what makes it so unique, because it can take up to 17 hours and multiple bleaching and colouring sessions to achieve the right lightness. I think it will carry on being popular into this year as well."
Lounge spoke to five creative folks on what made them try the trend.
Taniya Biswas
CO-FOUNDER AT SUTA
“I coloured my hair silver because of my father. He’s a fitness enthusiast and would regularly colour his salt-and-pepper hair to look younger. But he contracted glaucoma earlier this year and had to undergo treatment. He was upset because it prevented him from washing or colouring his hair for a while. I wanted to support him and make him realize that he looks better when he wears his hair naturally."
Pro tip: Condition the hair first, shampoo only the scalp and then recondition. This preserves the vibrancy of the colour.
Raonak Hathiramani
FILM-MAKER AND PHOTOGRAPHER AT RECALL PICTURES
“I had seen international bloggers try the trend and was curious to see how it would suit Indian skin. As a photographer, I am usually behind the lens. This colour helped me, or rather my alter ego, get noticed. While covering a wedding, someone in their 30s—who had been trying to dye their hair black because of premature white hair—thanked me for having hair that looked cool and let me express myself."
Pro tip: Stock up on purple-tinted shampoo and conditioner for protection against dirt.
Millniece Pinto
DIGITAL LEAD AT DYSCO INDIA APP
“Some years ago, platinum blonde was a big trend. It was my gateway colour to silver. I am an introvert and shy, but the colour was a way of pushing myself to be seen. It has been a good ice-breaker while interacting with strangers. Since the colour’s base is so light, it has given me the versatility to dye different colours over it. It has given me some freedom, in a sense."
Pro tip: Before you get your hair coloured, go to a good salon and get your hair tested and know that you are getting it coloured because you actually want to, and have no regrets later.
Kayaan Contractor
CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT SHAPESHIFTER
“I usually don’t stick to one hairstyle and wanted to grow my hair out. One of the clearer ways to measure how fast hair grows is to colour it in a different shade. I was inspired by supermodel Cara Delevigne’s short, platinum bob. I like that lightly textured hair, with the blunt cut under the bob. I now see many people colouring their hair, maybe because they have become so interested in it and are willing try it. It has that universal pull."
Pro tip: A moisturizing conditioner will prevent your hair from becoming dry after dyeing.
Prerna Nahata
RADIO JOCKEY
“I was watching Beta (1992), where Aruna Irani had only the front of her hair streaked silvery grey. I found it cool and got it done too. It wasn’t a completely impulsive decision, though. The colour spoke more to me than anything I had done before. It is a feeling I can best describe as non-conformist and empowering. I feel like people are done with having too much colour and are finding simpler ways of feeling confident ."
Pro tip: Many get the bottom half (coloured), just in case they don’t like it and want to chop it off. But it’s good to go with your gut instinct.
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FIRST PUBLISHED12.01.2020 | 09:40 AM IST
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