The closest I have come to feeling the wedding jitters this month is while watching the reruns of ‘Say Yes To The Dress’ and fabricating make-belief scenarios in my head. A classic case of self-sabotage (*sighs*), but hey, moving on: one must note that the wedding season is officially upon us, and if you are a bride-to-be, congratulations are in order! I am sure a bunch of you are devouring every bridal edit for decor inspiration, scouting venues and creating a Pinterest-sque mood board to translate your magical vision into an all-encompassing, tangible event. After all, the day you vow to love another being for the rest of your existence is significant, to say the least.
Amongst the gazillion things that you, the bride, has to check off her list before the nuptials, getting the wedding look down to the T is inarguably the most important. Which would include finding a killer, flattering ‘fit, sorting out the glam for the day and a hairdo which will tie the entirety of the ensemble together! I firmly believe that good healthy tresses wield immense power on any special occasion and can make or break your look. For it to look all luxuriant and glossy on D-Day: attention must be paid! Bolstering the health of the hair on the inside is what makes it look impeccable on the outside, and with that thought, I reached out to an industry expert Dr Apratim Goel, a Celebrity Dermatologist and Director of Cutis Skin Studio to help all the brides out there with a hair boot camp in light of their impending ceremonies. Keep reading for wonderful insights, tips and tricks for luscious wedding hair. Ace the walk down the aisle, one hair flip at a time.
Beauty Book: How to bolster your hair for it to look good on the outside?
Dr Apratim Goel: First and foremost, it's crucial to correct any internal nutrition deficiencies and hormonal imbalances and I recommend directing efforts towards these measures, at least three months before the wedding. Hair requires a lot of nutrition that isn’t available in a normal diet. My tool kit contains Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, the various forms of Vitamin B. Hair needs a supplement for its structure, a different nutrient for improving the strength of the roots and it also requires a healthy dose of omega 3, 6, 9 for the ultimate shine and impeccable texture.
However, if a bride is approaching us, just weeks before her big day, I usually recommend going for the IV intravenous process for hair restoration.
When it comes to external care, serums are perfect and help with the manageability of the hair. Ideally serums should be used on wet hair. That is, after washing your hair, towel drying it , take a few drops of your serum and apply it on the length of your hair and not the roots. However, there are hair growth nourishing serums also, so when you are picking out a serum, check whether it's meant for the shaft or the roots.
Beauty Book: How to take care of your scalp which may be strained due to over styling and intricate hairdos?
Dr Apratim Goel: For a bride, ensuring the health of the scalp becomes slightly tricky due to hairdos and use of products. So a couple of things that one can bear in mind, so that the scalp’s well being is intact —prestyling, the hair has to be hydrated for which a lot of hydrating sprays are available in the market like Schwarzkopf and Loreal. Follow this up with a serum application which has to be done prior to the styling. Immediately after you are done with styling (use heat, styling spray) ensure to apply a serum which will help soften the hair. Try to use more pins for styling as opposed to using excessive hair for the style to stay intact.
Beauty Book: What are the products that should be in a bride’s SOS kit?
Dr Apratim Goel: A bride needs to look presentable at all times, so I would recommend keeping a dry shampoo handy, a backcombing brush and a hair spray handy. While picking out a hair spray, there are medium and strong hold varieties available in the market. I would recommend picking them. You can also keep a hair sprinkle powder in your go-to kit, which comes in different colours and needs to be meshed during application. Rather than using a setting spray, you may opt for a hydrating spray post styling. Keep a generous amount of pins, rubber bands and other relevant hair accessories in your SOS kit. The next day, make sure to wash your hair with an anti-hairfall shampoo, glossy conditioner and finish off with a serum.
Beauty Book: What are some supplements that the brides can turn to?
Dr Apratim Goel:There are a lot of supplements one can turn to, most of these supplements for hair are multivitamins. And there is a cyclical dosing therapy which is used. For example, say on a Monday you are taking a Vitamin A, Vitamin C, then take some other vitamins on the following days of the week which is good for hair nutrition.
Beauty Book: What are some of the hair colour trends for brides that are here to stay?
Dr Apratim Goel: Going for lighter shades- brown and chestnut or mix of those is something you may opt for which enhances your complexion. Since it requires bleaching, your hair will require immense care and attention.
