Adhuna Bhabani – Prima Donna of Indian Hairdressing
From helming an expansive salon chain to heading film projects, there’s very little in the Indian salon industry that Adhuna hasn’t tried. Running a multi-format salon business and developing her very own hair products brand, she is living the dream of every hairdresser in India. Beauty Launchpad finds out what keeps Adhuna ticking and how has the journey been so far in an exclusive interview. — By Kanishka Ramchandani
The story was first published as a Cover Feature in Beauty Launchpad India. Here are a few excerpts from the exclusive interview –
Not only is Adhuna an adept hairdresser but also an entrepreneur with uncanny business acumen. The way she and her team have shaped the BBLUNT brand over the years is a testimony of how she is way ahead of her times.
Plans for 2019?
While much of what happens at BBLUNT is carefully planned and precisely executed, the team is always ready to take on challenges. BBLUNT is now going strong on the franchise format and this will be the brand’s mainstay for 2019. Adhuna also spoke about adding to the product portfolio with specialised hair products that are easy to use for end consumers.
Hair Education in India?
Having learnt from the best hair masters in the UK, Adhuna wants Indian hairdressers to get similar hair education in India. The BBLUNT Academy has a well-rounded approach toward education and training. Adhuna has designed the coursework and modules in a way that makes a BBLUNT graduate on par with international hairdressers. She has a ‘no compromise’ attitude toward hair education and expects similar standards from young talent wanting to join the industry.
“Being a hairstylist is not all fun and play. It’s taken long years of hard work and grit to get where we’re at today. So, my foremost message to aspirants would be to get into it for the right reasons. Hairstyling might look
glamorous from the outside but is a lot of hard work. Come with an open mind and the flexibility to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. Be dedicated, committed and driven and above all be passionate about what you do”, says Adhuna. “Before you begin scouting for courses, you have to bear in mind that you can’t mess with your foundation. So, choose your academy and course wisely; one that works to make you a holistic hairstylist, that understands the workings of a salon whilst understanding the client better than anyone else; what makes them both tick.”
Trends?
“Cutting is very freestyle, using the scissors to create a ‘character’ to the hair, and the finish is almost made to look like you are ‘coming in from, not going out to a party.’ It is all about playing with the texture of your hair. It’s very wash-and-go with natural movement. The layers are more seamless, free-flowing and invisible. The colour techniques are free and unstructured as well, keeping with the direction the hair texture is in. It’s all about creating bespoke haircuts keeping in mind the length and texture of a person’s hair, their lifestyle, their likes and dislikes and the weather conditions.”
Bridal Looks?
With B-town A-listers tying the knot and flooding the Internet with their bridal avatars, the big fat Indian wedding season has turned bigger and fatter. Adhuna had some important advice to give to both brides and their hairstylists:
“It is important to identify hairstyles that complement your make-up preferences and any special features that you want to accentuate. You could work with your stylist to identify which style works best for you – open hair, structured up-dos or soft romantic up-dos, bouncy curls, half tied hair or the sleek and chic look. You could go in for cascading loose, romantic curls, enhancing what you naturally have or adding more length and volume with extensions. Easy breezy beach textured waves are also still most sought after and a great dry shampoo is enough to create this look.”
“For the traditional brides who prefer the classic look, buns are still on trend as we saw with Meghan Markle. Always remember perfectly cut and coloured hair complements great styling. Be sure to prep towel-dried hair with BBLUNT Repair Remedy Leave-in Cream to tame flyaways and ready the hair for styling.”
Future of the industry?
In the wake of the discussions around poaching that the industry veterans had taken up on social media, Adhuna pointed out that though the industry is making rapid progress, we also have to deal with a lot of unwanted mess. Many people are entering the industry with the sole intention of making a quick buck and are using unethical means to achieve this goal. Adhuna and several other senior salon owners have, therefore, come together to put in place a code of conduct that will allow salon owners to hire the right people without the fear of poaching and thereby limit unethical practices. This endeavour has started with Mumbai and in the long run, it will hopefully be seen across India.