Messy, wavy hairdos replace sleek sculpted look

Now, it seems to be the time to bid adieu to perfect Victorian ringlets and immaculately tied French knots and go all messy with respect to hairstyle.

Fashionistas and filmstars ranging from Bollywood divas like Deepika Padukone to those from Hollywood like Cheryl Cole are preferring stunningly messy dos, a transition from neatly styled tresses.

“A messy hair bun does not imply a look achieved out of the turmoil of wind, it is still fundamentally a bun but the thing is to keep the hairdo as natural as possible. The idea is to work with the hair and not against it," says celebrity hairstylist Rod Anker.

Anker, who was recently appointed as a brand ambassador of haircare brand Schwarzkopf Professional lists boho chic braids, messy hairbuns and natural curls as three most popular hairdos for the season.

“Girls do not want the conventional straightening or neat buns anymore. Rumpled up pixie look, random twists and turns to a messy bob, asymmetrical side bangs with natural wavy look are very popular with women who visit us,” says Hassan, a senior hairdresser at Anker's Monsoon Salon.

The vintage braid or the French plait, say stylists is also seeing a return but with a twist. Also wavy hair accompanied by a side swept fishtail braid seems to be another latest trend for fashion forward women.

“A lot of girls are going for buns and plaits nowadays. Earlier, a lot of them feared that this would add more years to their age by giving them a mature look but now with a ruffled tinge to the bun, wavy and scrunch look back in fashion, they are no longer shying from them," says Jeet Singh, the head hairstylist at Showstopper Salon in Preet Vihar, Delhi.

Anker says there is talk about bohemian chic. “It is a more 70s look hair style with a natural make up and nude lips. One hair style is a combination of neat and clean with a little bit of texture through the braids and not over done with the messy hair look,” he says.

Also women, say stylists, are experimenting with their hair owing to the rise in their awareness of internationally popular hairstyles and even hair colours.

“Creative chunks especially in deep red or burgundy and champagne highlights are also a lot in demand,” says Hassan.

Anisha Khanna, a masters’ student from Jesus and Mary College says, “I am a big fan of updos where twirling the hair and braiding them are involved. I want to look different and I do not care if I do not fit a quintessential homely girl type. I know the ombre hair colour technique is really in and I intend to try it out soon.”

While monsoons bring in relief from the searing summer, they are notorious for playing havoc with hair and most women, say stylists prefer to do up their hair.

“My favourite hairstyle for these humid days is the mussed up chignon bun. The updo, when accessorised right is ideal for both a casual lunch with girlfriends as well as a formal dinner. By keeping my hair from touching the nape of my neck in this hot weather, this messy and effortlessly stylish look is a winner that feels just right,” says Ishita Jain, a post graduate student from Miranda House, Delhi.

No longer content on age-old home remedies for managing hair problems, stylists say that they have seen an increasing number of customers approaching experts to seek opinion on peculiarities of their hair type.

“Women are not satisfied with the weekly ritual of coconut massage or routine shampooing and conditioning. They want expert advice on exactly which product to apply to control excessive sweating of the scalp, given the ongoing humidity and their hair type, as well as how to manage frizzy hair and itching often caused during monsoon," says Vikas, manager at Looks by Loreal salon.

Taking about the texture and peculiarity of Indian hair types, Aussie stylist Anker points out that curly hair rather than poker straight hair is ‘quite in’.

“I love curly hair. I use my fingers to just tease curly hair. With naturally curly hair you don't have to overdo it. Curly hair needs to have the right amount of moisture in it to give you that fullness,” says Anker.