Makeover Time at the Lakme Absolute Salon - #HairIsFashion + Show Stopping Contest

What is life if you don't experiment? I am not one of those who can do the same things day in and day out. I constantly need change atleast as far as my hair is concerned. Just like I shop for new clothes, I go in for a new haircolour every few months(have been colouring my hair since I was 16) and a haircut too once in a while. However due to my pregnancy and then getting busy with baby, these things went out of the window for a while and my hair grew really long and all the existing colour was washed out. As soon as I got the time, I went and got myself a new hair colour in December. However, because of two weddings in the family I didn't go for a new haircut as I needed the long hair for the hairstyles I was planning, but as soon as I got back, you have to see what I did! It's all documented for you - a stunning makeover that included a cut and colour, at the Lakme Absolute Salon in Bandra!

The makeover consisted of selecting a look from Lakme's 'The Show Stopping Hair Collection' - which the expert - Meenakshi would replicate on me. I chose 'The Helix Flair'. In my case, the makeover was broken into 2 visits, one for the haircut as I already had fresh colour in my hair and then about 40 days later a second visit for my hair colour. So let's begin the unveiling of the process and my look :-)

Can you see how short I went?? Well that wasn't what I had planned. Initially I had decided to just go for a trim and layer the haircut but Meenakshi kept trying to convince me to go shorter which I agreed to but on the condition that she wouldn't show me how much she was chopping off. The final result you can see was a nice structured cut which gave me volume but yet was low maintainence. It was much much shorter than I thought she was going to go but nevertheless I loved the haircut! Reminded me of my earlier days where I would not think twice before chopping my hair off while my mom scowled. After all it's hair, it's all going to grow back ;-) The cut brought out my existing colour so beautifully which you can see below.

This haircut over time I have realized is so much more easier to handle with a baby and shorter than what Aryaa can easily tug on. Also the post pregnancy hair loss is minimal as shorter hair can do much better with the same amount of nutrition.

My earlier overall highlights were an alternate application of two shades - gold with copper tints and dark blonde. Meenakshi along with another expert Meena used 3 colours to give me my new look. She used the Igora Royal range for the highlights from Schwarzkopf. The application consisted of one section of copper (L-77) and then 2 sections of copper + gold blonde (L-57) for the auburn effect. For the crown and in between the highlights, she used the Igora range from Schwarzkopf. She used a Dark Brown shade(5.0) which is similar to my original hair colour and is normally used for global colouring. I loved loved the result!

Looks amazing isn't it! :) They've given me highlights under and over as you can see above. The result is a real close match to the image in the catalogue other than the fact that I chose not to go for the purple as it is a high maintenance colour.

This entire process costs:

• Hair Cut - INR 900 + Taxes
• Hair Colour - INR 6,000 + Taxes (Depends on hair length)

I know I am going back soon to the Lakme Absolute Salon for my hair requirements and I would recommend you guys to give it a try too. I am sure you will be as happy as I am!

Finally, we come to the most exciting part of this post for you guys! Courtesy Lakme Absolute Salon, one of you lucky girls gets to win a 'Show Stopping Hair Collection #HairIsFashion experience'! All you have to do is answer this simple question in the comments box below:

"Why do you think #HairIsFashion?"

Rules for the contest are:

1. You have to be a follower of Ri(t)ch Styles on Google Friend Connect - right bar of the blog
2. Like Ri(t)ch Styles page on Facebook HERE
3. Subscribe to my YouTube channel HERE
4. Contest is open to residents of CHENNAI, HYDERABAD, PUNE, DELHI, MUMBAI, BANGALORE and KOLKATA only
5. Contest ends on 28th February 2015

Looking forward to all the lovely entries! Keep them coming!

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You can also email me on ritchstyles@gmail.com :)

Queen For A Day at the Taj Salon

"You don't need a Tiara to be a Princess, you were born a Queen." 

- Kawthar ALHasan

When an invite from the Taj Salon which started with these words was delivered to my doorstep, that too to be pampered like a Queen for a Day, I knew that there was no looking back and I had to say YES. Royalty and Taj go hand in hand - everyone knows that since forever! And when you have also had a crazy Saturday, such events on a Sunday make the pampering much called for.

The warm reception started the minute I set foot inside the Taj Salon at Taj Lands End, Bandra. Lovely smiles, a wonderful team and other bloggers were gonna be my partners in royalty for the next few hours while I relaxed and got treated like a Queen :)

The Taj salon 1st opened its doors in 1940 as one of the only 2 salons in the country and was run by Madame Jacques (a French national) for 42 years. In 1981, the Taj Group took over and renovated and re-launched under the brand ‘Taj Salon’. Some of their earliest employees who joined them back in the 1970s and used to work with Madame Jacques continue to work with them till today. Impressive!

I got a number of services done, so let me take you through my wonderful afternoon :)

Manicure & Pedicure

This was the first set of services I went for and I can't tell you how satisfied I was. The sea view from the mani-pedi station was so calming that I sat for there for nearly two hours with no hurry or worry about getting anything else done. Pure Luxury! If I had my way, I would have probably gotten all my services done sitting right there ;) (that actually became the joke of the afternoon). The therapist was incredibly good. The techniques he used, I haven't ever seen till date in any other salon and believe me or not, the polish lasted for 2 full weeks without chipping or touch up. So a totally recommended service from me. A regular manicure costs INR 900 while a pedicure costs INR 1000 which is the name of luxury is a total steal!

Hair Spa & Hair Cut

The hair stylist checked the texture of my hair and recommended the Moroccan Oil Hair Spa to deepen the colour in my hair and increase moisture and it sounded really luxurious so I was all for it. Mid way through the hair spa I also realised I was due for a hair cut and so that too got added to the list. The hair spa left my hair super silky and shiny and the hair cut added a bounce with some bangs. The result was a complete change in looks :) The Moroccan Oil Hair Spa costs INR 3,500 but is worth it coz the moisture locks into your hair for a good amount of time. Haircuts cost about INR 750 for men and INR 1,500 for women. Again I must say a steal deal!

Finally I was done, but my hospitable hosts would not give up on me and wouldn't let me stop ;) So I went ahead and got a quick shoulder massage done, some eye make-up and a cute pouf hairstyle for the retro themed look before the Tiara was placed on my head for the finale, which made me totally feel like a queen! Royalty I tell you - super easy to get used to ;-)

Did you just think it got over here? Hell no! :)

The evening continued to get better with some mocktails, hors d'ouvres and chit chat before we finally bade each other good bye but not before they surprised me with this cute gift basket of goodies.

I must say the Taj Salon embodies everything its name stands for – beauty, luxury, class and above all – service!

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Jean Claude Biguine's Bridal Collection 2012

One of my BFF's is getting married next month!!!!! *Dancing* I'm so excited I can't tell you. From the day its been fixed I've been just giving her tips and loads of advice (sometimes I feel it's unwanted, but who cares). Besties don't get maried again and again, do they? ;)

Needless to say, I am responsible for a lot of the preparations, especially her trousseau and bridal get up and all. Wanting her to look her gorgeous best at the wedding, I'm sparing no effort there. Since last week I've started inquiring for her bridal and reception make-up and hair-do. Post talking to a good number of celebrity artists and renowned salons and seeing their work, I've finally shortlisted a few. One of them is the Jean Claude Biguine (JCB) chain of salons who have just launched their Bridal Collection 2012.

I loved some of their looks but am still a little confused on which one to finalize on for her reception. Which one do you guys suggest from the looks below?

I love the 1st and the 4th look but we still need to finalize the outfit to zero down on which one to freeze. The hair and make-up packages start INR 6,000 ($120) onwards depending on the stylist you choose. I found the prices really pocket friendly for looking your best on one of the most memorable days of your life. They also have packages for family and friends.

Headquartered out of Paris with numerous salons around the globe, JCB has been present in India since 2008. With five branches in Mumbai (Bandra, Lower Parel, Kemps Corner, Colaba and Juhu) and one in Bangalore (Vittal Mallaya Road), they provide innovative beauty solutions ranging from head to toe under a single roof. I've been a regular their salons for the last few years and especially love their spa treatments. You can read about my last spa visit here.

All the to be brides out there, I surely recommend JCB to you for your big day :) 

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Shimmer at Jean Claude Biguine :)

I don't know about you guys, but this week started on a really stressful note for me, not so much due to work but more so because of the longgggggggg travel hours due to the non stop rain. The rain also played havoc with my skin, starting to make it look dull and hence I HAD TO find a solution to do away with both my problems. Deciding to go in for a midweek spa therapy :D, I zeroed down on Jean Claude Biguine (JCB) at Colaba for the perfect session of pampering that my past experience at their Bandra salon had taught me along with recommendations from quite a few people.

Headquartered out of Paris with numerous salons around the globe, JCB has been present in India since 2008. With five branches in Mumbai (Bandra, Lower Parel, Kemps Corner, Colaba & Juhu) and one in Bangalore (Vittal Mallaya Road), they provide innovative beauty solutions ranging from head to toe under a single roof.

As the day started, I couldn't wait for it to get over ;) And when it got over, you should have seen the speed with which I rushed! Located at Woodhouse Road, the place is the newest of the lot in Mumbai. Stepping in, I was warmly greeted by the Salon Manager - Gunjan who then gave me a complete overview of the services they offer, for me to plan what to get done. Hair services, facials, body therapies, mani-pedis (whew!), there was quite a choice. The products they use in all the treatments are atleast  90% organic, if not more :)

Organic Products used in their individual kits(one kit for one person for one facial to maintain hygiene)

Gunjan then introduced me to Sandra ( a really sweet French therapist) who sat with me to understand my requirement. Since my mission was to look and feel good - inside and out, we settled on what I was going to get done - a Phytomer body therapy. Phytomer is a top of the range French brand of Marine cosmetics made with different sea elements and algae, which I was told works wonders on the skin. She recommended the 'Satin Shimmer' treatment which would revive my skin and bring out its natural shine along with making it smooth. I was set! She led me to one of the spa rooms and how time flew for the next one hour I just didn't realize. :D

The Spa room

Phytomer products to be used for the 'Satin Shimmer' therapy

The therapy involved 3 steps:

1. a toning body scrub of sea salts to get rid of the dead skin
2. a marine body mask to detoxify the skin which I could actually feel penetrating my skin with a different kind of tingling feeling all over. I was wrapped like a mummy  :O for over 15 minutes while Sandra gave a nice head and foot massage to further relax me ( there is a slight seaweed smell which some people may not like but bearing it is worth the result)
3. a hydracontinue body milk moisturisation to hydrate and seal in the moisture of the body

I was mighty impressed with the results and there was this lovely shine to my skin :) A very happy me!!!

I'm already considering my next visit for their Kerastase hair therapy where they electronically analyze the scalp and then suggest the treatment. For this too they have have a separate Kerastase treatment room where there is no disturbance while you are being taken care of.

Kerastase Room

JCB offers loyalty cards to their regular customers which entitle them to special privileges. They keep running regular offers too like they are currently offering a stylish umbrella on spends worth Rs. 2,000 or more across all salons. Specifically, JCB Colaba is offering unlimited services for a month for Rs. 30,000.

For those who are planning their next spa treatment, I would surely recommend JCB! Do let me know how your experience was :)