Curl Up And Dye - The Beginning, Hows and Whys
I wish I could talk about Curl Up and Dye as a brand, an entity of its own, but it is a part of my personality.
A lot of my clients have asked me how and why I started a hair studio of my own. There isn’t an elaborate backstory to the beginnings of Curl Up and Dye. It’s as simple as, “I had experience in the hair industry, learned what needed to be learned and what required change, kept at it while gaining experience, did what I knew I was meant to do, and I did it honestly, with my whole heart.”
In my experience as a trainee in the Care and Grooming industry, every job I held in India and Dubai left me with one prickling thought – people are not really ‘cared’ for. What an irony!
An individual that walks in through the salon doors was viewed only as a client with a paying potential. We were made to look at them as money bags, squeeze out the cash as much as you can, push them, convince them and upsell whenever possible. It became hard for me to not be a person around another person and treat them as such. That is what I wanted to do differently, and over time, I have.
It's simple really.
I knew how to deal with hair and I genuinely wanted to help people with their hair woes, and that’s how Curl Up and Dye began. Every person that visits my studio is looking for help with their hair in some form or the other. Sometimes it’s a surface level haircut/colour to change their appearance. Other times it goes deeper. People look for scalp and hair health tips or a boost in their self-confidence and self-image. Sometimes they need to feel like a new and evolved version of themselves or they want to let go of the past. Many a time, their visit is out of an act of kindness, our favourite kind, hair donation!
Maybe it’s not as simple as I originally claimed. A lot goes into working in this industry and expressing genuineness. A short chat with somebody who comes to you for help makes it clear what they really want/need. But one has to have the emotional capacity to accept that their body is their choice, we give you our professional opinion but it's up to the person to take it or leave it.
No threats. No force. No scare tactics. And definitely no judgement.
People from different walks of life, being treated as people. With care. That’s what Curl Up and Dye is all about. That’s why I started Curl Up and Dye.
No high claims, no unnecessary selling. Just a safe comfortable space.
So what started off as a little studio space, accommodating only 2 clients at a time, on a terrace in Koramangala, Bangalore, has now grown into a studio space that can accommodate up to 5 clients with a separate room for hair washes, in Indiranagar, Bangalore, all thanks to the trust that my clients put in me and the constant support of my loved ones.
I am truly grateful for the opportunity to bring about some change in this industry. I hope to bring love and care back into focus in care-giving services. If you're looking for some love and a great hair experience, come on over. We'll be waiting with heart smiles and excited tail wags!
